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Dream Theater Balances Consistency and Excitement on 'Distance Over Time'

Dream Theater's Distance Over Time is at its strongest when it feels improvised and energetic—not overly-planned, but rather like the gang holed up in a studio and decided to lay down some tracks.

Music

The PopMatters Progcast Discusses Highs of 2017 and Hopes for 2018

In this episode of the PopMatters Progcast, we reflect on our top albums of 2017, as well as discuss some of the major releases arriving this year.

Music

Dream Theater: "Images, Words & Beyond" at the Forum Karlín, Prague

Combining old classics with new cuts, Dream Theater demonstrates why they've managed to stick around all these years.

Music

Miraculous Metropolis: A Reflection on Dream Theater's 'Scenes from a Memory'

Fifteen years after its release, Dream Theater's fifth LP remains not only the quintet's truest masterpiece, but arguably the greatest progressive metal album ever made.

Music

Dream Theater Is Reinvigorated, Revitalized, and Ready

Dream Theater, now in its third decade, suffered what could have been a crippling blow, the loss of drummer Mike Portnoy. The band found a replacement and got (to everyone's surprise) better. This new DVD is proof.

Reviews

Dream Theater: Dream Theater

That Dream Theater decided to make their twelfth LP their self-titled is not an indication that it's finally figured things out. This collection of overcooked pop-prog metal, more than anything else, exemplifies a band trying to make the most out of a withering identity.

Music

'Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian' Deliver Impressive Prog and Fusion

Four titans of progressive rock demonstrate their individual and collective genius. The virtuosity is dizzying but no one gets hurt.

Reviews

Confessions of a Workaholic: An Interview with Mike Portnoy

More than a year after leaving Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy has moved ahead with his music career and not looked back. The prolific drummer talks about his latest supergroup, PSMS, the hardest part about singing and drumming simultaneously, and how he misses Starbucks whenever touring overseas.

Dane Prokofiev

Music

The 10 Best Progressive Rock Albums of the 2000s

The first decade of the new millennium proved to be a fruitful time for great progressive rock. While some of prog’s most legendary bands took turns for the worse, others rose to meteoric prominence.

Music

The Best Progressive Rock of 2011

In 2011, there were only a few high-quality progressive rock releases, but those that managed to stand out are some of the best the genre has seen in awhile.

Brice Ezell

Music

Dream Theater + Trivium: 25 October 2011 - Houston, TX

A Dream Theater show keeps the focus on the instrumental pyrotechnics going on onstage and eschews actual pyrotechnics.

Reviews

Dream Theater: A Dramatic Turn of Events

A couple of strong songs does not a full album make, and this constantly-working cycle that Dream Theater is on seems to have passed the point of diminishing returns.

Music

Dream Theater: Chaos in Motion 2007/2008

Dream Theater's third DVD in the past five years is chock full of fresh material, but it's still their third DVD in five years, and it's all starting to feel like business as usual.

Reviews

Dream Theater: Greatest Hitthias

Listening to this compilation is a little like watching Revenge of the Sith... you knew it had to exist to bridge the gap, but you can't find another reason for its necessity.

Music

Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos

Systematic Chaos does not represent chaos, but the backwards progression of a formerly great band. You heard that right: this is the worst Dream Theater album yet.

Music

Dream Theater: Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra

If you're a serious fan of high-octane rock, or are considering a Masters class in music theory, put this on your wish list.

Jarrett Berman

Reviews

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The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums

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The Best Progressive Rock/Metal of 2019

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Dream Theater Balances Consistency and Excitement on 'Distance Over Time'

Dream Theater's Distance Over Time is at its strongest when it feels improvised and energetic—not overly-planned, but rather like the gang holed up in a studio and decided to lay down some tracks.

The PopMatters Progcast Discusses Highs of 2017 and Hopes for 2018

In this episode of the PopMatters Progcast, we reflect on our top albums of 2017, as well as discuss some of the major releases arriving this year.

Dream Theater: "Images, Words & Beyond" at the Forum Karlín, Prague

Combining old classics with new cuts, Dream Theater demonstrates why they've managed to stick around all these years.

Miraculous Metropolis: A Reflection on Dream Theater's 'Scenes from a Memory'

Fifteen years after its release, Dream Theater's fifth LP remains not only the quintet's truest masterpiece, but arguably the greatest progressive metal album ever made.

Dream Theater Is Reinvigorated, Revitalized, and Ready

Dream Theater, now in its third decade, suffered what could have been a crippling blow, the loss of drummer Mike Portnoy. The band found a replacement and got (to everyone's surprise) better. This new DVD is proof.

Dream Theater: Dream Theater

That Dream Theater decided to make their twelfth LP their self-titled is not an indication that it's finally figured things out. This collection of overcooked pop-prog metal, more than anything else, exemplifies a band trying to make the most out of a withering identity.

'Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian' Deliver Impressive Prog and Fusion

Four titans of progressive rock demonstrate their individual and collective genius. The virtuosity is dizzying but no one gets hurt.

Confessions of a Workaholic: An Interview with Mike Portnoy

More than a year after leaving Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy has moved ahead with his music career and not looked back. The prolific drummer talks about his latest supergroup, PSMS, the hardest part about singing and drumming simultaneously, and how he misses Starbucks whenever touring overseas.

The Best Progressive Rock of 2011

In 2011, there were only a few high-quality progressive rock releases, but those that managed to stand out are some of the best the genre has seen in awhile.

Dream Theater + Trivium: 25 October 2011 - Houston, TX

A Dream Theater show keeps the focus on the instrumental pyrotechnics going on onstage and eschews actual pyrotechnics.

Dream Theater: A Dramatic Turn of Events

A couple of strong songs does not a full album make, and this constantly-working cycle that Dream Theater is on seems to have passed the point of diminishing returns.

Dream Theater: Chaos in Motion 2007/2008

Dream Theater's third DVD in the past five years is chock full of fresh material, but it's still their third DVD in five years, and it's all starting to feel like business as usual.

Dream Theater: Greatest Hitthias

Listening to this compilation is a little like watching Revenge of the Sith... you knew it had to exist to bridge the gap, but you can't find another reason for its necessity.

Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos

Systematic Chaos does not represent chaos, but the backwards progression of a formerly great band. You heard that right: this is the worst Dream Theater album yet.

Dream Theater: Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra

If you're a serious fan of high-octane rock, or are considering a Masters class in music theory, put this on your wish list.

Submotion Orchestra Playlist Their Influences

Dustbowl Revival Embrace Their Nomadic Character via "Runaway" (premiere)

House's Flashmob Remixes Juliet Sikora's Monster Hit "Beat Dancer" (premiere)

The JAB Issue Their Mission Statement With "Riot" (premiere)

Jon Regen Displays Live Chops via "Hole in My Heart" (premiere + interview)

Randall Bramblett's "Vibrating Strings" Is About Staying Alive (premiere + interview)

Friend Within Brings Sunshine to the Dancefloor on "Space Jam" (premiere)

With "Santa Baby", Emergency Tiara Updates a Classic Just in Time for the Holidays (premiere)

Tyler Boone Dodges Cliches With "Jealousy" (premiere + interview)