A Dramatic Turn of Events

Occupation

• Vocals: James LaBrie
• Guitar: John Petrucci
• E -Bass: John Myung
• Keyboard: Jordan Rudess
• Drums: Mike Mangini

Studios

• Music: Cove City Sound Studios, New York ( USA)
• Vocals: Mixland Studios, Midhurst (Canada)

A Dramatic Turn of Events (English for: " A dramatic turn of events " ) is the eleventh studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. The album was released on September 9, 2011 in Germany and on September 13 in the U.S.. It is the first album with new drummer Mike Mangini after the departure of longtime drummer Mike Portnoy.

Background

Departure of Mike Portnoy

On September 8, 2010 it was announced that Portnoy would leave the band. Later it became known to the reasons that the drummer originally did not want to escape from the group. However, Portnoy wanted to take a 5 - year break due to the increased efforts of the band and his side projects and the fear of a burnout syndrome. The rest of the band was to rest with Portnoy's plans, the band for the time being, however, disagree and so this, the group decided to leave. In the same interview in which guitarist Petrucci remarked that, he called the exit of longtime drummer " one of the hardest things that Dream Theater has ever had to face ."

Search for a new drummer

Not much later than one month after the exit Portnoy began in New York, the first samples with new drummers. In the invited drummers it was Mike Mangini, Derek Roddy, Thomas Lang, Virgil Donati, Marco Minnemann, Aquiles Priester and Peter Wildoer. The candidates of the three songs, " A Nightmare to Remember ", " The Dance of Eternity" and " The Spirit Carries On " was added to the practice and with only a few weeks of preparation. With each of the candidates each about three hours were spent, the decision on the new drummer was hit in early November 2010 made ​​public, however, it was only in April 2011 on the Internet platform YouTube. In the same month, as Mike Mangini was hired as the new drummer, Portnoy wrote an email to the band that he would like to rejoin Dream Theater. However, this was rejected by the band.

Development and promotion

On 3 January 2011, the band entered without Mangini to New York in the Cove City Sound Studios to begin recording a new album. The album was mainly influenced by guitarist John Petrucci, who has already brought Although some demos and riffs into the studio, but the album was almost entirely created in the studio. This also James LaBrie and John Myung were more involved in the writing process than in past years. On 2 March 2011 the writing process without Mike Mangini has ended.

On April 14, LaBrie began with the recordings of vocals, mixing and mastering of the album was completed on 28 June by Andy Wallace. Already on June 8, the album title and the song list and the release date in the U.S. was announced. According to Jordan Rudess Even though the title might suggest, it is the album title due in any way to the exit Portnoy. A little later we also published the re- designed by Hugh Syme Cover, which is already the sixth collaboration between the Canadians and the band. On June 29, with "On the Backs of Angels " the first single from the album was released, which was followed by a music video for the song on September 14. Before the release of the album, the band also unveiled several 60 -second excerpts from the songs " Bridges in the Sky", "Breaking all Illusions ", " Beneath the Surface ", " This Is the Life", " Lost Not Forgotten " and " Far from Heaven " before.

Versions

The album was released in three different versions. Once considered a normal CD, a special edition with the 60- minute documentary The Spirit Carries On, about the search for a new drummer, and a Deluxe Edition, in the special edition with a vinyl double LP, an instrumental version of the entire album contained and other gimmicks.

Title list

Reception

The album was recorded mostly rather positively by fans and critics. Michael Rensen of Rock Hard magazine awarded 9 out of 10 points, the best score of the magazine to an album by the band for 10 years. He praised in his review the " great atmosphere " and noticed that the exit Portnoy of the band " did hear good" has. Mangini could his predecessor " easily hold a candle " and " Mastermind " Petrucci deliver " some of the most soulful licks his career " from. Also Yan bird of laut.de responded positively, noting the band would " a throwback to old deeds draw " what resultiere especially from the " back screwed hardness", which Portnoy have to answer for in the past.

The album reached the top rankings of the band in the country, in many cases. For example, it was the second Dream Theater album in a row, which debuted at number three on the German album charts, it reached also continue as a second work of the group the top position in Finland. In the United Kingdom, the quintet with 17th place achieved its best ever placement there, only in the U.S., it placed itself with Rank 8 two positions behind his previous album.