Dragonforce - Extreme Power Metal (2019)
Members:
Marc Hudson – lead vocals (2011–present)
Herman Li – guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
Sam Totman – guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
Gee Anzalone – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2014–present)
Frédéric Leclercq – bass, backing vocals (2006–2019)
Extreme Power Metal is the upcoming eighth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce. It is scheduled to be released on 27 September 2019. It will be the band's last studio album to feature longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq.
Released by:
earMUSIC, Metal Blade, JVC Victor
First impressions:
Typical Dragonforce fare with some interesting twists, but lacking something. Let me start by saying this, I know this album leaked, and leaked bad from what I have read...however the copy I used for this review came from a reputable media source who I have done reviews for in the past but who is not affiliated with this site in any way. Now with that said let's dig into this album proper.
Dragonforce is a band known for excessive speed and even more excessive guitar wankery, over the top solos and really cliche euro power metal lyrics...well all in all this album is no different but for this band is no different is a good thing. The vocals, guitar work, and even the rhythm section is as tight as you can get, but the question is how do the songs stack up on their own? Well let's dig in and see, this is how I feel about them, your interpretation may be different:
1."Highway to Oblivion"6:48
The first single from this album pays homage to all cheesy anthemic metal songs from the past. The over all presentation is tight and sharp as a razor like practically every other Dragonforce song. This is a status quo Dragonforce tune, and that isn't a bad thing either.
2."Cosmic Power of the Infinite Shred Machine"6:36
This track starts with a very Queen like intro, before going into a more kitchy story driven song. The guitar work from Li & Totman is more tasteful and slightly less wanky than usual, this song would be right at home on any other European power metal album. The mid track interlude is a treat which elevates into a great keyboard/synth section, which of course transitions into the guitar solo sections. A great tune, and one of my favorites on this album.
3."The Last Dragonborn"6:12
A folky intro goes into a track that goes into manowar territory from time to time. A good mid tempo track with a Folk approach throughout, competent and yet cliche musicianship is on display here, this one will make you feel a bit on the powered up side once it crawls under your skin. The overall presentation is very well done and is a pleasant change from all the usual Dragonforce chaos that this band is known for.
4."Heart Demolition" 5:39
Single number 2 from this album is what you expect. It has a feeling of an 80's throwback metal tune with its lyrical content spinning around "breaking chains", being a "victim of love", and being "fooled again". This song is an energetic yet campy romp. A great song with good energy....the video is even more campy than the song.
5."Troopers of the Stars" 5:03
Not much can be said about this one except this is a typical Dragonforce song with a couple of flourishes in the mid section, one being a piano piece that adds a bit of texture to the song before all the flashy guitar work takes over. All in all though it's what we have come to expext from this band, not a bad thing though.
6."Razorblade Meltdown" 4:45
More piano plus a cello starts this one off before launching into the guitar driven stuff these guys do best, unfortunately this is probably the most formula track on this album which tends to drag it down. It really has a good feel but the lack of innovation on this one is what holds this one back, if Dragonforce writes filler, this track is it. Not bad but still a 'meh' track.
7."Strangers" 4:29
Well, this makes up for the last one, it is a well layered song with a lot going on, it has a bit more of that kitchy 80's feel from time to time. This track isn't a wall to wall guitar wank fest, the fills and riffs are tasteful and help build this song up from the beginning to the end, even the solos are a bit subdued for Li and Totman. A good track and another song I really like on this album.
8."In a Skyforged Dream" 4:45
And we are back to the speed tracks, this song starts abruptly and sounds like a re-imagining of the Babymetal song "Road to Resistance",which makes some sense since the guitar duo played on that one too. This song gains its own identity quickly though and is surging with energy and excellent musicianship all around.
9."Remembrance Day" 5:10
Oh boy, bagpipes for an intro, yep this song has a Scottish feeling, as anthemic as you can get, you could almost see this tune becoming a national anthem for a long forgotten country. It has a great feel, great power and a very tight sound. Very tastefully done I can see myself spinning this one frequently, even with its vague Manowar feel.
10."My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion cover) 3:23
Starts with Genesis or NES type midi sounds before ramping up this well known slow and boring ballad into overdrive. It's funny how good this song is when it's played faster, it actually sounds hopeful and upbeat. I hate the Celine Dion original song with a passion, but these guys transformed it into a palatable song that I can enjoy, wonder how she feels about this one?
Conclusion:
Another strong album from these guys, it has a tendency to become repetitive and it can get easy to get lost in the songs that sound like everything else they have done. It's the little flourishes in the songs like "Strangers" and "Remembrance Day" that makes this album a bit stronger than their usual stuff. All in all a competant album which could be seen among their better works. I enjoyed listening to it, however with all the great albums that have been released this year, this one just can't compete in the long run and will unfortunately not last on most people's playlists. Only the truly diehard fan will keep playing this, for months at a time. Which in a way is a shame, it is a strong album, but just not strong enough for most music fans.
I like Dragonforce, I have since the release of "Inhuman Rampage", the albums before that one and since have been a rollercoaster of joy and moderate disappointment from album to album, this one fares better than others in my opinion but it isn't the monolithic album this band is capable of but has yet to make it.
Score: 4/5
