DRAGONFORCE BIOGRAPHY


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Dragonforce Biography
Review The Artist (41)

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Source: http://www.dragonforce.com/

Prepare yourself for a gripping, exhilarating ride on January 9th, 2006. On that date, DragonForce release their hotly awaited third album, ‘Inhuman Rampage’. The title is an apt summation of a devastating musical journey, an unstoppable force that the six-man group’s forthcoming tour of duty will leave devastated cities in its wake. Combing the primal force of power metal with hard-earned musical proficiency, old-school thrash and generous quantities of muscular melody in a unique style that they call ‘extreme power metal’, DragonForce have established themselves as THE heavy metal band of the past year.

The summer of 2005 saw them sharing festival stages with Iron Maiden, a sell-out headlining tour of the UK generating scenes of pandemonium. Intensive bouts of touring to accompany the band’s two albums to date – ‘Valley Of The Damned’ in January 2003 and the following year’s ‘Sonic Firestorm’ – has seen their fan-base escalate in quite dramatic terms. Meanwhile, the European metal press have swamped the band with almost universal reams of adulation. “DragonForce are getting bigger. Prepare for the onslaught,” Kerrang! warned. "DragonForce are as metal as f**k,” roared the UK’s Metal Hammer, “They’ll be enormous.” Writers and magazines from France, Greece, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Japan and many more wasted little time in falling under the band’s spell. Perhaps the best summation of all these accolades was Rock Hard (Germany)’s prediction that: “DragonForce could become the first British metal band in ages to reap respect from all over the world.”

Against all the odds, DragonForce have single-handedly revitalised power metal in their homeland of the UK, awarding credibility to a genre that till their arrival was regarded was little more than a joke.
Clearly, plenty rides on ‘Inhuman Rampage’. However, instead of resorting to panic and watering down the style of music that secured such a position of prominence, DragonForce have gone further over the top than ever before. The new album is faster, bolder and heavier – yet still as boldly stirring and distinctly hummable – as anything they’ve attempted so far.

“We’ve come up with the ultimate formula,” proudly declares Herman Li, one half of the band’s unstoppable guitar army. “Combining intensity, chaos and melody, with all the DragonForce trademarks, it’s something that’s never been done before. “For us, this is the next evolution in the DragonForce sound,” he continues. “I’ve never heard an album that sounds like ‘Inhuman Rampage’ – the title says it all! It's seriously gonna blow some heads off around the world during the next year.”

The eight-song album was recorded at Thin Ice Studios in Surrey and guitarist Herman Li's own studio in West London, some of its guitar sections recorded in hotel rooms while the band wound up the tour for ‘Sonic Firestorm’.
Track titles like ‘Through The Fire And Flames’, ‘Operation Ground And Pound’, ‘Revolution Deathsquad’ and ‘Storming The Burning Fields’ leave the listener in no doubt of DragonForce’s malicious intent, and more importantly their aversion to climbing the ladder of popularity by selling out. Winner of the Dimebag Darrell Best Young Guitarist award at Metal Hammer UK’s Golden Gods, Li and his six-string partner in crime Sam Totman have never sounded hungrier nor eager to prove their worth. From the start of each song to its exhausted finish, notes fly from all angles.
The album ends with its sole ballad, ‘The Trail Of Broken Hearts’, though as Totman quite rightly points out: “We still managed to squeeze three separate guitar solos in.”However, shredding for shredding’s sake has never been among the band’s intentions.Although keen to squeeze as many notes as possible into certain songs, this time the pair has experimented with various new textures and sounds.

“We wanted to keep things interesting, and there are sections of certain songs that will remind you of video games,” grins Hong Kong-born Li. “Many people will hear them and assume they were made by keyboards. That’s completely wrong. All those parts are done on the guitar.”

Which isn’t intended to under-value the superlative contribution of Vadim Pruzhanov, who co-wrote several of the album’s songs (including ‘Body Breakdown’), is credited along with Li and Totman as a co-producer and whose dazzling keyboard runs are as daring and provocative as anything performed on guitar frets. A Ukrainian by birth, Pruzhanov is fast becoming known for lengthy and insane solo excursions during the band’s live shows and has really come into his own on ‘Inhuman Rampage’. On the other hand, vocalist ZP Theart is already regarded as the glimmering pearl in DragonForce’s crown. Far too many European power metal acts are faced up by singers with the merest grasp of English diction. South African-born, Theart is the real deal – a stomping, roaring, beer-swilling frontman who fronts the band with passion and wit.

Alongside Li and Totman, Theart was a co-founder of DragonForce. The trio met in London in September 1999, using the name DragonHeart for their initial two years of existence. Quick to realise the possibilities of the internet, the band posted a set of demos at their website (www.dragonforce.com) and were rewarded not only by half a million downloads, but the interest of Sanctuary/Noise Records.

Early support UK spots with Halford and Stratovarius, plus the timely recruitment of a superior rhythm section moulded a professionalism to match their commitment, and before too long the group were placed on the launching pad of international success. The sextet toured Europe, South East Asia and the Far East to promote the debut album, and before too long, critics were queuing up to praise DragonForce’s fusion of modern melodic power metal, the energy of speed metal and the confident, in-your-face delivery of bands twice their age.

From day one, the band’s goal was to establish an identifiable style all of their own. To an outsider, the lyrics may seem to tell otherworldly tales of sword-wielding warriors occupying distant battlefield plains, but strip away the fantasy imagery and a message of modern-day positivity is right there beneath your nose. But most of all, DragonForce’s success is attributable to playing ability and perhaps their most under-played asset of all – a skill for composing ultra-memorable, rabble-rousing heavy metal anthems. ‘Inhuman Rampage’ offers indisputable proof.

DragonForce Line-up
ZP Theart – Lead and backing vocals
Herman Li – Lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Sam Totman – Lead and rhythm electric guitars, backing vocals
Vadim Pruzhanov – Keyboards, Piano, backing vocals
Dave Mackintosh – Drums, backing vocals

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Review about Dragonforce

Herman Li, I agree with you! | Reviewer: Kai de Guzman | 6/4/09

“We wanted to keep things interesting, and there are sections of certain songs that will remind you of video games,” grins Hong Kong-born Li. “Many people will hear them and assume they were made by keyboards. That’s completely wrong. All those parts are done on the guitar.”

A lot of your guitar solos/twin solos with Sam totally remind me of those old school Nintendo games! They're pretty awesome, from the intro to the end! Each time I listen to Dragonforce's songs, I always look forward to your guitar solos! They really make my head bang! I love all of Dragonforce's songs, so inspirational and makes me to never give up on anything...and living!
~Yours trully,
Your die-hard fan,
Kai de Guzman

Best lyrics? | Reviewer: Kenny | 2/11/09

"and their lyrics are simply the best messages sent to our community."

..... You ever heard of Rise Against? Of their last 3 Albums (Siren Song of the Counter Culture, Suffer and the Witness, Appeal to Reason) there are only 2 or 3 songs that I don't like all that much.

Sure, TTFaF is a good song, good lyrics, but I'll take Rise Against who sing about the struggles of everyday life.

True, I would consider them "Political", but they write some powerful stuff. I encourage you to listen to, and read the lyrics of, Hero of War.

If you can listen to that song, and sing the lyrics while listening to it, and not feel the powerful emotions, then something is wrong.

Also, have you read the lyrics for "Inside the Fire" by Disturbed? Or any of their new Album? "Inside the Fire" in particular, is about losing someone very close to you, and it's basically about contemplating suicide just to be with that person.

"Give your soul to me, for eternity
Release your life, to begin another time with her!
End your grief with me, there’s another way
Release your life, take your place inside the fire with her!"

The Best of the Best | Reviewer: Leon | 1/29/09

As for me, Dragonforce has been the talk of my friends. I dont care what people describe these other bands to be. Metallica, Sublime, Disturbed and Slipknot can't compare to the guitar power of Herman Li and Sam Totman! Their guitar solos are fantastic, their choruses amazing and their lyrics are simply the best messages sent to our community. Through the Fire and Flames, Once in a Lifetime, and Operation Ground and Pound are some of my favorites are this band had made an impact on my life....Rock on, Dragonforce!

Best band ever | Reviewer: John Harris | 1/13/09

I'm a guitar player, so I know how hard it is to play music like Dragonforce. I know a lot of their songs and I am practicing more and more everyday. I respect Herman and Sam so much for all of their practicing and devotion to their Ibanez's, which I also have. You guys really rock. If you need and extra guitarist for some reason, email me. I wont let you down. Seriously, though, for all the people who say that all Dragonforce's songs sound the same, fuck off. None of their songs sound the same at all. They are all different and amazing. And besides, dumb asses who say that, don't even know what good music is anyway.

