DragonForce: Difference between revisions
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{{about|the band|the Saturn/PlayStation 2 strategy game|Dragon Force}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} |
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{{Use British English|date=February 2012}} |
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{{Infobox musical artist | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> |
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| name = DragonForce |
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| image = DragonForce - VH45.JPG |
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| caption = DragonForce in Melbourne in 2007. |
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| background = group_or_band |
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| genre = [[Power metal]], [[speed metal]] <!--DO NOT CHANGE GENRES--> |
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| origin = [[London]], [[England]] |
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| years_active = 1999–present |
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| label = [[Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner]], [[Universal Records|Universal]], [[Sanctuary Records|Sanctuary]], [[Spinefarm Records|Spinefarm]], [[Noise Records (Germany)|Noise]] |
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| associated_acts = [[Demoniac]], [[Shadowkeep]], [[Power Quest]], [[Shadow Warriors (band)|Shadow Warriors]], [[Biomechanical (band)|Biomechanical]], [[Son of Science]], [[Bal-Sagoth]], [[Powerglove (band)|Powerglove]], [[Aeon Zen]], [[Pythia (band)|Pythia]], [[I Am I (band)|I AM I]] |
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| website = {{URL|http://www.dragonforce.com/}} |
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| current_members = [[Herman Li]]<br />[[Sam Totman]]<br />Vadim Pruzhanov<br />[[Dave Mackintosh]] <br />[[Frédéric Leclercq]] <br />Marc Hudson |
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| past_members = [[ZP Theart]]<br />Steve Scott<br />[[Steve Williams (musician)|Steve Williams]]<br />Matej Setinc<br />[[Didier Almouzni]]<br />Diccon Harper<br />[[Adrian Lambert]] |
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}} |
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'''DragonForce''' is a British [[power metal]] band based in London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast [[guitar solo]]s, [[fantasy literature|fantasy]]-based lyrics, and [[electronic music|electronic sounds]] in their music to add to their [[chiptune|retro]] [[video game music|video game-influenced sound]]. Guitarists [[Herman Li]] and [[Sam Totman]] are the only two remaining founding members in the group since [[ZP Theart]]'s departure. Marc Hudson was announced as Theart's replacement in March 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/2011/03/02/dragonforce-reveal-new-singer/ |title=Reveal New Singer |publisher=DragonForce |date=5 September 2011 |accessdate=22 October 2011}}</ref> A new studio album, ''[[The Power Within]]'', was released on 15 April 2012. |
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== History == |
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=== Formation === |
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DragonForce was founded in 1999 by guitarists [[Herman Li]] and [[Sam Totman]] under the name of DragonHeart. The two later found singer ZP Theart through an advert,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metal-experience.com/interviews/dragonforce%20int.htm |title=Metal Experience Interview – Formation of band}}</ref> and soon after acquired drummer Matej Setinc, bassist [[Shadowkeep#Members|Steve Scott]] and keyboardist [[Steve Williams (musician)|Steve Williams]]. Totman and Li had a former musical ensemble experience in the band [[Demoniac]]. DragonHeart then released a demo, toured with [[Halford (band)|Halford]], [[Stratovarius]] and headlined their own shows under that name. The band later found that another power metal band with this same name already existed and renamed to DragonForce in 2002. |
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Drummer Matej Setinc left the band in December 1999 to continue his studies in Slovenia, he was replaced by [[Didier Almouzni]]. The band parted ways with Steve Williams in early 2000, and Steve Scott in November 2000. Williams later rejoined and left once again in December 2000, days ahead of the band's tour with Halford and Stratovarius. Steve Scott went on to join [[Shadowkeep]], then [[Power Quest]]. |
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Bassist Diccon Harper joined the band in November 2000 with keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov joining in February 2001 to complete the lineup for recording their first album. |
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Harper performed on DragonForce's debut album, ''[[Valley of the Damned]]'' in its completion, but left the band in 2002 because of a [[tendon]] problem that required surgery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/hit_the_lights/dragonforce_live_playing_through_the_roof_since_having_in-ear_monitors.html |title=DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through the Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors}}</ref> |
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=== ''Valley of the Damned'' (2000–2003) === |
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{{main|Valley of the Damned}} |
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DragonForce recorded their first demo in 2000. It was an independent release, however it was enough to make them one of the most popular independent power metal bands in the UK at that time. Their song "Valley of the Damned" was released as their first single shortly after they changed their name permanently to DragonForce. A promotional video featuring live footage from their tour around Europe was released along with the song. The song was also a huge success on MP3.com where it charted at No. 1 for 2 weeks as the most downloaded song. Shortly after the demo was released keyboardist Steve Williams and bassist Steve Scott both left the band and were replaced with Ukrainian born Vadim Pruzhanov on keyboard and British born Diccon Harper on bass. Steve Williams later went on to form power metal band [[Power Quest]]. |
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In 2003, the band signed to Noise Records and began recording their debut full-length album, ''[[Valley of the Damned]]''. The title track, re-released in promotion of the album, it is one of the most known DragonForce songs to date and is a staple of their live performance to this day. The band's tour for Valley of the Damned lasted until 2004, with the tour ending in Tokyo, Japan. |
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=== ''Sonic Firestorm'' (2004–2005) === |
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{{main|Sonic Firestorm}} |
