A View from the Top of the World artbook liner notes

In 2019, Dream Theater was riding high on the release of Distance Over Time and in the early stages of a world tour that also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory. Then in early 2020, the world would stop, casting a haze of uncertainty and placing the group and shows on hiatus. It would eventually become apparent that the tour could not continue, leaving the band with the only thing they could do: get to work on album #15. So, in the fall of 2020, now equipped with their own recently established Dream Theater headquarters, affectionately called DTHQ, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung, Mike Mangini, and James LaBrie would begin writing and recording the new album.

John Petrucci explains, “We were definitely in a position and at a point where we knew that touring wasn’t going to continue in the near future, and we weren’t sure exactly how long we would be off the road. If this was any normal album/tour cycle, we wouldn’t have gone into the studio at the point that we did, but because of the fact that the future of touring was just so uncertain, we decided ‘let’s make a new record, let’s do what we love to do let’s be creative.’ So, we started the process a year before the album release, which is something we don’t normally do.”

In May 2021, with the album nearing the final stages of mixing and mastering, the group convened at DTHQ for a week of promotional activities in preparation for the upcoming release of the album. Joining them at DTHQ, I got to observe all that happened that week and interview the band – certainly a welcome assignment after a year and a half of quarantine.

Few bands in rock, prog, or metal carry such a legacy of groundbreaking compositions and enduring relevance spanning over 35 years. At every turn, Dream Theater has redefined the term ‘progressive metal.’ From the genre-defying Images and Words, and the conceptual masterwork Scenes From a Memory, through the diversity of Octavarium and the expansive undertaking that was The Astonishing , Dream Theater has never shied away from challenging themselves and their fans, producing incredible music every time. So... how would they fare this time around?

For the next week, the band would head over to Dream Theater headquarters each morning to proceed with that day’s agenda. Walking into DTHQ early on the first day, the impressiveness of the establishment is immediate. This is not just an office with a conference room – it’s a full-on recording studio – the hallways covered with tour posters and other DT memorabilia; the lounge area surrounded by album cover prints, past tour drum heads, framed live photos; and of course, gear for days just about everywhere you look. Walk into the control room, and John Petrucci is listening to a mix of a new song with engineer Jimmy T. Turn the corner and find Jordan Rudess performing some wizardry on his iPad in the next room, while John Myung is practicing his bass quietly in the Sky Lounge. Elsewhere, James LaBrie might be discussing hockey with the band’s management, while Mike Mangini is playing darts and enjoying an espresso expertly made by JP’s guitar-tech, Maddi, the band’s studio coordinator and self-appointed barista at DTHQ.

Even with James LaBrie joining the writing sessions remotely via Zoom from his home studio in Canada, the band managed to create an environment of inclusive and collective creativity. According to John Petrucci, once again taking on the role of producer, the environment of the new headquarters played a major factor in the making of the new album. “It definitely had an effect. It had to do with the way that we were set up in the live room, with everything sort of happening in real-time and our engineer, Jimmy T, being right there along with us as we fleshed out ideas and laid them down. As a result, we captured this sort of ‘off the cuff’ live feeling from some of the performances. Even choice moments from several early takes that were captured off the floor while we were writing, were kept on the final recording. There was an excitement and energy that stemmed from all of us being in the room together, everybody existing in the same creative headspace. With this album, all of the material was written during our time together at HQ, either while jamming and constructing arrangements as a band or quietly working out a new idea in the next room.

“My solo album was the first thing recorded at DTHQ which set the stage for future recordings and also proved that this could potentially work out as a viable space to produce the next DT album in. With Jimmy T and Maddi running cables, meticulously setting things up, painting, securing the necessary recording gear, and building out the studio more and more over the next few months, it had evolved into a professional, working recording studio. After successfully completing a few other projects with Jimmy T as engineer, we knew we could make a DT record here and that it was going to sound absolutely amazing.”

Going into the writing sessions, the band decided to remove all restrictions and allow any ideas to flow. Jordan Rudess notes, “Musically speaking, what was important was to have a balance of energy. You don’t want the whole album to be just aggressive, you want places where you can breathe, as well. As long as that’s in place then it’s fine.”

The first day of the photoshoot began unexpectedly outside an abandoned psychiatric center on Long Island. The broken glass, graffiti, and vine-covered brick walls made for an ominous vibe while producing some spectacular results. Over the next two days, many locations were visited in search of the perfect shot that would capture the epic feel of the new album. Hundreds of pictures were taken, concluding with shots take atop a Manhattan skyscraper with the breathtaking New York City skyline as the backdrop, fitting for an album titled A View From The Top Of The World.

John Petrucci recalls selecting the album title, “The music on the album is powerful and dark, yet also positive with a ton of energy, exploration and a lot of spirit. So, we needed to select a title that would encapsulate all of that. One day, the title of the epic that closes the album, “A View From The Top Of The World” jumped out at me, and I thought that would make the perfect album title, and the band all agreed!”

