Dragonforce…WTF??
by 
Metal Martyr on October 8th, 2007
So, I should have known better when I saw the video for “Through the Fire and Flames“. But no, I had to take a chance and buy Inhuman Rampage. While the musical talent and technical playing of these guys are phenomenal I must say that I really hate this. I couldn’t get through even four songs before pushing eject. It felt like I was stuck in some Pokemon, video game theme song world and it just wouldn’t stop. What do we call this? Should we classify it as metal? I just don’t know. At first it kinda sounds cool but then it just drags on in a frenzy of speed-picking and continuous blast-beat drumming. The vocals….ugh…the vocals. I mean the guy can sing pretty well, but it’s just not a desirable voice. It kinda sounds like Rush on a crack fueled anime theme parade. I now feel as if my brain and ear-drums are scarred and they will never be the same. Someone please help…I think I’m going to dragon-force myself to vomit.
| 2.9 |
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Crap
22 opinions for Dragonforce…WTF??
Oct 8, 2007 at 7:56 pm
The vocals could definitely change the band for the better. When you play that fast you need a more powerful vocalist.
Oct 8, 2007 at 8:13 pm
the guitar effects are too much also, synthesized or whatever…just too much like some crazy retro video game.
Oct 8, 2007 at 8:28 pm
i actually kinda like them. i personally love power metal, and although they are no Helloween or Iced Earth, there is something there. melody is good in general, even though it is a bit too campy at times. one thing you cannot possibly argue with is that they are fucking amazing technically, synth and keyboard notwithstanding.
Oct 8, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Your absolutely right, Dennis. They are technically amazing…but it’s kinda like a fruitcake. Its cake and fruit and nuts. Separately they all taste great, but mixed together it turns into a brick of the most awful tasting shit you’ll ever put in your mouth. Aside from that, to each his own. It’s just not me.
Oct 9, 2007 at 11:26 am
I am with you Scott. Everything about this band irritates me. The music, the vocals, the stage presence, everything. And irritates is the right word. I see or hear them and I become physically uncomfortable. I just don’t see the big deal. By the way, thanks much for the cd. Peace out.
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:23 pm
haha… I’ve been saying they’re the soundtrack to Pokemon, glad someone else hears that too. They aren’t THAT great on guitar, it’s just noodling. The kids that eat this crap up aren’t old enough to remember Satriani, Malmsteen, Vai, and the other technical noodlers who’s music lacks substance and longevity. Again, it’s just noodling. No soul. And horrible vocals.
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:27 pm
The A.D.D. mall rats that buy this crap are too young to remember the Malmsteen/Satriani/Vai era, where although they are more talented musicians, their songs simply lacked any substance, soul or longevity. Listen to the album (or flagship solo) a few times and you’re over it. The lesson of noodling has not been learned. This will be a flash in the noodly pan. And god, yes, it sounds like a bad Pokemon theme song.
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:28 pm
thought the first comment didn’t post.
Oct 9, 2007 at 4:51 pm
n00bs, we opened for these guys at Jaxx in Springfield, VA under the band Fierce Allegiance, which is now Absolute Vengeance. These guys (DF) are the real deal. The music you hear being played on their albums sound exactly the same live. You can not comprehend the chops these guys have. They are all in their 20’s and are absolute phenoms. Fuck Malmsteen and all you bald fat metal heads that think the 80s/90s era was the highest metal would go as far as talent is concerned. You remind me of morons who complain about how bad rap music is when all they have ever listened to is classic rock.
p0wned
Oct 9, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Who cares about a band’s ” chops ” if their music leaves absolutely no impression on you? Big deal, so you can play 3000 notes in 10 sec, what does it matter if it all sounds like extra sound effects from an 80’s arcade game? You don’t need toplay a million notes to play a good solo, and it doesn’t prove anything except that technically you are a good player. But the music has no emotion. Here- if you get a chance check out Tim reynold’s solo on Two step from the Dave Matthes album live at radio city music hall. It is only one note played over and over agian. But it fits perfectly with what Dave is playing in the background. And it is far better then alot of the noise comingout of modern metal today.
Oct 9, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I saw these guys live last year in Nottingham (UK), and they sound NOTHING like their studio albums. They maybe play one note in every three live. And the singer starts to fade after three songs.
My mates and I did something we’ve never, ever done before. We left a gig early to get a kebab. THAT’S how bad they were, a late-night Nottingham chilli-kebab was preferable to staying in there and being ear-tortured.
Pathetic.
