DragonForce are one of the most extreme Power Metal bands around these days. A relatively new band they started life in 1999 under the name DragonHeart, but changed their name in December 2001 to avoid getting themselves confused with various other bands/films/record labels with the same name. Although based in the UK, and considered a British band DragonForce are probably the most ethnically diverse Metal Bands around with members from Hong Kong, UK, New Zealand, South Africa and Ukraine. The band currently consists of 6 members:
ZP Theart - Vocals
Herman Li – Guitar
Sam Totman – Guitar (and acoustic guitar)
Vadim Pruzhanov – Keyboardist
Adrian Lambert - Bassist
David Mackintosh – Drummer
Band History
The Band started out in 1999, with guitarists Herman and Sam (previously from Demoniac), vocalist ZP, Vadim and now ex-drummer Didier Almouzni but no bassist. They started work on their first album ‘Valley of The Damned’ in 2000 with producer Karl Groom in Ice Studios, Surrey. And in 7 days, the DragonForce boys managed to get a pretty decent sounding 5-track demo.
In June 2000, DragonForce released their demo tracks to mp3.com where the title track shot up to No.1 in the Power Metal chart. This proved excellent publicity for the still unsigned DragonForce. Bassist Diccon Harper (also previously from Demoniac) joined the band and they launched on tour as special guests at the Halford Tour, and a Stratovarius gig in England. Despite them only having played 2 live gigs before they took the tour in their stride, gaining rave reviews and many new fans for every performance.
They spent most of 2001 writing the rest of their debut album and negotiating a record deal. For the rest of the year they headlined many successful shows with their new keyboardist Vadim. A year and a half of negotiating they finally signed to Sanctuary/Noise Records in 2002.
The final version of ‘Valley of The Damned’ was recorded in 2002 across 3 different studios, including Jailhouse Studio in Denmark, Thin Ice Studio in England and Herman Li’s home studio.
Bassist Diccon decided DragonForce wasn’t for him and left (after some research I couldn’t find out what he’d been up to after he left. If you know /msg me). He was soon replaced with Adrian Lambert. DragonForce went on tour… again. Soon Didier Almouzni decided to leave due to ‘musical differences’. Despite the loss of their drummer, DragonForce gallantly continued on their tour of Europe – eventually replacing the vacancy with Bal-Sagoth drummer David Mackintosh.
More touring.
The second album ‘Sonic Firestorm’ was recorded between October and December 2003, and DragonForce announced yet another tour. This time they’d be supporting W.A.S.P. on The Neon God: Part 1 - The Rise tour. And if you thought that DragonForce had done enough touring, they went on a Sonic Firestorm Part 2 tour.
Discography
Valley of the Damned (2000 Demo)
1. Valley of the Damned
2. Revelations
3. Starfire
4. Black Winter Night
5. Disciples of Babylon
Valley of The Damned (2003)
1. Invocation of the Apocalyptic Evil
2. Valley of the Damned
3. Black Fire
4. Black Winter Night
5. Starfire
6. Disciples of Babylon
7. Revelations
8. Evening Star
9. Heart of a Dragon
Sonic Firestorm (2004)
1. My Spirit Will Go On
2. Fury of the Storm
3. Fields of Despair
4. Dawn Over a New World
5. Above the Winter Moonlight
6. Soldiers of the Wasteland
7. Prepare for War
8. Once In a Lifetime
Inhuman Rampage (2006)
1. Through the Fire and Flames
2. Revolution Deathsquad
3. Storming the Burning Fields
4. Operation Ground and Pound
5. Body Breakdown
6. Cry for Eternity
7. The Flame of Youth
8. Trail of Broken Hearts
Post Scriptum; Curiously, on the CD case of Sonic Firestorm, they decided to put a little orange label, warning the consumer, that this album contains ‘Extreme Power Metal’.
Post Post Scriptum; in my humble opinion, their first album Valley of The Damned was the better of the three only one worth listening to, so go out and buy that one