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

> Complete breakdown of Mike Portnoy's drum gear on Dream Theater's Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) — his final album before his departure. Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit, Sabian HHX Evolution cymbals, DW 9000 pedals, and the Grammy-nominated story behind 'A Rite of Passage'.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Mike Portnoy](/llms/drummers/mike-portnoy.md)
**Band / Album:** Dream Theater — *Black Clouds & Silver Linings* (2009)
**Genre:** Progressive Metal

## Overview

Released on June 23, 2009, *Black Clouds & Silver Linings* is Dream Theater's tenth studio album and **Mike Portnoy's final studio recording with the band**. Debuting at **#6 on the Billboard 200** and **#1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums** chart, the record was among the best-charting releases of Dream Theater's career. The album received a **Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance** for "A Rite of Passage" at the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010 — 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.

The album is an extraordinary artistic statement in retrospect: a 77-minute record spanning brutal prog-metal riffing, a 19-minute epic ("The Count of Tuscany"), and the most emotionally devastating performance of Portnoy's Dream Theater career. "The Best of Times" — a 13-minute track written for his father Howard, who was dying of pancreatic cancer during recording — contains Portnoy's most personal drumming. Howard Portnoy passed away before the album was released; the track became a tribute before the world ever heard it.

Gear-wise, *Black Clouds & Silver Linings* continued the platform established on *Systematic Chaos* (2007): Tama Starclassic **Bubinga** shells, Sabian **HHX Evolution** cymbals, and **DW 9000** double pedals. Two years of touring *Systematic Chaos* had proven every component. The *Black Clouds* sessions reflect a drummer completely comfortable with his entire rig — a gear platform at full maturity on its final Dream Theater album.

Sessions took place at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York. John Petrucci and Portnoy self-produced for the fourth consecutive time.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Black Nickel Silver finish)
- **Snare:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX Evolution Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9000 Double Pedal; DW 9000 Hi-Hat Stand; Tama Power Tower Rack; Tama 1st Chair; Vic Firth Mike Portnoy Signature
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension — tight attack for aggressive passages, sensitivity maintained for emotional dynamics

### Mike's 2009 Studio Kit: Tama Starclassic Bubinga

For *Black Clouds & Silver Linings*, Portnoy continued with the Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit established on *Systematic Chaos* (2007). Bubinga is a dense African hardwood that delivers sharper attack, tighter decay, and more articulate transients than Maple — the right choice for an album demanding both aggressive precision and emotional restraint.

The configuration maintained the large ~13-drum layout: double 22"x18" bass drums, five rack toms (8" through 14"), and three floor toms (14", 16", 18"). Tama's Star-Cast mounting system preserved the bubinga shells' resonance across all positions. Two years of touring had proven every component before a single *Black Clouds* track was recorded.

### Sabian HHX Evolution Cymbals

By *Black Clouds* (2009), the Sabian HHX Evolution setup was fully proven — two years of *Systematic Chaos* touring had tested every cymbal across every musical context. The hand-hammered, darker-toned HHX Evolution series provided warm, smoky hi-hat articulation, complex crash wash at full dynamics, and shimmering ride sustain ideal for the 19-minute "The Count of Tuscany." The same setup that served the Grammy-nominated aggression of "A Rite of Passage" also served the intimate restraint of "Wither" and "The Best of Times" — a versatility built into the HHX Evolution character.

### DW 9000 Double Pedals

The DW 9000 double pedal — with its smooth roller-bearing cam action and adjustable spring tension — sustained relentless double-bass precision on "A Rite of Passage" and delivered the measured, precise control required for "The Best of Times." This configuration represents Portnoy's final Dream Theater studio recording of the DW 9000 setup.

## Key Facts

- Mike Portnoy's final Dream Theater studio album — he departed in September 2010
- Debuted at #6 Billboard 200, #1 Billboard Top Rock Albums
- Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance — 'A Rite of Passage' (52nd Grammy Awards, 2010)
- Recorded at Cove City Sound Studios, Glen Cove, NY — self-produced by Petrucci & Portnoy
- Tama Starclassic Bubinga shells — same platform as Systematic Chaos (2007), proven over two years of touring
- Sabian HHX Evolution cymbals — continued from Systematic Chaos, fully matured by the 2009 sessions
- DW 9000 double pedals — final Dream Theater studio recording of this configuration
- 'The Best of Times' — written for Portnoy's father Howard (who died before the album was released)
- 'The Count of Tuscany' — 19 minutes, the longest studio track of the Portnoy Dream Theater era
- Estimated kit value: $6,500-9,000 (2009) / $8,000-14,000 (vintage today)

## FAQ

**Q: What was Mike Portnoy's last Dream Theater album?**
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) is Mike Portnoy's final studio album with Dream Theater. He departed the band in September 2010, approximately 15 months after its release.

**Q: What gear did Mike Portnoy use on Black Clouds & Silver Linings?**
Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit (~13 drums: double 22"x18" bass drums, five rack toms, three floor toms); Sabian HHX Evolution cymbals; DW 9000 double pedals; Vic Firth Mike Portnoy Signature sticks.

**Q: Why did Portnoy leave Dream Theater after this album?**
Portnoy cited exhaustion after 25 years of relentless touring and recording. He asked the band for a break during discussions about the next album cycle; when the others decided to move forward without pausing, he stepped away. Mike Mangini replaced him in April 2011.

**Q: Was Black Clouds & Silver Linings nominated for a Grammy?**
Yes — "A Rite of Passage" received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards (2010), the band's second nomination in three albums.

**Q: What is the saddest song on Black Clouds & Silver Linings?**
"The Best of Times" — written by Portnoy for his father Howard, who died of pancreatic cancer before the album was released. It contains Portnoy's most emotionally restrained and personal Dream Theater performance.

## Related Articles

- [Systematic Chaos drum setup](/articles/systematic-chaos-drum-setup) — the preceding album that established the Bubinga / HHX Evolution / DW 9000 platform
- [A Dramatic Turn of Events drum setup](/articles/a-dramatic-turn-of-events-drum-setup) — the Mangini era that followed
- [Mike Portnoy drummer profile](/drummer/mike-portnoy) — complete gear and career history

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/black-clouds-and-silver-linings-drum-setup

**More LLM resources:** [Site index](/llms.txt) · [Full database](/llms-full.txt) · [Master FAQ](/llms/faq.md) · [Drummer index](/llms/index.md)

*Last updated: 2026-06-27 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*