Dream Theater recently shared their first photo from the studio, marking the official start of recording for their 17th studio album. The update was shared on the band’s official Instagram account.
The band accompanied the studio photo with a brief caption confirming that the recording process for the new record has officially begun.
“DT17 is underway…,” the band wrote.
This update comes shortly after drummer Mike Portnoy discussed the timeline for the new album in a recent interview, explaining that the band is transitioning directly from touring to studio work.
“We just finished a year and a half,” Portnoy said. “Yeah, it was crazy. Went around the world a few times. It was really insane. But all good, all great. And just literally starting work on the new album today. Today was the first day in the studio.”
The studio update arrives roughly a year and a half after the release of Dream Theater’s previous album, and it follows the completion of an extensive touring cycle. The new record will be the band’s second since Portnoy rejoined the lineup, giving the current era a continuity that had been absent from the group for more than a decade.
Portnoy’s return was announced on October 25, 2023, after a 13-year absence. Portnoy replaced Mike Mangini, who had played on the band’s preceding five studio albums. At the time, Portnoy described the reunion in personal terms, saying he was “returning home and reuniting with my brothers” and that the prospect of creating new music together was something he found deeply exciting.
That reunion produced Dream Theater’s 16th studio album, Parasomnia, released on February 7, 2025, through InsideOut Music. The record debuted at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 and took the No. 1 spot on several rock and hard rock charts, including Top Hard Rock Albums, Hard Music Albums and Current Rock Albums. The chart showing was a notable achievement for a progressive metal band.
“It was a very special record to make,” Portnoy said of the reunion album. “I am overwhelmed with joy to be returning home and reuniting with my brothers.”
The album was supported by the “An Evening With Dream Theater” world tour, which doubled as a celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary. The set presented Parasomnia in full alongside “A Change of Seasons,” performed in its entirety for the first time since Portnoy’s return, along with older material spanning the band’s career.