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The band's follow-up album, ''[[Sonic Firestorm]]'', proved to be even more successful with the lead single "Fury of the Storm". ''Sonic Firestorm'' was the first DragonForce album featuring [[Adrian Lambert]] on bass and [[Dave Mackintosh]] on drums. When Mackintosh entered the band in 2004, they began referring to their style of music as "extreme power metal" due to his fast blastbeats and double bass rhythms. It was around this time that the band began becoming popular internationally and adopted nicknames such as "Bon Jovi on speed" and "[[Journey (band)|Journey]] meets [[Slayer]]." |
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The tour was much longer than the band's recent tour for "Valley of the Damned" and featured many more headline shows than the previous. The band toured with many well-known metal bands such as [[W.A.S.P.]] and [[Iron Maiden]]. On the album they also added a video commentary to talk about Sonic Firestorm. |
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=== ''Inhuman Rampage'' (2006–2007) === |
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{{main|Inhuman Rampage}} |
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DragonForce underwent various lineup changes before settling with the six-man lineup they would retain until the departure of Theart. |
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The band was introduced to the mainstream with their third album ''[[Inhuman Rampage]]'', released in 2006 after signing with [[Roadrunner Records]] in UK, USA, Canada, France and Australia. The song "[[Through the Fire and Flames]]" is one of their most famous songs and is featured on the games ''[[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]'', ''[[Guitar Hero: Smash Hits]]'' Brutal Legend and as downloadable content for the ''Rock Band'' franchise. [[Lindsay Dawson (musician)|Lindsay Dawson]] of Herman Li and Sam Totman's former band, Demoniac, appeared as backup vocalist for this album. Before the release of the album, bassist, Adrian Lambert, left the group to raise his newborn son in November 2005. He was replaced with [[Frédéric Leclercq]] for the remaining of the Sonic Firestorm Tour. Frederic later became an official member of the band in January 2006. He was also featured in the band's music video for their second single off Inhuman Rampage, [[Operation Ground and Pound]]. The 'Through the Fire and Flames' single reached gold disc status in USA and Canada. |
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=== ''Ultra Beatdown (2007–2008)'' === |
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{{main|Ultra Beatdown}} |
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The band toured with [[Disturbed (band)|Disturbed]] and [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]] throughout the summer of 2008 on the Rockstar Energy Metal Mayhem Festival. The band returned in the Fall with the release of their 4th studio album, ''[[Ultra Beatdown]]''. The first track and first single, "[[Heroes of Our Time]]", was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance]] on 3 December 2008, losing out to [[Metallica]] with their song "[[My Apocalypse]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx |title=The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Winner List |work=GRAMMY.com |publisher=The Recording Academy |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5n1432qP5 |archivedate=24 January 2010 |accessdate=24 January 2010}}</ref> A short version of "Heroes Of Our Time" is also featured in the video games ''[[Skate 2]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/skate_2_and_skate_it_soundtracks_revealed.html |title=Skate 2 and Skate It soundtracks revealed |first=James |last=Orry |date=23 October 2008 |work=VideoGamer.com |publisher=Pro-G Media Ltd |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5n14ZtxT9 |archivedate=24 January 2010 |accessdate=24 January 2010}}</ref> and the full version in ''[[NHL 10]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ea.com/music/the-official-nhl-10-soundtrack |title=The Official NHL 10 Soundtrack – EA Trax |work=EA.com |publisher=Electronic Arts Inc |accessdate=24 January 2010}}</ref> |
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On 22 January 2009, the music video for their song "The Last Journey Home" was released to the [[Xbox Live]] Community a week before it was released online.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dragonforce.com/df/news/dragonforce-video-world-premier-on-xbox-live |title=DragonForce Video World Premier on Xbox Live |publisher=DragonForce.com |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5n15WF3Xp |archivedate=24 January 2010 |accessdate=24 January 2010}}</ref> |
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DragonForce carried out the ''Ultra Beatdown'' tour in Latin America, North America and Europe. They were supposed to play in Latin America in May 2009,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dragonforce.com/df/news/mexico-south-amercia-tour-dates-added |title=Mexico, South America Tour Dates Added |publisher=DragonForce.com |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5n15k2C5K |archivedate=24 January 2010 |accessdate=24 January 2010}}</ref> but the tour was postponed to late 2009 due to the [[swine flu]] outbreak.<ref name="Tour dates">{{cite web|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/tour/list-view|title=DragonForce Tour Schedule|publisher=DragonForce official website|accessdate=10 August 2009}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> They performed at the Two Days a Week Festival in Weisen, [[Austria]] on 4 September.<ref name="Tour dates"/> Then, they performed in several cities of Canada and United States from 15 September to 11 October, with special guests [[Sonata Arctica]] and Taking Dawn.<ref name="Tour dates"/> The next tour was in Germany, from 16 to 30 October, followed by a single live performance in [[Luxembourg]] on 31 October.<ref name="Tour dates"/> Then, they went to Latin America to perform in [[Curitiba]], [[Porto Alegre]], São Paulo, [[Mexico City]], [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]], Buenos Aires and [[Bogotá]] from 6 to 14 November.<ref name="Tour dates"/> The final part of the tour was carried entirely in the United Kingdom, from 19 November to 12 December<ref name="Tour dates"/> |
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=== Departure of ZP Theart (2010) === |
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Herman Li stated that DragonForce would stop touring in December, spend time at home for Christmas, and then will begin writing and recording a new studio album scheduled to be released in 2011.{{update after|2011|12|31}}<ref name="Graspop">{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/hit_the_lights/dragonforce_live_playing_through_the_roof_since_having_in-ear_monitors.html |title=DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through The Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors |publisher=Ultimate-guitar.com |accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> |