the best of all metal! | Reviewer: KONRAD GLOWKA AKA DJ HELLBOY PL | 9/5/08

dragonforce is the best of all! i have herd all of the songs and albums that you have ever maid i love them so much they rock!
i love to see every time when you go to different ages and sing and play about dragons this r magnificente creatures that one lived on this planet mythologicaly spiking but who knows ...
ther were dinoucaures so maby ther were dragons
... and way u rock and i hope u will make new albums!
(ps. please came visit my country Poland
we are first to fight like in one of ur songs ... thx )

Rappermargeras@gmail.com | Reviewer: Anonymous | 8/13/08

cool!! dave,your drum skill very skilled...although i confuse to decide whose better between mike portnoy,dave mackintosh,and james owen sullivan....herman lie,nice guitar instrument...vadim pruzhan0v,an energic keyboard,make the music really live..ZP theart...nice and high vocal..!!i'm waiting you to come to indonesia

hi | Reviewer: mohammad | 5/14/08

Prepare yourself for a gripping, exhilarating ride on January 9th, 2006. On that date, DragonForce release their hotly awaited third album, ‘Inhuman Rampage’. The title is an apt summation of a devastating musical journey, an unstoppable force that the six-man group’s forthcoming tour of duty will leave devastated cities in its wake. Combing the primal force of power metal with hard-earned musical proficiency, old-school thrash and generous quantities of muscular melody in a unique style that they call ‘extreme power metal’, DragonForce have established themselves as THE heavy metal band of the past year.

The summer of 2005 saw them sharing festival stages with Iron Maiden, a sell-out headlining tour of the UK generating scenes of pandemonium. Intensive bouts of touring to accompany the band’s two albums to date – ‘Valley Of The Damned’ in January 2003 and the following year’s ‘Sonic Firestorm’ – has seen their fan-base escalate in quite dramatic terms. Meanwhile, the European metal press have swamped the band with almost universal reams of adulation. “DragonForce are getting bigger. Prepare for the onslaught,” Kerrang! warned. "DragonForce are as metal as f**k,” roared the UK’s Metal Hammer, “They’ll be enormous.” Writers and magazines from France, Greece, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Japan and many more wasted little time in falling under the band’s spell. Perhaps the best summation of all these accolades was Rock Hard (Germany)’s prediction that: “DragonForce could become the first British metal band in ages to reap respect from all over the world.”

Against all the odds, DragonForce have single-handedly revitalised power metal in their homeland of the UK, awarding credibility to a genre that till their arrival was regarded was little more than a joke.
Clearly, plenty rides on ‘Inhuman Rampage’. However, instead of resorting to panic and watering down the style of music that secured such a position of prominence, DragonForce have gone further over the top than ever before. The new album is faster, bolder and heavier – yet still as boldly stirring and distinctly hummable – as anything they’ve attempted so far

DragonForce | Reviewer: RollzRoyce | 3/29/08

My friend first introduced this music to me several months ago. Ever since, other music just doesn't seem the same. DragonForce not only provides a heart thumping adrenaline rush, but their slow(er) songs put you in a state of calmness without bore. I must say this is a revolutionary band that I love and listen to the most by far. To Herman Li, you are amazing. I have never heard another guitarist like you. To Sam Totman, you as well, are amazing. To Theart, I listen to other metal bands and all I hear is the death screaming. You provide a part to the band that one can appreciate. To Dave, I, being a drummer as well, know the tremendous amount of work entailed in keeping your chops in shape to play as fast and accurate as you do, especially with the base drum. To you, I say great work. And to Vadim, I swear I have never heard anyone play as fast as you on a keyboard, and I go to a school with some phenomenal piano players. I would say that the keyboard/piantist is the least appreciated player of the band, and I just want to say thanks for doing your best. To the entire band, please continue the amazing music. If you release another album, I swear I will be one of the first to buy it. Thank you again.

Dragonforce | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/21/08

Dragonforce puts so much into their music, both skill-wise and musically, that's it's astounding. You could make TWO songs with just a few of the riffs you could find in one. Then once you add in the insane energy from their drummer and Vad's keyboards, you have music on a scale few can match(if any). And with the popularity of Inhuman Rampage skyrocketing, any new music would be gobbled up instantly.

Heavenly Music | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/7/08

oh my god!!!!!!
i hate modern power metal with all its growling and screeching. but dragonforce.......its a surrealistic experience. you can lose yourself in their music imagining faraway worlds or different ages. every song has that epic and legendary mythical feel to it. everything about them is flawless and its hard to decide who among Li,Totman,ZP, or Vadim is best.
they are like the gods themselves!!!!!!!!!!!!
this has got to be one of my best band of all time.
DF pls come to INDIA!!!

-Ashish Vora
(A disciple)

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Review the Artist Dragonforce