Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy posted an update about the band’s new album on Instagram, showing progress on the project while keeping details under wraps for now.
Portnoy shared a photo from the studio to give fans a glimpse into the writing process. The update confirms that he has been working closely with vocalist James LaBrie, who joins the sessions remotely from Canada.
Mike Portnoy posted on Instagram: “If these walls could speak…This is my view A LOT of the time while we discuss arrangements, orchestrations, parts, etc (a more comfortable couch with a mic and headphones next to my kit)… also note JLB on the screen in the background as he zooms in from Canada with us everyday during the writing process.”
“Everything is going great so far…(No you’re not gonna get any details!) Coming to the end of Week 4 before we break for a week (I’ll be going to Brazil next week to play a one-off show w Metal Allegiance opening for Sepultura’s very last show).”
Portnoy made clear that fans should not expect information about the musical direction of the new songs. The band is now taking a break after four weeks of work on the album.
Dream Theater announced the start of their seventeenth studio album in October 2026, with all five members gathered at their Ytse Jam Studios. The band began writing and recording after completing their world tour in May 2026, following the release of their sixteenth album Parasomnia in February 2025. Portnoy had rejoined Dream Theater as co-founding drummer in October 2023, and the album cycle that followed was their first with him back in the band.
The break Portnoy mentioned comes after four weeks of intensive writing sessions. His trip to Brazil will see him perform at Sepultura’s career final show on November 7, 2026 in São Paulo, with Metal Allegiance, the supergroup that includes members from Testament, Machine Head, and Mastodon.
LaBrie had previously indicated that the band would take time off following their world tour before turning to new music in late 2026 or early 2027. The remote participation of LaBrie from Canada during the writing sessions reflects the band’s flexible approach to their collaborative process as they develop material for the new album.
