Black Clouds & Silver Linings Drum Setup — Mike Portnoy's Final Dream Theater Album (2009) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What gear did Mike Portnoy use on Black Clouds & Silver Linings?

Mike Portnoy recorded Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) on a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit — the same proven platform as Systematic Chaos (2007), seasoned over two years of touring. The configuration maintained approximately 13 drums: double 22"x18" bass drums, five rack toms (8", 10", 12", 13", 14"), and three floor toms (14", 16", 18"). Cymbals were Sabian HHX Evolution — hand-hammered, darker-toned, and capable of serving both the album's heaviest and most atmospheric passages. Pedals were DW 9000 double pedals, known for smooth roller-bearing cam action and dynamic sensitivity. Sticks were his Vic Firth Mike Portnoy Signature model. For his full career profile, see the [Mike Portnoy drummer profile](/drummer/mike-portnoy).

Why did Mike Portnoy leave Dream Theater after this album?

Mike Portnoy announced his departure from Dream Theater in September 2010, approximately 15 months after Black Clouds & Silver Linings was released. In his public statement, Portnoy cited exhaustion from the relentless pace of the band — he had been touring and recording with Dream Theater for 25 years, often simultaneously managing side projects including Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and Liquid Tension Experiment. He had asked the band for a break during discussions about the next album cycle; when the other members decided to move forward without pausing, he felt he had no choice but to step away. The departure shocked the prog metal world, as Portnoy was widely considered the band's emotional engine and co-founding presence. Mike Mangini was subsequently announced as his replacement in April 2011. For the post-Portnoy era, see the [A Dramatic Turn of Events drum setup article](/articles/a-dramatic-turn-of-events-drum-setup).

What is the saddest song on Black Clouds & Silver Linings?

'The Best of Times' is universally considered the most emotionally devastating track on Black Clouds & Silver Linings — and arguably in all of Dream Theater's catalog. Mike Portnoy wrote the song for his father Howard, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the album's recording sessions. Howard Portnoy passed away before the album was released in June 2009, meaning the song became a tribute rather than a dedication before the world ever heard it. The drumming on 'The Best of Times' is measured, restrained, and emotionally precise — fundamentally different from anything else Portnoy recorded with Dream Theater. See the [Mike Portnoy drummer profile](/drummer/mike-portnoy) for the complete story of his Dream Theater era.

Was Black Clouds & Silver Linings nominated for a Grammy?

Yes. Dream Theater received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards (February 2010) for 'A Rite of Passage' from Black Clouds & Silver Linings — the band's second Grammy nomination in three albums, following the Systematic Chaos nomination for 'The Dark Eternal Night' at the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008. 'A Rite of Passage' features some of Portnoy's most aggressive and disciplined double-bass drumming — a relentless foundation beneath the album's most direct prog-metal arrangement. See the [Systematic Chaos drum setup article](/articles/systematic-chaos-drum-setup) for the 2007 Grammy nomination comparison.

How does the Black Clouds kit differ from Systematic Chaos?

The two setups are closely related — Black Clouds & Silver Linings continued the Tama Starclassic Bubinga / Sabian HHX Evolution / DW 9000 platform that Portnoy had established on Systematic Chaos (2007). The primary differences were contextual rather than gear-based: the Black Clouds kit arrived at the sessions with two years of touring experience behind it, and the recording environment shifted from Avatar Studios (Systematic Chaos) to Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, NY. Musically, the same gear served a far wider emotional range on Black Clouds — from the Grammy-nominated aggression of 'A Rite of Passage' to the intimate restraint of 'The Best of Times' and 'Wither.' See the [Systematic Chaos drum setup article](/articles/systematic-chaos-drum-setup) for the full 2007 comparison.