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On 22 February 2010, the band re-released their first two albums, ''Valley of the Damned'' and ''Sonic Firestorm''. ''Valley of the Damned'' included newly remixed and remastered tracks while both albums included bonus tracks, updated packaging and DVDs featuring live footage, commentary, and more. Both albums were also released in a box set which featured a T-shirt, a card of guitar picks, and an inflatable guitar. |
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On 8 March 2010, it was announced via Roadrunner that DragonForce had parted ways with vocalist ZP Theart and would now be seeking a new frontman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espyrock.com/2010/03/dragonforce-part-ways-with-singer-9023/ |title=Updated: Dragonforce part ways with singer |publisher=EspyRock |accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> Herman Li stated: |
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{{cquote|It is with great regret that DragonForce announce a parting of the ways with singer ZP Theart. This is due to insurmountable differences of musical opinion but the rest of the band sincerely wishes ZP great success with his future projects. |
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While the creative core members have begun writing the fifth album, they have also started a worldwide search for a new vocalist. We are looking for a powerful, melodic singer to write a new chapter of DragonForce with us.}} |
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This story was removed the same day, but officially confirmed by the band a day later in a press statement that also contained a link to request an audition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=136360 |title=BLABBERMOUTH.NET – DRAGONFORCE Confirms Singer's Departure |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> |
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=== ''Twilight Dementia'' === |
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The band released their first live album on 13 September 2010 in Europe and 14 September 2010 for US and Canada. It is a double-disc set entitled ''[[Twilight Dementia]]''. The album art, title, and release date were revealed on the band's official website on 22 June 2010. The performances were recorded on the final leg of the ''Ultra Beatdown'' World Tour.<ref name="press release">{{cite web|title=DragonForce Confirm first live album ‘Twilight Dementia’ for September 13th 2010 release|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/2010/06/22/dragonforce-confirm-first-live-album-%E2%80%98twilight-dementia%E2%80%99-for-september-13th-2010-release/|publisher=DragonForce official website|accessdate=22 June 2010|date=22|month=June|year=2010}}</ref> Regarding the album, guitarist Herman Li stated:<ref name="press release"/> |
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{{cquote|For years, fans have been asking us to record a live album, but honestly, we never really had the time due to our worldwide touring commitments and studio album recording. However, due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans on the 'Ultra Beatdown World Tour', we decided to finally put some real thought into it... |
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These recordings really capture the raw sonic energy of a Dragonforce show in fine detail. It is so real that you can hear the noise of the crowd and experience the show as it was that night – you can even hear the guitar pedals being stepped on!}} |
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The band has been working on a new album since early 2010, recording in various studios in California, London, England and the South of France. |
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The band confirmed that they would be the opening act for [[Iron Maiden]] in two UK shows in August. The first at [[Odyssey Arena]] in [[Belfast]] on 3 August 2011 and the second at [[The O2 Arena (London)|The O<sub>2</sub> Arena]] in London on 5 August 2011. |
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=== New vocalist Marc Hudson (2010–2011) === |
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On 2 March 2011, DragonForce announced their new singer, Marc Hudson.<ref> |
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{{cite web|title=DragonForce Reveal New Singer|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/2011/03/02/dragonforce-reveal-new-singer/|publisher=DragonForce official website|accessdate=2 March 2011}} |
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</ref><ref> |
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{{cite news|last=Hynes|first=Ollie|date=2 March 2011|title=Dragonforce Announces New Singer, Marc Hudson, After Year-Long Search|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=65797|newspaper=MetalUnderground.com}} |
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</ref> |
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He had previous experience performing in a band, but was not a professional musician before joining Dragonforce. His first show with DragonForce was an opening for Iron Maiden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metaltraveller.com/en/gigs/dragonforce/interview_power_within.html |title=Interview with Herman Li |publisher=metaltraveller.com |date=April 2012 |accessdate=29 May 2012}}</ref> On the shows opening for Iron Maiden they started performing a new song called "Cry Thunder".{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}} |
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=== ''The Power Within'' (2011–2012)=== |
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{{main|The Power Within}} |
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[[Pythia (band)|Pythia]]'s vocalist Emily Ovenden provided backing vocals for DragonForce's new album, released on 15 April 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/2012/02/02/dragonforce-reveal-details-of-new-album/ |title=DRAGONFORCE REVEAL DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM |publisher=Dragonforce.com |date=2 February 2012 |accessdate=19 March 2012}}</ref> During the North American warm up shows, DragonForce performed a new song called "Fallen World", along with "Cry Thunder".<ref name="videos of two new songs">{{cite web|title=DragonForce Performs Two New Songs In New York City (Video)|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165054|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|accessdate=23 October 2011|date=23 October 2011}}</ref> According to the band, "Fallen World" is the fastest, most intense DragonForce song to date.<ref name="videos of two new songs"/> The completion of this new album was announced on 14 January 2012. On 2 February, DragonForce announced via their official web-page that their new ten-track album would be entitled [[The Power Within]]. The album was released worldwide on 15 April 2012 via the band’s own Electric Generation Recordings, distributed by Essential Music (UK), Roadrunner Records (North America), 3Wise (Australia) and JVC Victor (Japan). In March 2012 DragonForce announced North American headlining tour for April and May.<ref>http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=170883</ref> |