The next day the group would be shooting a music video for “Invisible Monster.” It began with a two-hour car ride from Long Island into Manhattan. After cramming into a van with the band and a few wrong turns (which prompted an unscheduled tour of Brooklyn), we eventually arrived at the film studio in Tribeca. The plan for the day was for each of the guys to perform the song solo as the track blared repeatedly over the sound system. While each member took their turn, the others were either going out for coffee or rehearsing their part in the back room. After a few hours with Petrucci, Myung and LaBrie filming their performances, next was Mangini. The sound of the snare drum was so loud in that enclosed, empty soundstage that it sounded like an explosion which no earplugs could effectively muffle enough to avoid the immediate evacuation of everyone from the studio as Mike filmed his part. As the rest of the band were hanging outside on the steps in front of the studio, a passerby nervously asked, “Hey, are you guys Dream Theater?” After chatting briefly with the fan, the band returned inside. The day concluded with Jordan Rudess filming his performance and then a return ride during NY rush hour back to HQ. It was a long and tiring, but productive day.

It was clear during the first few days of this promo gathering that the band was in great spirits and excited about the new music. Was it the long break, being in quarantine, or the new headquarters? According to Jordan Rudess, it was all of the above. “First of all, we were all inspired just getting together and having that space and not having an immediate deadline. I think this opened us up to a lot of possibilities. The other cool thing about the way the music came about from a kind of a personal perspective is that I was already in a creative motion from doing some solo stuff and being in lockdown was an interesting kind of inspiration, so by the time we got in the studio with Dream Theater, it was ‘OK, let’s go, let’s keep writing music.’”

Mike Mangini remarks, “It was all inspiration. We jammed, and we all had new instruments and configurations; everybody had fun. For me, I wanted to push things. I just wanted to push stuff from my instrument, things I’ve never been able to fit in and do.”

James LaBrie recalls having discussions about some of the band’s classic material as they approached the writing sessions, “We were talking one day about the way that “A Change Of Seasons” was put together compositionally. We said we’re going to analyze that because maybe that’s something to come back to, because it is the essence of who Dream Theater is, and it does blend into what we are today. It’s still relevant, and I think that was really cool. The same thing was true when revisiting Scenes From A Memory on tour.

John Myung describes the effect of playing that album live on the recent 20th Anniversary Tour, “Your memory is refreshed from that period, and then in the back of your mind, it’s still running as you’re writing. But during the writing process, we were very keen on whenever there was a strong reference to that album to try other things as well.”

Proving that they are not resting on their laurels, the group has taken things up a notch, signified by the explosive immediacy of Mike Mangini’s drums on the album’s opening track, “The Alien.” The nearly 10-minute rush of adrenaline is an emphatic statement to kick off the record, which Mangini elaborates, “I had this 17 beat time signature I wanted to use and I’ve been holding onto it for a while. When I came into the studio, I had put it in the six feel which I felt, and then, of course, once the band got going, they were able to make it sound musical and make good decisions as far as what feel to put underneath, what notes to hit, where to go from there. After that, we just kept going and going.”

The desire to push boundaries continues throughout the album by jumping right into “Answering The Call,” which features an impassioned lyric and vocal by James LaBrie with John Myung’s powerful bass laying down the foundation. Meanwhile, “Invisible Monster” rocks an undeniable classic DT guitar riff with gripping grooves and haunting thematic melodies. The 10-minute epic, “Sleeping Giant,” provides the perfect showcase of the group’s musical talents with everyone firing on all cylinders. “Transcending Time” provides an uplifting change of pace highlighted by remarkable vocal harmonies and an infectious chorus hook. In the penultimate track, John Petrucci debuts his Majesty 8-string guitar for “Awaken The Master” with bone-crushing devastation. It all culminates with the over 20-minute epic title track with lyrics penned by Petrucci, exploring humankind’s quest to conquer seemingly impossible feats. Dripping with cinematic orchestration provided by Jordan Rudess, the band takes the listener on the ultimate Dream Theater journey.

At any break in the action at HQ during the week, you could find the band in the control room attentively listening to brand new mixes of the album, which were handled by Andy Sneap at his UK studio. As John Petrucci explains, “Once we were done tracking the album, which was brilliantly engineered and recorded by Jimmy T, we handed it over to Andy who I knew would be just perfect for this. He is such an awesome mixer and mastering engineer with a tremendous discography to his credit and completely knocked it out of the park. His attention to detail is evident in the final mixes of the album where every instrument sounds so beautiful and distinct, the clarity in the drums and vocals is incredible, the guitars and bass sound absolutely phenomenal and the keyboards have never sounded better. Andy is a talented person who is very aware of everybody’s needs and was very respectful of that. Together, I think we have created what may be the best sounding Dream Theater album of all time.”

With this album having neared conclusion, the band has turned to the anticipation of getting back to what they love most: performing live. James LaBrie emphasizes, “I’m just looking forward to getting back on stage with these guys. It’s something I’ve dearly missed. There’s nothing more powerful than being on stage with these guys, my brothers. It’s one of the most incredible feelings in the world to be up there.”

The band dearly values the relationship they have with their fans and performing for them. John Myung adds, “It’s an amazing situation to be in and there’s that responsibility to maintain that relationship and do the traveling that we do. But it’s all for a good purpose, making people happy.”

Whether it is the relentless aggressiveness of songs like “The Alien” and “Sleeping Giant” or the unforgettable hooks in tracks like “Invisible Monster and “Transcending Time”, there is a palpable energy in this exquisite-sounding collection. Equally, there is a joy and camaraderie among the band members that is undeniable and infectious. It is clear they do not take their legacy lightly and haven’t made it this far by luck. Attention is paid to every detail, always striving for perfection. Now a band for over 35 years, Dream Theater’s hard work and effort has not waned in any way. They still stand at the apex of the prog metal mountain proudly taking in A View From The Top Of The World.

— Roie Avin, 2021