Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage

Somebody sent me the video for "Through the Fire and Flames" a few months back. It was sent as a joke - "Dude, you have to watch this crazy sh*t. It's ridiculous." DragonForce? I love dragons. I love metal. Heck, that's the best name for a band since Dethgasm. I'll give it a looksee. 

Sure, my first reaction was laughter. "Har! Metal is so funny!" I quipped as the epic unfurled before my eyes and ears. Then there's the money shot in the video where the twin guitarists have a shred battle, complete with picture-within-picture close-ups of their fingerwork. It's brilliant and these guys are in on the joke. Great. When it was finished playing, I instantly started it up again to laugh some more. Something happened with that second viewing and it hit me like a sonic firestorm. "Through the Fire and the Flame" is a fuggin' masterpiece and I'll be damned if I wasn't watching the dawn of a new era of heavy metal. I found myself tingling...an embarrassing feeling I get when I hear the opening Star Wars fanfare or the Zelda theme song. Was I having a nerdgasm? You bet. Multiple ones. And I've been a slobbering mess ever since.

Being an old school '80s metalhead weaned on the unholy teat of an Iron Maiden, I like my metal chock full of apocalyptic visions, evil tidings, epic battles and monsters. DragonForce delivers all that in spades and I go on the record to proclaim that they are the most important metal band of the past ten years. Hands down. Don't even argue with me on this. I'll kill you.

With their new album Inhuman Rampage, DragonForce does something insidious; something so downright evil that few, if any, metal bands before them have ever pulled it off. It's not the speed-metal intricacies that are comparable to the very best of Megadeth. No, it's not the grim, Slayer-esque tone of their songs. It's not even the sense that these guys are having so much fun playing their music, akin to early Anthrax. I'd have to say it's the catchy pop sensibilities that that scream "Journey! Bon Jovi! Toto!" Metalheads may balk at this, but don't be afraid...these songs will never be played on Top 40 radio (they are not Def Leppard). What it means is that the songs are fun to raise your fist in the air and sing along with. After only a couple of listens, you'll have these tracks ingrained in your head. They are infectious and wonderful.

The might of DragonForce lies squarely on the shoulders of the twin guitar onslaught provided by Herman Li and Sam Totman. The two of them swap solos in just about every song and it's been years, decades even, since I've heard anybody with their chops. Herman is a shredder on par with the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Kirk Hammet, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai. He's that fuggin' good. Sam is the Malcolm Young to Herman's Angus Young. He's a star player and provides a ironclad foundation for their guitar duels.

The vocalist, Z.P. Theart, has a golden throat. Z.P. is a singer; he doesn't growl the songs, his voice has heart and he sings with passion. Not to mention the motherfudrucker can do one hell of a metal scream. The metal scream is probably the most laughed at metal trope there is, but when done right, it's becomes primal, inspiring and superbadass. Z.P.'s scream is up there with masters like Dio and Dickensen. He also has a curly mop, reminiscent of later-years Weird Al.

When the orcish hordes invade Manhattan and my brothers and I are the last line of resistance for all mankind, as we charge forth into battle with our swords and guns raised high, I want Inhuman Rampage cranked to the max on my iPod as I rush into battle. When I listen to it, I want to fight monsters. I'd like to compare the album to a frothy, delicious pint of beer; it's best served in the company of your best mates, each gulp gets you happier and happier, it all goes down real smooth and when you are done, you want more...much more, until you pass out in a dizzy, blissful puddle of vomit and smiles. I love every song on this album. Even the power ballad.

There are some standouts. "Through the Fire and the Flames" is Inhuman Rampages's king killer. It's over seven minutes of madness. It makes me want to run around in circles until I collapse. The aformentioned guitar duel in that song will make your ears bleed blood of joy. My second favorite track is "Operation Ground and Pound" which is about a far away battle against the omnipresent forces of the Evil One. Its chorus is a beguiling "Whoa whoa whoa whoa" that is custom-made for an arena of headbanging soldiers of metal. Plus, it has one of the best metal screams of all time at the end.

There's one thing that I've neglected to mention about DragonForce, and that is they are heavily influenced by '80s and '90s video game music. DragonForce's keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov is a wizard. Nowhere is this more evident than on the track "Body Breakdown." Halfway through the epic is a keyboard/guitar piece that evokes Castlevania or Space Harrier. Video games and metal are like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, two great tastes that taste great together, and DragonForce is one gigantic chocolate/peanut butter treat.

I can't say enough good things about this album. I haven't been this energized about anything metal in years, and it makes me feel both youthful and unstoppable. It's the perfect album to drive over the speed limit to. If you are a friend of metal, or a video game junky or just somebody who thinks dragons are cool, then you have a new favorite band. (review UGO.com)

Support The Artist : http://www.myspace.com/dragonforce