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Starting from late September, DragonForce embarked on a UK and Ireland tour; they were suppourted by [[Cavorts]], [[The Defiled]] and [[Alestorm]].<ref>http://www.dragonforce.com/2012/04/02/dragonforce-announce-uk-ireland-leg-of-mammoth-world-tour/</ref> |
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DragonForce will be playing [[Soundwave Festival]] in Australia in February 2013. |
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== Musical style == |
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Much of DragonForce's idiosyncratic style comes from the high-speed dual guitar sound of Totman and Li; by playing at a high tempo and within the upper registers of their instruments, their sound becomes similar to the "bleepy" arpeggios and quick pitch-bends normally associated with [[chiptune]]s, usually heard in the [[History of video game consoles (third generation)|third generation]] of [[video game music]]. The band often plays homage to this influence in their videos. DragonForce may be considered as an Extreme Power Metal band and a Quest Metal band (a type of metal where bands create songs that have fanciful lyrics). |
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Although, the band has frequently referred to their style as [[power metal]]. Herman Li commented on descriptions of the band's style in an interview with ''[[Guitar World]]'': "'[[Nintendo]] metal', 'extreme power metal', '[[Bon Jovi]] on [[Amphetamine|speed]]', '[[Journey (band)|Journey]] meets [[Slayer]]', ... people are always coming up with weird labels for us."<ref>Guitar World, Holiday 2006, pg 72 "Hotter Than Hell"</ref> The band has sometimes been labeled as a [[speed metal]] band.<ref>{{cite web|author=Paul Saitowitz |url=http://www.pe.com/entertainment/stories/PE_Ent_Guide_D_soundtracks.204707.html |title=Entertainment | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California |publisher=PE.com |date=6 July 2006 |accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/music/hottickets/article_1223269.php |title=Entertainment – Juan Gabriel to play the Pond |publisher=Ocregister.com |accessdate=15 July 2011}}{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Hot right now: |url=http://www.gigwise.com/contents.asp?contentid=19752 |title=Friday 07/07/06 Ozzfest 2006, Main Stage @ The Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix Arizona |publisher=Gigwise |date=14 July 2006 |accessdate=15 July 2011}}</ref> |
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== Controversy == |
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Controversy for DragonForce occurred in late 2006 shortly after the ''Inhuman Rampage'' tour gained larger audiences in later cities. The band had many technical difficulties with the guitars, which is deemed to be the most "stand-out feature" in their music. The band also drop-tuned their instruments to [[E♭ tuning|E-flat tuning]] on that tour. This, coupled with low-quality recordings of the live performances that were subsequently uploaded to the Internet, created rumors of the band speeding up their music in-studio due to being unable to perform it live at such speeds. The band dispelled these rumors in subsequent tours, performing their solos at the same speed as on the albums. Herman Li stated, "[[Graspop Metal Meeting]] of 2006 was a total disaster. The technician we had back then didn't even tune the guitars, and no monitoring was done properly. We didn't hear anything...". He also said that most of the ''Inhuman Rampage'' tour was bad overall due to technical difficulties. Since the debut of vocalist Marc Hudson in 2011 the band have returned to their natural [[E standard tuning]] due to Hudson's more powerful vocal range. |
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== Band members == |
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;Current members |
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* [[Herman Li]] – guitar, backing vocals <small>(1999–present)</small> |
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* [[Sam Totman]] – guitar, backing vocals <small>(1999–present)</small> |
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* Vadim Pruzhanov – keyboards, keytar, synthesizer, [[theremin]], backing vocals <small>(2001–present)</small> |
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* [[Dave Mackintosh]] – drums, backing vocals <small>(2004–present)</small> |
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* [[Frédéric Leclercq]] – bass guitar, backing vocals <small>(2005–present)</small> |
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* Marc Hudson – lead vocals <small>(2011–present)</small> |
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;Former members |
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* Matej Setinc – drums <small>(1999)</small> |
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* Steve Scott – bass guitar, backing vocals <small>(1999–2000)</small> |
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* [[Steve Williams (musician)|Steve Williams]] – keyboards, keytar, backing vocals <small>(1999–2000, 2000)</small> |
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* [[Didier Almouzni]] – drums <small>(1999–2003)</small> |
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* [[ZP Theart]] – lead vocals <small>(1999–2010)</small> |
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* Diccon Harper – bass guitar, backing vocals <small>(2000–2003)</small> |
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* [[Adrian Lambert]] – bass guitar <small>(2003–2005)</small> |
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;Timeline |
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<div align="center"> |
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<timeline> |
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ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 |
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PlotArea = left:110 bottom:125 top:0 right:30 |
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Alignbars = justify |
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DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy |
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Period = from:01/01/1999 till:06/01/2012 |
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TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy |
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Colors = |
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id:guitars value:brightblue legend:Guitars,_backing_vocals |
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id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals |
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id:bass value:purple legend:Bass_guitar,_backing_vocals |
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id:keyboards value:orange legend:Keyboards,_backing_vocals |
