In the wake of drummer Mike Mangini leaving Dream Theater to make way for the return of founding member Mike Portnoy, former Annihilator drummer Mike Harshaw - who was with the band from 2012 – 2016 - has shared video from Wacken Open Air 2015, when Mangini reunited with Annihilator to perform "Set The World On Fire". Check it out below.
Mangini was with Annihilator in 1993, returned through 2004 and 2005, then again in 2007.
A day after it was announced that Mike Mangini would be vacating the drum stool in Dream Theater to allow for the return of Mike Portnoy, Mangini shared details of his debut solo album, Invisible Signs, due November 11, 2023. He posted the following message on social media:
"I’m so happy to finally announce the date for the release of my upcoming album Invisible Signs, coming your way on 11/11/23 . Swipe left to see the full tracklist! Can’t wait for all of you to hear it!! Don’t forget to pre-order your autographed physical copies clicking the link in my bio… you can also pre-save it in its digital format."
Joining Mangini on Invisible Signs are bassist Tony Dickinson, guitarists Ivan Keller and Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne), and vocalist Jen Majura (Evanescence).
Tracklisting:
"Freak Of Nature"
"Invisible Signs"
"Habit To Change"
"Not Drowning"
"Deep Inside"
"Saying Sorry"
"So Alive"
"Glamorous Shades"
"It's Noise"
"Let Me Shine"
"Seek And Find"
"Black Box"
"Freak Of Nature" lyric video:
Mangini commented on the lyrics for "Freak Of Nature":
"Beyond being about forces of nature like hurricanes, as well as other unstoppable forces, this lyric was inspired by elite athlete Rob Gronkowski who played TE (tight end) for the New England Patriots. The way that he would pound through opposing players reminded of what a hurricane does. Players in many sports have special qualities. Neither critiques nor praises affect their nature, change what they are or how they work. The non-effect of critiques and opinions seems pointless and somewhat funny to me. They simply do what they do while seeming like super-heroes at times. For a song lyric, 'force of nature' didn’t sound as impactful as 'freak of nature.' The sound of the 'ka' in 'hurricane' was more similar to 'freak' than say, 'tornado.' It is sound that put the two together. Like all the lyrics on the album, they can be interpreted by the listener."
"Not Drowning" lyric video:
Mangini's official statement on leaving Dream Theater reads as follows:
“I understand Dream Theater’s decision to get Mike Portnoy back at this time. As was said from Day 1, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on. My main role of keeping our live show working tightly on a nightly basis was an intense and rewarding experience. Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun times laced with humour. I also really enjoyed spending lots of time with the crew. And then there’s the Grammy win, which was amazingly satisfying. To the fans: thank you so much for being amazing to me. I cherish the pictures I have of you all losing your minds and having fun. Finally, I really love the band, crew, and management and wish them and the entire organization all the best.”
For further details, visit Mike Mangini on Facebook.
