“We are all blown away and extremely excited!” Mike Portnoy has finished recording drums for the next Dream Theater album

Mike Portnoy onstage in 2020
(Image credit: Miikka Skaffari/FilmMagic)

Mike Portnoy has finished recording his drum parts for the next Dream Theater album.

The drummer, who shockingly returned to the New York progressive metal outfit in 2023 following a 13-year absence, announced via Instagram on Saturday (March 30) that that was his last day recording for the as-yet-untitled 16th Dream Theater album.

Portnoy wrote: “Today is my last day behind this kit for a while…yes indeed, my drums for #DT16 are done!!”

You may like

He continued: “But that is just the beginning…work will now continue in the coming months ahead on guitars, bass, keys, vocals, percussion (not to mention writing lyrics, mixing, mastering etc etc).”

The drummer added, “I really can’t divulge anything more as we are (purposefully) keeping a very tight lid on any & all info at this early stage,” though he admitted that the band “are all BLOWN AWAY and sooo extremely excited about what we’ve created!”

He signed off: “We cannot wait for you all to hear this…but patience, all will be revealed in due time…😉😎 #DreamTheater2024”

Portnoy co-founded Dream Theater (originally named Majesty) in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung, while the three were students at the Berklee College Of Music.

The band found widespread popularity with their second album, 1992’s Images & Words, and its single Pull Me Under, and were credited with re-popularising the progressive metal subgenre.

Portnoy, who was also a key songwriter in the band, stayed with Dream Theater until 2010, when he left to pursue other projects. He was replaced by Mike Mangini.

Last October, Dream Theater surprisingly announced Portnoy’s return and the exit of Mangini.

“I am overwhelmed with joy to be returning home and reuniting with my brothers!” Portnoy commented at the time.

“There is so much shared history between us all…so many memories, so much music…to think we’re coming up on 40 years since this journey began!

“The idea of creating new music together is so exciting and I absolutely cannot wait to hit the road and get to play live for a whole new generation of fans that weren’t ever able to see this line-up before…

“There’s no place like home!”

Dream Theater’s upcoming 16th album will be their first with Portnoy since the release of Black Clouds & Silver Linings in 2009.

The band’s previous album, A View From The Top Of The World (2021), was promoted with the lead single The Alien. The song won the Grammy Award For Best Metal Performance in 2022.

At time of publication, Dream Theater have not announced any future live dates.

Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

Read more
Dream Theater sat on a couch
"The daddy of prog metal drumming finally came home with the milk." Mike Portnoy is back with Dream Theater, and he's helped them make a banger of an album in Parasomnia
Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy
“I went from being James LaBrie’s biggest critic to being his biggest cheerleader. I want him to succeed more than anybody”: Now Mike Portnoy is back in Dream Theater, he only wishes it had happened sooner
Dream Theater
Dream Theater share tour diary music video for new track Midnight Messiah
Dream Theater – Parasomnia
“Most is more than familiar… but there’s a sense of excitement in having this chemistry back in place”: Dream Theater’s Parasomnia largely lives up to the hype
Dream Theater sitting on a sofa
"There's a rejuvenated feel to this reunion album": Dream Theater's dream team return with a sharper-edged heaviness to the sound on Parasomnia
Megadeth performing live in 2024
“It’s only a matter of a couple weeks before everybody converges on to the studio”: Megadeth are working on their next studio album
Latest in
Cradle Of Filth performing in 2021 and Ed Sheeran in 2024
Cradle Of Filth’s singer claims Ed Sheeran tried to turn a Toys R Us into a live music venue
The Beatles in 1962
"The quality is unreal. How is this even possible to have?" Record shop owner finds 1962 Beatles' audition tape that a British label famously decided wasn't good enough to earn Lennon and McCartney's band a record deal
The Mars Volta
“My totalitarian rule might not be cool, but at least we’ve made interesting records. At least we polarise people”: It took The Mars Volta three years and several arguments to make Noctourniquet
/news/the-darkness-i-hate-myself
"When the storm clouds clear, the band’s innate pop sensibilities shine as brightly as ever": In a world of bread-and-butter rock bands, The Darkness remain the toast of the town
Ginger Wildheart headshot
"What happens next, you give everyone a hard-on and then go around the room with a bat like Al Capone?!” Ginger Wildheart's wild tales of Lemmy, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Cheap Trick and more
Lizzo and Sister Rosetta Tharpe onstage
"This is my baby, my passion – because Rosetta deserves": Lizzo to play rock'n'roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in upcoming biopic
Latest in News
Cradle Of Filth performing in 2021 and Ed Sheeran in 2024
Cradle Of Filth’s singer claims Ed Sheeran tried to turn a Toys R Us into a live music venue
The Beatles in 1962
"The quality is unreal. How is this even possible to have?" Record shop owner finds 1962 Beatles' audition tape that a British label famously decided wasn't good enough to earn Lennon and McCartney's band a record deal
Lizzo and Sister Rosetta Tharpe onstage
"This is my baby, my passion – because Rosetta deserves": Lizzo to play rock'n'roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in upcoming biopic
Heart publicity shot
"Don't worry, it's not the worst. It's not what you think": Nancy Wilson reassures fans concerned about Ann Wilson's onstage wheelchair
Mastodon
Mastodon add headline shows to their summer tour in the UK and Europe, but there's still no news on who's replacing Brent Hinds
Bury Tomorrow in 2023 and John Cena in 2025
This metalcore band want their new song to be John Cena’s theme now he’s a bad guy