Did DREAM THEATER Rewrite 'Images And Words' Songs For Latest Album? MIKE PORTNOY Comments

Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has commented on an article written by a longtime fan of the band which points out the
alleged musical and structural similarities between DREAM THEATER's new album and that of the group's breakthrough 1992 release, "Images And Words".

Thiago Campos, the Brazilian guitarist/producer/mixer/editor of "VRA! Split-Screen Covers", an online collaborative project where different artists record cover performances and post them on YouTube, penned his article after arriving at the "wonderfully shocking conclusion" that the entire "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", album — or "at least six songs" — was "written based off the charts of 'Images And Words' songs." He writes, "I know this might come across as an absurd
accusation to many of you, but I wouldn't be coming out in public with
this information if I hadn't done my homework, and if I wasn't confident this approach to writing the new album was a conscious/intentional
decision, maybe even humorous, by the band."

He continues, "When
I say the songs were 'written off the charts,' I mean arrangement-wise,
their structures, sometimes even orchestrations and nuances that make
the parts what they are, and their roles within the songs. This doesn't
mean they will sound alike at all, because within a given guideline for
arrangement, you could write virtually an infinite amount of different
songs, and mainstream/pop has been doing so for decades to back me up on
this statement. :)

"Some of these songs are so equal in terms
of arrangements that I'm surprised more people didn't catch on to this
nugget yet. Others just follow a rougher guideline (or so it seems to me
at this point)."

After reading Thiago's article, Portnoy took to his own forum to write, "Well done, Thiago.... Great post and spot-on! I *immediately* noticed everything you wrote
about upon my first listen... and found it all incredibly strange...
If they are indeed intentional 'nuggets,' then I guess that's a pretty
cool idea... However, if they were desperate attempts of secretly
re-writing the past... hmm, maybe not so much... I guess only they
[presumably referring to the current members of DREAM THEATER. — Ed.] will know the real reason for it..."

"A Dramatic Turn Of Events" — which marks new DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Mangini's recorded debut — will be released in North America on September 13 via Roadrunner Records.

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 20 years ago, abruptly quit the band last summer while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD.