DREAM THEATER's JOHN PETRUCCI: 'We've Talked About Some Ideas On Direction' For Next Studio Album

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have already discussed a musical direction, title and possible lyrical themes for their upcoming sixteenth studio album.

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci offered an update on the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World" during a June 5 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk".

While promoting DREAM THEATER's summer 2023 "Dreamsonic" North American tour with special guests Devin Townsend and ANIMALS AS LEADERS, Petrucci was asked if he and his bandmates have talked about their next studio LP. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we have talked about it a little bit. Obviously, we're gonna finish out this 'Dreamsonic' leg. We've been touring pretty non-stop, so we'll take a little bit of time and get started on a new record. We've talked about some ideas on direction. We've talked about a title, a possible concept — not a concept record, but a direction. So, yeah, so it's starting, it's bubbling, but no concrete musical ideas yet. We'll most likely get together towards the end of the year, beginning of the next and do this all again."

Petrucci continued: "It's my favorite thing about all this, and it's kind of the same with touring and getting to play live. Every night you walk on stage, it's like a new opportunity to do it again, to play it again, to play better, try better, fix something you messed up. Every record you go into is, as a creative person, just such a great moment. You roll up your sleeves, like, 'Man, let's do this.' And I love that. So we will get into that for album number 16 towards the end of this year, beginning of next."

"The Alien", a track from "A View From The Top Of The World", landed DREAM THEATER its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in April 2022 in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

"A View From The Top Of The World" was described in a press released as "DREAM THEATER at its musical finest, expanding on the sound they helped create while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe." The seven-song album also marked the second studio album with InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "A View From The Top Of The World" was produced by Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James "Jimmy T" Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap.