Ex-DREAM THEATER Drummer MIKE PORTNOY To Make 'Big Announcement' Tomorrow

Former DREAM THEATER/AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy has revealed via Twitter that he will make a "big announcement" tomorrow (Wednesday, June 15).

In a June 6 online posting, Portnoy stated about his as-yet-undisclosed new project, "While yes, I am indeed VERY pumped on the potential of this new band that I will start recording with next month... and it will surely be very exciting for certain people who love a certain genre, just remember not to build your hopes up TOO much... (although I do know this lineup is gonna KILL!). I will also say that this band falls more into the category of 'classic hard rock' ala LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE, early OZZY, etc."

Portnoy recently began laying down tracks on the debut album from the new band featuring SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen and guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP),rumored to be named ADRENALINE MOB. Portnoy is also involved in a separate new project with guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS),multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse (TRANSATLANTIC, SPOCK'S BEARD),bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) and vocalist Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV, ENDOCHINE). That group's debut album is tentatively due later in the year.

During an interview that was conducted at the third annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards in April, Portnoy stated about his recording plans, "I'm just doing a bunch of different projects, different albums, planting the seeds and seeing what grows." He added, "I'm definitely not the type to sit around waiting for a phone call [for someone to ask me to join their band]. If I got a call and was offered something, I would surely consider it. But in the meantime, I am doing all these other projects on my own. I don't know which will become permanent or which will be temporary. Like I said, I'm just gonna plant the seeds and see what happens."

He continued, "I've got this one project with Russell Allen, who is the singer from SYMPHONY X a real heavy thing, which is really cool. I've got another thing with Steve Morse, the guitar player from DEEP PURPLE. We're doing more of a proggy, poppy kind of thing. Just different stuff.

"It's like a newborn bachelor after being married for 25 years; I'm sowing my musical oats."

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 20 years ago, abruptly quit the band last summer while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).

Portnoy played on AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "Nightmare", following the death of that band's drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, and toured with them for the entire second half of 2010.

(Thanks: NJthrasher)