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DragonForce worthy of metal-fisted praise |
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Written by ALANA GRELYAK / Photos by MAUREEN VANA
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Wednesday, 10 May 2006 |
ZP Theart made me wet. Literally. DragonForce's wavy-haired and terribly captivating lead singer splashed enough bottled water off the stage to make me fear my own drowning and yet, despite his desecration to my leather jacket, had me convinced that DragonForce was worthy of my metal-fisted praise.
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DragonForce
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 Entertainment
 Art
Metro
Chicago, Ill.
May 6, 2006
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High-tempo lead guitars, a constant twin cannon kick-drum assault, and frequent use of words like fire, spirit, and blood, all contribute to the power-metal sound that this six-piece band seems to have nailed to the floor. Hailing from various places around the world, including South Africa, Ukraine, and London, DragonForce is comprised of obviously talented musicians that have a shared passion for speed, and a love for pleasing their audience. To hear DragonForce play is to believe that there are still bands out there who know how to play the hell out of their instruments. Lead guitar duo Herman Li and Sam Totman expertly shred through guitar solos while weaving their melodic lines seamlessly in and out of each other, creating the illusion of a single guitarist.
The concert began with very fast playing, was fleshed-out with more very fast playing, and ended with you guessed it - very fast playing. The hardcore fans in the audience kept their rock and roll fingers in the air throughout the entire show, while it was clear that others had some occasional trouble distinguishing the songs from one another. Or maybe it was just me.
Many of the tunes were very long, seven to nine minutes each, and due to the overall fast pace of each song, they tended to blend together into one very long, power-metal serenade. However, not for a moment did the concert get boring. It was broken into two by an entirely unexpected synth rendition of the love them from “The Godfather,” along with snippets of the theme from “The Simpsons” as played by the baby-faced bassist Fred Leclercq. Theart's high-energy vocals, impressive range, and incredibly sexy eyes held the audience spellbound for the entirety of the show. His stage presence is outstanding and he certainly has the vocal skills to back it up. And, may I add, I have never seen such healthy, shiny hair on anyone. I have visions that involve Theart's hair, my naked body, and plenty of time….
DragonForce shows amazing promise and is one hell of a live band. With the loss and replacement of several members over the years, the current lineup meshes well together and had no problem selling out their Chicago show, as well as several of their other appearances on the North American leg of their tour. Fans of Helloween, GammaRay, and Savatage will certainly hear their influences on this relatively young and energetic band. DragonForce's new album, “Inhuman Rampage,” will be released in North America by Roadrunner Records on June 20 of this year. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
