Review of the new NMB album, L.I.F.T., out on February 27th, 2026.
by Victor Giol
NMB - L.I.F.T. (coverart)
In the early fall of 2023, the progressive rock world was lit up with excitement by the announcement that Mike Portnoy would be returning to Dream Theater after his shocking departure more than a decade earlier. As the news spread quickly, a new question arose: how would the bands in which Portnoy had remained active and productive during his time away from DT continue moving forward? The long-hoped-for reunion, complete with expectations of a new album, reunion tour, and subsequent album tour, suddenly placed the future of Morse/Portnoy collaborations into question, at least from a timing perspective. Would there still be room for Portnoy to operate outside the Dream Theater universe?
The answer arrived like a surprise gift on Christmas morning. In early December 2025, the Neal Morse Band, now known as NMB, revealed that the band had convened in secret, at Eric Gillette’s home studio, to write and record a new album during the spring of 2025. Featuring the familiar and formidable lineup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Eric Gillette, and Bill Hubauer, NMB delivers a fun, inspired, and deeply engaging album in L.I.F.T., their fifth studio release and first since Innocence & Danger in 2021.
L.I.F.T. immediately distinguishes itself as a strongly focused, single-disc concept album. As fans have come to expect from NMB, the opening track “Beginning” serves as an instrumental overture, instantly easing the listener in with top-tier production and compositional finesse. Memorable, singable melodic themes are introduced right away and seamlessly transition into the next track. “Fully Alive” launches the narrative with Morse and Hubauer trading vocal lines and harmonies during verses. This mid-paced piece steadily builds, highlighted by its soaring chorus and the first of many blazing Eric Gillette guitar solos.
“I Still Belong” acts as a brief transitional piece that would feel at home on ‘The Similitude of a Dream’ album from 2016, featuring a passionate vocal performance from Morse, before giving way to the instrumental “Gravity’s Grip,” where the band flexes its technical chops and showcases its continued musical maturation atop Portnoy’s relentless rhythmic foundation. This sets the stage for the musical highlight of the album’s first half, “Hurt People.” An anthem-like rocker with Gillette on lead vocals, the track features a thrilling middle instrumental section with dueling guitar and keyboard lines, intricate odd-time shifts, and dynamic drum fills that will have listeners air-drumming along. This is NMB’s musicianship firing on all cylinders. Next is the dramatic and emotionally charged “The Great Withdrawal,” highlighted by an over-the-top Gillette solo before the song winds down to Neal Morse’s lone voice.
The first half of the concept continues with the polyphonic piano introduction of “Contemplation.” This short instrumental leads to “Shame About My Shame” which marks the point in the story where the main character has hit bottom and comes to terms with being broken. Morse’s vocals shine alongside the backing choir, while the guitar solo—tinged with a Pink Floyd–like atmosphere—ushers the mood from shame and sadness toward hope and joy.
The second half of the album picks up with “Reaching,” an uplifting, uptempo rocker where NMB’s collective vocal harmonies are fully on display. The emotional arc now trends upward, with the song’s chorus standing out as one of the album’s highlights. Morse and Gillette split lead vocal duties on this one, while the modulation to a higher key provides an extra lift. This song recalls previous NMB anthems like “The Call” and “The Great Adventure.” “Carry You Again” begins with Morse on vocals and acoustic guitar before gradually building into a full-band arrangement, combining a steady groove with a wall of harmonized voices. The track strikes a balance between the unmistakable sound of NMB and the uplifting spirit of a modern worship song.
The album concludes with a powerful trifecta that brings the concept to its climax and resolution. “Shattered Barricade” serves as a transition into “Fully Alive Pt. 2,” which reintroduces earlier musical themes with renewed energy—most notably in the final 90 seconds, where some of the album’s heaviest instrumentation and arrangements take center stage. All of this leads into the expected, but nonetheless incredible, closing epic, “Love All Along.” At over 11 minutes, the track serves as a microcosm of L.I.F.T., beginning with a somber, restrained vocal from Morse before steadily building and recalling earlier lyrical and musical motifs. Morse, Gillette, and Hubauer trade vocal lines alongside a harmonizing choir, culminating in an epic ending that only the Neal Morse Band can deliver.
It is clear that NMB has crafted yet another excellent album, driven by collective inspiration, focused intention, and a long-established chemistry that continues to deepen with each release. L.I.F.T. strikes an ideal balance between conceptual narrative, musical virtuosity, compositional depth, melodic accessibility, and progressive complexity, all woven together by the magic sauce, Rich Mouser’s unparalleled mix mastery. The result is an instant NMB classic that can comfortably stand alongside the band’s most beloved releases.
The full track-listing is as follows: 1.Beginning 06:48 2.Fully Alive 05:02 3.I Still Belong 03:32 4.Gravity’s Grip 02:03 5.Hurt People 08:05 6.The Great Withdrawal 05:08 7.Contemplation 02:20 8.Shame About My Shame 05:50 9.Reaching 07:32 10.Carry You Again 05:02 11.Shattered Barricade 01:25 12.Fully Alive Part 2 06:18 13.Love All Along 11:18
Neal Morse / vocals, keyboards, guitars Eric Gillette / guitars, vocals Bill Hubauer / keyboards, vocals Randy George / bass Mike Portnoy / drums, vocals
