Dream Theater announce new album A View From The Top Of The World

(Image credit: Rayon Richards)

Dream Theater have announced a new album, A View From The Top Of The World. The follow-up to 2019's Distance Over Time, it'll be released via InsideOutMusic/Sony Music on October 22.

"We just love to play our instruments," says guitarist John Petrucci. "That never goes away. I love to be creative, write, and exercise that part of my mind. We’ve been able to do this for a long time, and we don’t take it for granted. Whenever we get together, we know we can’t disappoint ourselves or our fans, so we manage to try even harder."

"We approach every album like it’s our first," adds frontman James LaBrie. "It’s been such a great ride, but we’re not going to stop."

A View From The Top Of The World was produced by Petrucci at the band's new DTHQ (Dream Theater Headquarters), a "combination live recording studio, rehearsal space, control room, equipment storage, and creative hive," which was completed just as the band was forced to abandon its tour in support of Distance Over Time and the 20th anniversary of the classic Scenes From A Memory.

With LaBrie in Canada and the rest of the group in the States, most of the writing was done via Zoom, before the singer flew to New York in March, quarantined, then recorded his vocals at DTHQ. The artwork for the new album comes from longtime collaborator Hugh Syme.

Dream Theater have also announced a North American tour in support of the new album. The Top Of The World Tour kicks off on October 28 in Mesa, Arizona and climaxes on December in St. Petersburg, Florida, on December 14. See poster below.

A View From The Top Of The World tracklist

1) The Alien (9:32)
2) Answering The Call (7:35)
3) Invisible Monster (6:31)
4) Sleeping Giant (10:05)
5) Transcending Time (6:25)
6) Awaken The Master (9:47)
7) A View From The Top Of The World (20:24)

Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World — (Image credit: InsideOut Music)

Dream Theater US tour 2021 — (Image credit: Dream Theater)

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.