Dragonforce-Ultra Beatdown
Roadrunner
2008
I approached the new Dragonforce album trying hard to be objective and went into it with an open mind. Several plays later I emerged, a little worse for wear yet very much sure that I had not misjudged this band on their previous albums. This is speed for the sake of speed and if it was thrash or death metal then is might work out in the end a little better. However this is power metal and they slop out some soulless riffs that lack any real depth. Unfortunately that's not the end, no they bring out the theatrical vocals that are thick on the ham and although have a definite range the larynx ripping pace robs them of any real emotion or richness that might have been present. The keyboards just help to make the overall feel even fluffier than it already is, if that is actually possible. Don't get me wrong, I love power metal and that's exactly why I felt unsatisfied by this album. Power metal in general thrives on soaring riffs, multiple pace changes and oftentimes powerful vocals. Dragonforce thrive on the gimmick of being over the top yet they sadly just appear to be light weights at best and at the worst they seem to be a bad joke. I was trying very hard to dig deep and get into what they were doing here. Yet that wasn't possible because they are not that, deep everything they have is just on the surface and it all revolves around rather thin layers of flash. The eight tracks here are in keeping with the band's previous outputs although they may show just a little more control. Unfortunately, I think there are enough fans out there who will buy into this candy-coated, smirking style of hollow power metal and keep fueling Dragonforce's efforts for a few more years to come.
Labels: 2008, Dragonforce
posted by Metal Mark at
1:11 AM
5 Comments:
lmao!!! You wouldn't believe how much I disagree with this assessment. Dragonforce are, above anything else, great fun. At least in my mind. A band I've enjoyed since seeing them as DragonHeart way before the release of their first album, they're a nice bunch of blokes too...
still, opinions are like arseholes aren't they?... everybody's got one!
Rock of ages-Fun? I can't imagine that unless you take them as a spoof and enjoy getting a laugh at them, but each to his own. I am just glad I restrained myself from calling them Dragonfarce in my review. I also resisted saying that they sound like someone took a Helloween or Gamma Ray album and mistakenly set the speed for 45 instead 33 1/3. That may just be me though.
I haven't heard this album, but if it's anything like their previous album, I completely agree with you. No soul, no feel, just speed and technique. they play to show off rather than playing for the songs themselves. In a certain sense, they don't really even write songs so much as exercises. Technical skill is NEVER a good substitute for creativity or emotion and Dragonforce are the perfect example of that.
Opinions aren't really like assholes, because no one's asshole (to my knowledge) is stupid. But plenty of opinions are. You can like Dragonforce all you want, but they are NOT a good rock band.
Okay, it's not just me then.
I was impressed at first on the last album, but then I've come to see these guys as a one-trick pony and watching their latest video with the keyboardist flailing his arms idiotically (since there's just no way to be "rock god cool" in metal keys presentation), I'm just breathing a heavy sigh...
I'm sure these guys are very nice and though I've yet to interview them, I'm fascinated more that the younger generation of metalheads are the ones who have made Dforce toasts of the scene, mostly because they're not accustomed to true power metal, nor insanely-executed shredding. To them this is all new, breathtaking stuff, so I envy their naivete in that regard, since we in our old fartism have heard it all long before Dforce emerged
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