Watch Dream Theater’s Epic Sci-Fi Video for Brand New Track “The Alien”
John Petrucci’s otherworldly guitar skills take a different voyage in this larger than life video.

Grammy-nominated prog metal behemoths Dream Theater have released a captivating sci-fi themed music video made by digital artist Wayne Joyner to accompany their new track “The Alien”. Clocking in at a substantial 9:32 “The Alien” is the opening track from Dream Theater’s forthcoming A View From the Top of the World – the band’s 15th studio album.
“It’s the first one we wrote together,” explains John Petrucci, whose electric guitar work on the new track sounds as dazzling as ever. “It gives people a window into what it was like when we initially met up after all of those months off. It has the adventure, the untraditional structure, the heaviness, and the hooks. It really set the tone for the album.
“James [LaBrie] wrote the lyrics about the idea of terraforming and looking beyond our Earth for alternative settlements. Since we’re going beyond our planet, ‘The Alien’ turns out to be us. I thought it was a cool and creative lyric by James.”
Following the album’s release on October 22 via InsideOutMusic/Sony Music, Dream Theater will be heading out on a 32-date North American tour beginning on October 28 in Arizona and concluding in Florida on December 14. Visit the band’s website here for more details.
Pre-order your copy of A View From the Top of the World here.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.

"I just was like, ‘Whoa, wait a minute. This feels like acid." Don Felder makes his first public comments after nearly collapsing onstage

"He's underrated. Honestly, there’s no one close to him." They've both worked with Frank Zappa. But Steve Vai says he had no idea his guitar partner in Beat was such a powerhouse virtuoso