Dream Theater's keyboardist Jordan Rudess has announced his upcoming solo album, Permission To Fly, arriving September 6th, 2024 via Inside Out Music. To whet your appetite, check out the official music video for the new single "The Alchemist", directed by Wayne Joyner.
Known for pushing musical boundaries, Rudess describes the album as a deep exploration of the human condition in our complex world: “The essence of the album is deeply informed by the tumultuous events of 2023-2024, with motifs of peace and anti-violence woven throughout many of the songs,” he explains.
This time around, Rudess opted for a collaborative approach, assembling a cast of musicians to bring his vision to life. The album features That Joe Payne on vocals, the powerhouse drumming of Devin Townsend's Darby Todd, and Steve Dadaian on guitars. Additionally, guest guitarist Bastian Martinez adds his signature flair to certain tracks.
Rudess felt it was crucial to give the album's lyrics the attention they deserved. To achieve this, he looked no further than his own family: “All the lyrics on the album were written by my daughter, Ariana. While I enjoy writing lyrics myself, my primary focus tends to be on the sonic quality of the words. For this album, I wanted to delve deeper and offer something that resonated on a more profound and cerebral level. Ari did an exceptional job.”
Permission To Fly will be available in a Limited CD Digipak, a Gatefold 180g 2LP (both with bonus tracks), and digital formats. Pre-orders are available here.