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id:drums value:yellow legend:Drums |
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id:studio value:black legend:Studio_albums |
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id:live value:gray(0.85) legend:Live_albums |
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Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2 |
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ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2000 |
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ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1999 |
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LineData = |
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at:02/25/2003 color:black layer:back |
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at:05/11/2004 color:black layer:back |
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at:01/09/2006 color:black layer:back |
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at:08/25/2008 color:black layer:back |
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at:09/13/2010 color:live layer:back |
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at:03/15/2012 color:black layer:back |
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BarData = |
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bar:Herman text:Herman Li |
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bar:Sam text:Sam Totman |
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bar:ZP text:ZP Theart |
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bar:Marc text:Marc Hudson |
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bar:SteveS text:Steve Scott |
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bar:Diccon text:Diccon Harper |
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bar:Adrian text:Adrian Lambert |
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bar:Frédéric text:Frédéric Leclercq |
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bar:SteveW text:Steve Williams |
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bar:Vadim text:Vadim Pruzhanov |
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bar:Matej text:Matej Setinc |
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bar:Didier text:Didier Almouzni |
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bar:Dave text:Dave Mackintosh |
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PlotData= |
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width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) |
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bar:Herman from:01/01/1999 till:end color:guitars |
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bar:Sam from:01/01/1999 till:end color:guitars |
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bar:ZP from:01/01/1999 till:03/08/2010 color:vocals |
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bar:Marc from:03/02/2011 till:end color:vocals |
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bar:SteveS from:01/01/1999 till:11/01/2000 color:bass |
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bar:Diccon from:11/01/2000 till:05/01/2003 color:bass |
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bar:Adrian from:05/01/2003 till:11/01/2005 color:bass |
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bar:Frédéric from:11/01/2005 till:end color:bass |
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bar:SteveW from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2000 color:keyboards |
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bar:SteveW from:03/01/2000 till:12/01/2000 color:keyboards |
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bar:Vadim from:02/01/2001 till:end color:keyboards |
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bar:Matej from:01/01/1999 till:12/01/1999 color:drums |
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bar:Didier from:12/01/1999 till:01/01/2004 color:drums |
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bar:Dave from:01/01/2004 till:end color:drums |
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</timeline> |
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</div> |
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== Discography == |
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{{main|DragonForce discography}} |
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{{Listen|filename=DragonForce Soldiers of the Wasteland.ogg|title=Soldiers of the Wasteland (sample)|description=A brief sample of the sixth track from the ''[[Sonic Firestorm]]'' album.}} |
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;Studio albums |
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* ''[[Valley of the Damned]]'' (2003) |
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* ''[[Sonic Firestorm]]'' (2004) |
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* ''[[Inhuman Rampage]]'' (2006) |
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* ''[[Ultra Beatdown]]'' (2008) |
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* ''[[The Power Within]]'' (2012) |
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== References == |
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{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} |
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== External links == |
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{{commons|DragonForce}} |
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* {{Official website|http://www.dragonforce.com}} |
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{{DragonForce|100%}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragonforce}} |
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[[Category:DragonForce]] |
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[[Category:English power metal musical groups]] |
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[[Category:Musical groups established in 1999]] |
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[[Category:Musical sextets]] |
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[[Category:Roadrunner Records artists]] |
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[[als:Dragonforce]] |
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Revision as of 03:32, 23 November 2012
DragonForce | |
---|---|
DragonForce in Melbourne in 2007. | |
Background information | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | Power metal, speed metal |
Years active | 1999–present |
Labels | Roadrunner, Universal, Sanctuary, Spinefarm, Noise |
Members | Herman Li Sam Totman Vadim Pruzhanov Dave Mackintosh Frédéric Leclercq Marc Hudson |
Past members | ZP Theart Steve Scott Steve Williams Matej Setinc Didier Almouzni Diccon Harper Adrian Lambert |
Website | www |
DragonForce is a British power metal band based in London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two remaining founding members in the group since ZP Theart's departure. Marc Hudson was announced as Theart's replacement in March 2011.[1] A new studio album, The Power Within, was released on 15 April 2012.
History
Formation
DragonForce was founded in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman under the name of DragonHeart. The two later found singer ZP Theart through an advert,[2] and soon after acquired drummer Matej Setinc, bassist Steve Scott and keyboardist Steve Williams. Totman and Li had a former musical ensemble experience in the band Demoniac. DragonHeart then released a demo, toured with Halford, Stratovarius and headlined their own shows under that name. The band later found that another power metal band with this same name already existed and renamed to DragonForce in 2002.
Drummer Matej Setinc left the band in December 1999 to continue his studies in Slovenia, he was replaced by Didier Almouzni. The band parted ways with Steve Williams in early 2000, and Steve Scott in November 2000. Williams later rejoined and left once again in December 2000, days ahead of the band's tour with Halford and Stratovarius. Steve Scott went on to join Shadowkeep, then Power Quest.
Bassist Diccon Harper joined the band in November 2000 with keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov joining in February 2001 to complete the lineup for recording their first album.
Harper performed on DragonForce's debut album, Valley of the Damned in its completion, but left the band in 2002 because of a tendon problem that required surgery.[3]
Valley of the Damned (2000–2003)
DragonForce recorded their first demo in 2000. It was an independent release, however it was enough to make them one of the most popular independent power metal bands in the UK at that time. Their song "Valley of the Damned" was released as their first single shortly after they changed their name permanently to DragonForce. A promotional video featuring live footage from their tour around Europe was released along with the song. The song was also a huge success on MP3.com where it charted at No. 1 for 2 weeks as the most downloaded song. Shortly after the demo was released keyboardist Steve Williams and bassist Steve Scott both left the band and were replaced with Ukrainian born Vadim Pruzhanov on keyboard and British born Diccon Harper on bass. Steve Williams later went on to form power metal band Power Quest.
In 2003, the band signed to Noise Records and began recording their debut full-length album, Valley of the Damned. The title track, re-released in promotion of the album, it is one of the most known DragonForce songs to date and is a staple of their live performance to this day. The band's tour for Valley of the Damned lasted until 2004, with the tour ending in Tokyo, Japan.
Sonic Firestorm (2004–2005)
The band's follow-up album, Sonic Firestorm, proved to be even more successful with the lead single "Fury of the Storm". Sonic Firestorm was the first DragonForce album featuring Adrian Lambert on bass and Dave Mackintosh on drums. When Mackintosh entered the band in 2004, they began referring to their style of music as "extreme power metal" due to his fast blastbeats and double bass rhythms. It was around this time that the band began becoming popular internationally and adopted nicknames such as "Bon Jovi on speed" and "Journey meets Slayer."
The tour was much longer than the band's recent tour for "Valley of the Damned" and featured many more headline shows than the previous. The band toured with many well-known metal bands such as W.A.S.P. and Iron Maiden. On the album they also added a video commentary to talk about Sonic Firestorm.
Inhuman Rampage (2006–2007)
DragonForce underwent various lineup changes before settling with the six-man lineup they would retain until the departure of Theart. The band was introduced to the mainstream with their third album Inhuman Rampage, released in 2006 after signing with Roadrunner Records in UK, USA, Canada, France and Australia. The song "Through the Fire and Flames" is one of their most famous songs and is featured on the games Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Brutal Legend and as downloadable content for the Rock Band franchise. Lindsay Dawson of Herman Li and Sam Totman's former band, Demoniac, appeared as backup vocalist for this album. Before the release of the album, bassist, Adrian Lambert, left the group to raise his newborn son in November 2005. He was replaced with Frédéric Leclercq for the remaining of the Sonic Firestorm Tour. Frederic later became an official member of the band in January 2006. He was also featured in the band's music video for their second single off Inhuman Rampage, Operation Ground and Pound. The 'Through the Fire and Flames' single reached gold disc status in USA and Canada.
Ultra Beatdown (2007–2008)
The band toured with Disturbed and Slipknot throughout the summer of 2008 on the Rockstar Energy Metal Mayhem Festival. The band returned in the Fall with the release of their 4th studio album, Ultra Beatdown. The first track and first single, "Heroes of Our Time", was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance on 3 December 2008, losing out to Metallica with their song "My Apocalypse".[4] A short version of "Heroes Of Our Time" is also featured in the video games Skate 2[5] and the full version in NHL 10.[6]
On 22 January 2009, the music video for their song "The Last Journey Home" was released to the Xbox Live Community a week before it was released online.[7]
DragonForce carried out the Ultra Beatdown tour in Latin America, North America and Europe. They were supposed to play in Latin America in May 2009,[8] but the tour was postponed to late 2009 due to the swine flu outbreak.[9] They performed at the Two Days a Week Festival in Weisen, Austria on 4 September.[9] Then, they performed in several cities of Canada and United States from 15 September to 11 October, with special guests Sonata Arctica and Taking Dawn.[9] The next tour was in Germany, from 16 to 30 October, followed by a single live performance in Luxembourg on 31 October.[9] Then, they went to Latin America to perform in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, São Paulo, Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Bogotá from 6 to 14 November.[9] The final part of the tour was carried entirely in the United Kingdom, from 19 November to 12 December[9]
Departure of ZP Theart (2010)
Herman Li stated that DragonForce would stop touring in December, spend time at home for Christmas, and then will begin writing and recording a new studio album scheduled to be released in 2011.[needs update][10]
On 22 February 2010, the band re-released their first two albums, Valley of the Damned and Sonic Firestorm. Valley of the Damned included newly remixed and remastered tracks while both albums included bonus tracks, updated packaging and DVDs featuring live footage, commentary, and more. Both albums were also released in a box set which featured a T-shirt, a card of guitar picks, and an inflatable guitar.
On 8 March 2010, it was announced via Roadrunner that DragonForce had parted ways with vocalist ZP Theart and would now be seeking a new frontman.[11] Herman Li stated:
It is with great regret that DragonForce announce a parting of the ways with singer ZP Theart. This is due to insurmountable differences of musical opinion but the rest of the band sincerely wishes ZP great success with his future projects. While the creative core members have begun writing the fifth album, they have also started a worldwide search for a new vocalist. We are looking for a powerful, melodic singer to write a new chapter of DragonForce with us.
This story was removed the same day, but officially confirmed by the band a day later in a press statement that also contained a link to request an audition.[12]
Twilight Dementia
The band released their first live album on 13 September 2010 in Europe and 14 September 2010 for US and Canada. It is a double-disc set entitled Twilight Dementia. The album art, title, and release date were revealed on the band's official website on 22 June 2010. The performances were recorded on the final leg of the Ultra Beatdown World Tour.[13] Regarding the album, guitarist Herman Li stated:[13]
For years, fans have been asking us to record a live album, but honestly, we never really had the time due to our worldwide touring commitments and studio album recording. However, due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans on the 'Ultra Beatdown World Tour', we decided to finally put some real thought into it... These recordings really capture the raw sonic energy of a Dragonforce show in fine detail. It is so real that you can hear the noise of the crowd and experience the show as it was that night – you can even hear the guitar pedals being stepped on!
The band has been working on a new album since early 2010, recording in various studios in California, London, England and the South of France.
The band confirmed that they would be the opening act for Iron Maiden in two UK shows in August. The first at Odyssey Arena in Belfast on 3 August 2011 and the second at The O2 Arena in London on 5 August 2011.
New vocalist Marc Hudson (2010–2011)
On 2 March 2011, DragonForce announced their new singer, Marc Hudson.[14][15] He had previous experience performing in a band, but was not a professional musician before joining Dragonforce. His first show with DragonForce was an opening for Iron Maiden.[16] On the shows opening for Iron Maiden they started performing a new song called "Cry Thunder".[citation needed]
The Power Within (2011–2012)
Pythia's vocalist Emily Ovenden provided backing vocals for DragonForce's new album, released on 15 April 2012.[17] During the North American warm up shows, DragonForce performed a new song called "Fallen World", along with "Cry Thunder".[18] According to the band, "Fallen World" is the fastest, most intense DragonForce song to date.[18] The completion of this new album was announced on 14 January 2012. On 2 February, DragonForce announced via their official web-page that their new ten-track album would be entitled The Power Within. The album was released worldwide on 15 April 2012 via the band’s own Electric Generation Recordings, distributed by Essential Music (UK), Roadrunner Records (North America), 3Wise (Australia) and JVC Victor (Japan). In March 2012 DragonForce announced North American headlining tour for April and May.[19] Starting from late September, DragonForce embarked on a UK and Ireland tour; they were suppourted by Cavorts, The Defiled and Alestorm.[20] DragonForce will be playing Soundwave Festival in Australia in February 2013.
Musical style
Much of DragonForce's idiosyncratic style comes from the high-speed dual guitar sound of Totman and Li; by playing at a high tempo and within the upper registers of their instruments, their sound becomes similar to the "bleepy" arpeggios and quick pitch-bends normally associated with chiptunes, usually heard in the third generation of video game music. The band often plays homage to this influence in their videos. DragonForce may be considered as an Extreme Power Metal band and a Quest Metal band (a type of metal where bands create songs that have fanciful lyrics). Although, the band has frequently referred to their style as power metal. Herman Li commented on descriptions of the band's style in an interview with Guitar World: "'Nintendo metal', 'extreme power metal', 'Bon Jovi on speed', 'Journey meets Slayer', ... people are always coming up with weird labels for us."[21] The band has sometimes been labeled as a speed metal band.[22][23][24]
Controversy
Controversy for DragonForce occurred in late 2006 shortly after the Inhuman Rampage tour gained larger audiences in later cities. The band had many technical difficulties with the guitars, which is deemed to be the most "stand-out feature" in their music. The band also drop-tuned their instruments to E-flat tuning on that tour. This, coupled with low-quality recordings of the live performances that were subsequently uploaded to the Internet, created rumors of the band speeding up their music in-studio due to being unable to perform it live at such speeds. The band dispelled these rumors in subsequent tours, performing their solos at the same speed as on the albums. Herman Li stated, "Graspop Metal Meeting of 2006 was a total disaster. The technician we had back then didn't even tune the guitars, and no monitoring was done properly. We didn't hear anything...". He also said that most of the Inhuman Rampage tour was bad overall due to technical difficulties. Since the debut of vocalist Marc Hudson in 2011 the band have returned to their natural E standard tuning due to Hudson's more powerful vocal range.
Band members
- Current members
- Herman Li – guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
- Sam Totman – guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
- Vadim Pruzhanov – keyboards, keytar, synthesizer, theremin, backing vocals (2001–present)
- Dave Mackintosh – drums, backing vocals (2004–present)
- Frédéric Leclercq – bass guitar, backing vocals (2005–present)
- Marc Hudson – lead vocals (2011–present)
- Former members
- Matej Setinc – drums (1999)
- Steve Scott – bass guitar, backing vocals (1999–2000)
- Steve Williams – keyboards, keytar, backing vocals (1999–2000, 2000)
- Didier Almouzni – drums (1999–2003)
- ZP Theart – lead vocals (1999–2010)
- Diccon Harper – bass guitar, backing vocals (2000–2003)
- Adrian Lambert – bass guitar (2003–2005)
- Timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/0g916sb3h2jqc6lofbxkzy70rpghi19.png)
Discography
- Studio albums
- Valley of the Damned (2003)
- Sonic Firestorm (2004)
- Inhuman Rampage (2006)
- Ultra Beatdown (2008)
- The Power Within (2012)
References
- ^ "Reveal New Singer". DragonForce. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "Metal Experience Interview – Formation of band".
- ^ "DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through the Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors".
- ^ "The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Winner List". GRAMMY.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ Orry, James (23 October 2008). "Skate 2 and Skate It soundtracks revealed". VideoGamer.com. Pro-G Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "The Official NHL 10 Soundtrack – EA Trax". EA.com. Electronic Arts Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "DragonForce Video World Premier on Xbox Live". DragonForce.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "Mexico, South America Tour Dates Added". DragonForce.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f "DragonForce Tour Schedule". DragonForce official website. Retrieved 10 August 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through The Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors". Ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ "Updated: Dragonforce part ways with singer". EspyRock. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – DRAGONFORCE Confirms Singer's Departure". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ a b "DragonForce Confirm first live album 'Twilight Dementia' for September 13th 2010 release". DragonForce official website. 22. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
and|year=
/|date=
mismatch (help); Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ "DragonForce Reveal New Singer". DragonForce official website. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ Hynes, Ollie (2 March 2011). "Dragonforce Announces New Singer, Marc Hudson, After Year-Long Search". MetalUnderground.com.
- ^ "Interview with Herman Li". metaltraveller.com. April 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ "DRAGONFORCE REVEAL DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM". Dragonforce.com. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ a b "DragonForce Performs Two New Songs In New York City (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
- ^ http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=170883
- ^ http://www.dragonforce.com/2012/04/02/dragonforce-announce-uk-ireland-leg-of-mammoth-world-tour/
- ^ Guitar World, Holiday 2006, pg 72 "Hotter Than Hell"
- ^ Paul Saitowitz (6 July 2006). "Entertainment | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California". PE.com. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ "Entertainment – Juan Gabriel to play the Pond". Ocregister.com. Retrieved 15 July 2011.[dead link]
- ^ Hot right now: (14 July 2006). "Friday 07/07/06 Ozzfest 2006, Main Stage @ The Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix Arizona". Gigwise. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)