Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have unveiled “A Broken Man,” the second single from their forthcoming sixteenth studio album, Parasomnia, set for release on February 7, 2025, through InsideOut Music. This album marks the band’s first release with drummer Mike Portnoy since 2009’s Black Clouds & Silver Linings.
“A Broken Man” opens with a driving musical barrage that subsides as singer James LaBrie tells the story of a war vet who is experiencing sleep disturbances such as nightmares and insomnia, due to combat experience. The song contains audio from actual vets speaking about their personal horrors and replaying the traumatic events of wartime deployments. A visualizer for the song — created by longtime collaborator Wayne Joyner — that captures the essence of “A Broken Man” can be seen below.
Parasomnia was produced by DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James “Jimmy T” Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme also returned to contribute his creative vision to the cover art once again.
From the opening track “In The Arms Of Morpheus” to the closer of “The Shadow Man Incident”, DREAM THEATER returns with a collection of songs that showcase what has earned the band a loyal following for four decades. Clocking in at 71 minutes, Parasomnia takes the listener on a musical journey that has become synonymous with the band since the beginning of their career. Parasomnia is a term for disruptive, sleep-related disturbances including sleepwalking, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. Songs like “A Broken Man”, “Dead Asleep”, “Midnight Messiah” and “Bend The Clock” all build upon the themes brought on by the album title. The first single, “Night Terror”, is a musical thrill ride captured in the just shy of ten minutes listening experience. A music video for the song — directed by Mike Leonard — can be seen below.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.