Op de website van het platenlabel van de progmetalband Dream Theater is te lezen dat de drummer en mede-oprichter van de band, Mike Portnoy, besloten heeft om de band te verlaten. In zijn statement laat hij weten toe te zijn aan een break met Dream Theater.

Op de website van platenlabel Roadrunner Records is het volgende te lezen:

I am about to write something I never imagined I'd ever write: After 25 years, I have decided to leave Dream Theater....the band I founded, led and truly loved for a quarter of a century.

To many people this will come as a complete shock, and will also likely be misunderstood by some, but please believe me that it is not a hasty decision...it is something I have struggled with for the last year or so.... After having had such amazing experiences playing with Hail, Transatlantic and Avenged Sevenfold this past year, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater...

Lees hier het complete statement van Portnoy.

Portnoy was vanaf de oprichting in 1985 deel van Dream Theater en tourt momenteel als drummer van Avenged Sevenfold.