JAMES LABRIE Doesn't Think DREAM THEATER Will Begin Recording Next Album Before Early 2024

DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie spoke to Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility about the band's plans for 2023. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We leave on the 11th of January, and we fly to Tel Aviv. And our first two shows are in Tel Aviv — on the 13th and 14th. And then we fly to Spain and then continue from there — [we play in] Spain and [do shows] throughout Europe. I think our last show is February 21st in London… And then the plan is that we're supposed to do something in the spring throughout North America. And then we'll finally get over to Asia, because we haven't been there… That was supposed to be our next leg when we finished in Glasgow in February 2020, just before the pandemic. We were supposed to be in Asia in April [2020]. That never happened. So we have to get to Asia, go through Asia. And then I think that's it. I think we're winding down this tour. And then we'll take a bit of a break, and then start working on another album."

Regarding when fans can expect the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", LaBrie said: "If I'm seeing the timeline the way that it usually unfolds, I can't see us going into the studio until the beginning of '24. I don't think it would make sense to be in there before then. But don't quote me on that. Some things always change.

"So that's the plan of action at this point," he continued. "We're all looking forward to it. It's just great to be out there and be with our fans and just do what we love to do."

Two months ago, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he couldn't see him and his bandmates returning to the studio until the end of 2023. "If you kind of just look forward to next year, you see the way it's gonna lay out, and we've got festivals. Before you know it, it's August," he explained. "There's not gonna be any studio work done before the fall; I highly doubt it. So a new record wouldn't be [released before] the following year."

"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 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 release 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.