Oct 9, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Believe it or not a lot of people enjoy epic, campy melody along with good technical ability and synthesized effects. No one is asking you to.
Oct 9, 2007 at 8:43 pm
I love how everyone feels that they are the voice of reason.
Epic? these guys are talented, but epic is not the word I would use. Epic would be if the next Metallica record was actually good. That would be epic.
Epic would be Kiss doing a free concert with the original line up and everyone had backstage passes.
Epic would be the eradication of all the “new-school” punk rockers that get the arms sleeve tat’d up, wearing eye-liner and lip rings.
That my friend…would be epic!
Oct 9, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Epic would be my local radio station playing Iced Earth and Type O Negative.
Oct 9, 2007 at 11:26 pm
All the negative remarks made would be positive remarks from a fan. Do you get my meaning? What you dont like is what they are going for. But i like them
-tim
Oct 10, 2007 at 3:09 am
everyone is entitled to their own opinions about any and everything they want to have an opinion about…but my opinion in this case is that Dragon Force is awsome..i mean yeah alot of it does sound like something from a retro 80’s arcade game but i think that that sound right there is what differentiates this band from all the other ones just like it…me personally i like the fact that both the guitarists in this group rock hardcore on the guitar and that the lead vocalist has a good voice for the type of music and songs that they do on their inhuman rampage album….that is my opinion
Oct 10, 2007 at 6:56 am
Heh.. this was funny stuff to read. Scott, you’re good at writing.
Yeah, I find this band boring. I enjoy power metal even though I mainly listen to death metal, but this band is somehow “sugar”. Don’t know how to express in English, my mother tongue is Finnish. Not my music. Fast guitars but I personally prefer more guitar players like Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom) and Michael Amott (Arch Enemy).
Oct 10, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Sugar is a good word, Marko. To me it sounds like something that would appeal to a younger fan base.
While Malmsteen, Vai and Satriani are talented in their own right, I just could not get into their guitar playing. I prefer a good mix of everything. If one thing is out of place then it throws off the whole vibe. If the bass is overpowering the vocals, or the snare sound louder than the guitar its not good. Perhaps if it was a little stripped down and the vocals a bit different I may like dragon force, but it’s too much for me.
I love Slipknot. When they came on the scene it was something new and different and they still get a lot of flack, but to me everything there mixes well. The heaviness of the guitars, the leads, the percussion (Of which has been toned down a bit since their debut), and Corey Taylor’s vocals are among the best in the genre and fit the band. I’m not comparing DF to slipknot, because they are two totally different bands on opposite sides of the spectrum, I’m just using them as an example.
Oct 11, 2007 at 5:30 am
Scott, that’s a good point. I respect those talented musicians you mentioned and I listen to their music every now and then. Anyhow, I like many genres in metal as well as other types of music, such as classical and folk. I am mainly into metal but after a while it just feels great to switch to classical and tenor singing. I enjoy the diversity in music and those many artists who can provide you good feelings.
Slipknot is great. I saw them here in Hel(l)sinki together with Metallica few years ago. Yes, they were very different when they came and it made them interesting. A similar phenomenon happened when some Finnish bands started singing in Finnish. It started a new era, let’s call it “metal music sang in Finnish”. It was very different on those days and people got interested. Some of those bands are still great, such as Stam1na.
Corey Taylor sounds very good. Have you seen him in Apocalyptica’s new video? Check out in my blog: http://metal-music-videos.com/2007/10/05/apocalyptica-im-not-jesus/
There are two bands I really would like to see live. Megadeth and Anthrax. Man they never come to play in Finland.. Well, Anthrax was here a couple of years ago but I lived in Switzerland on those days.
Oct 13, 2007 at 11:04 am
listen you crazy bastards. to me, 90% of all bands of all genres have maybe 3-4 good songs, while everything else is pretty much shit that is not worth listening to more than once. that includes DF, as well as Slipknot, or Malmsteen (he actually probably only has 2), or Motorhead, or Kiss etc etc. there are exceptions, like Metallica, Maiden, GnR, Helloween (my personal favorite), Megadeth, Iced Eath (yes!), [insert other great classic bands or your own personal favorites here]…
DF’s “through the fire & flames” is a damn good song, with an intricate melody, super fast, technically amazing, bla bla.
Everything else on their however many albums is probably just more of the same, which means don’t buy the damn CD and instead download for free off LimeWire and spend the $15 on on beer
Dec 4, 2007 at 5:24 pm
DOUCHE-BAG!!!!!
Dec 4, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I’m so glad I still get page views and nasty comments from this post…it was so worth taking the time to write.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: