The second single from the prog-metal legends' forthcoming album, A View From The Top Of The World, dials back the tempo, but not John Petrucci's six-string heroics
(Image credit: Per Ole Hagen/Redferns)
On The Alien, the first single from their upcoming album, A View From The Top Of The World, Dream Theater went down a decidedly sci-fi-influenced route, examining life on Earth from an extraterrestrial point of view.
For the album's brand-new second single – Invisible Monster – though, the prog-metal heroes have snapped their focus all the way back inward, documenting the effects of anxiety, and how it haunts and follows those who struggle with its effects.
Wielding the six-string version of his Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty signature guitar, the song finds John Petrucci in versatile form, leading the track off with an eerie, delay-drenched opening riff, powering the first verse with titanium-like chugs, and topping things off with a climactic, typically blazing solo.
You can check out the song's William “Wombat” Felch-directed music video below.
“It was written after we’d written a bunch of material," Petrucci said of the song in a press release. "A lot of the music was super energetic and upbeat tempo-wise. Mike [Mangini, Dream Theater's drummer] suggested we do something a little different though.
"So, we started working on a more mid-temp song. The hook, riff, and melody changed so naturally. I equate it to Pull Me Under back in the day where we’d just start playing, something would come out, and we’d be like, ‘Whoa, that’s cool’. There’s a serendipitous moment where it happens.
"Lyrically, it’s about how anxiety plagues people," he added. "It’s like there’s an invisible monster beating you. You don’t see it, but it’s haunting you all of the time.”
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(Image credit: Rayon Richards)
Set for an October 22 release via InsideOutMusic/Sony Music, A View From The Top Of The World was produced by Petrucci, with engineering and additional production by James “Jimmy T” Meslin. You can check out its cover art and track list below.
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.
