Portnoy Sr tells Modern Drummer: "I had to show no favoritism or bias, and I had to try to be as objective as possible with the suggestions I would make. I had to separate myself from the father role and be a producer.

"It was also important for their sound to match their style. Even though they're in the prog genre, they are very heavy. They have those Slipknot, Pantera, and Lamb Of God influences, so it was important that the drum sound and guitar sound stand up in that world.