DREAM THEATER – Midnight Messiah (2025) *HQ*

DREAM THEATER have released a new EP, “Midnight Messiah”, featuring two versions of the song and including the two previous advanced singles taken from their forthcoming new full album. The track marks another milestone for the prog-metal masters, at it features the first lyrical contributions from drummer Mike Portnoy since 2009. The stickman returned to the band in late 2023 following a 13-year absence.
“Midnight Messiah” opens with a lurching, slowed tempo that soon becomes a groove-laden riff workout. There’s hints of hard rock and classic metal, especially during the first half of the track, with the band busting out the solos and prog flexes during the latter half. Petrucci and Ruddess have fantastic parts here – the first solo out of the post-chorus is fantastic, and then that dueling unison keys & guitar part is GOLD. The third chorus is so good. The dive bomb guitar accent under it all is peak. Inspired vocal melody, everyone is firing on all pistons here.
These new songs have Portnoy’s chemistry that was absent in the Mangini years. Not a knock on Mangini, but Portnoy is a large portion of the genesis to this feeling of the band.
Highly Recommended

01. Midnight Messiah (07:58)
02. Midnight Messiah (Radio Mix) (05:13)
03. A Broken Man (08:29)
04. Night Terror (09:55)

James LaBrie / lead vocals
John Petrucci / guitars, backing vocals
Jordan Rudess / keyboards, backing vocals
John Myung / bass, backing vocals
Mike Portnoy / drums & percussion, backing vocals

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