The Similitude of a Dream

Morse began writing in December 2015 and started researching The Pilgrim's Progress when he thought he needed some direction and presented his idea to the band one month later.[8] As the band began working on the album, Mike Portnoy was adamant that the album be a single disc whereas Morse felt there was much more to the story that needed to be explored. Morse wrote additional material to complete a second disc and as the band was finishing the album, Mike Portnoy told the band, "we just made the album of our careers."[9]. Portnoy later made these comments public when the album was announced saying, "Neal and I have now made 18 studio albums together, and I consider 'The Similitude Of A Dream' the absolute creative pinnacle of our collaborations together, after a career of almost 50 albums, I honestly consider this to be one of the defining works of my career".[10] These comments caused much excitement and anticipation in the prog rock community.[11]

The band released five videos in support of the album release. Long Day/Overture,[12] City of Destruction,[13] So Far Gone,[14] The Ways of the Fool,[15] and The Man in the Iron Cage.[16]

The Neal Morse Band

• Neal Morse – lead vocals, keyboards, 6 & 12 string electric guitars, percussion, mandolin
• Mike Portnoy – drums, vocals
• Randy George – bass and bass pedals
• Bill Hubauer – organ, piano, synthesizers, lead vocals
• Eric Gillette – lead and rhythm electric guitar, lead vocals

Special guests

• Chris Carmichael – violin, viola, and cello
• Eric Darken – percussion ("Breath of Angels")
• Ann, Alfreda and Regina McCrary – background vocals ("Breath of Angels")
• Sarah Hubauer – baritone and alto saxophone ("Overture")
• Spencer McKee – marimba ("The Battle")
• Dave Buzard – stomps ("City of Destruction")
• Bruce Babad – saxophone ("Shortcut to Salvation")
• Steve Herrman – trumpets ("I'm Running")
• Jim Hoke – tenor and baritone saxophone ("I'm Running")
• Rich Mouser – pedal steel

Technical personnel

• Rich Mouser - mixing

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Stereoboard.com	[17]
Prog Radio	[18]

The Similitude of a Dream was received with high praise, being honored as "Album of the Year" (2016) by several online music magazines, including Prog Radio,[19] The Prog Report,[20] The Fire Note,[21] and Rock at Night.[22]

The Prog Report said, "‘The Similitude of a Dream’ does the impossible and exceeds all expectations. It is absolutely a jaw-dropping release that will no doubt rank alongside the best albums by Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy, if not above them."[23] Two years later, in 2018, The Prog Report ranked Similitude of a Dream as the all time best album in the Neal Morse discography.[24]

Sonic Perspectives added, "'Epic' doesn’t begin to describe what these five musicians have managed to pull off here. It is a fantastic progressive rock opus in the best tradition of the finest prog of the 70s and is an album that I find tremendously satisfying, both spiritually and musically. It has everything any prog fan can ask for and then some, it is really the prog fan’s wet dream."[11]