I think we had to go in a different direction."īraveWords: Was there a lot of discussion involved as far as changing things up in the band's sound, or did you more or less just end up with a different animal? We made that album in that style, but we don't want to try and copy it. Li: "When Ultra Beatdown came out (in 2008), for me even now it's still the most over-the-top record. There are still more fast songs than slow songs, for sure." We don't want people to get the idea that we've slowed down and put out something like Metallica's Black album or something, because it's definitely not that at all. I still like playing songs at 200 bpm, and there are still three or four of those on Maximum Overload because I still really like that style. At the end of the day we're still playing the music we like, and that's really what it comes down to.
DRAGONFORCE ALBUM RANKING FULL
We still really like playing fast songs, but we want to try and do other things now because we've made so many records full of fast songs."īraveWords: At some point you have to re-invent yourself to a certain degree, otherwise people are going to start saying "We don't need this band anymore, they have nothing new to say." Totman: ".And without losing the elements we had before. The musical direction, we just wanted to be more diverse and added more and more influences, putting our own twist on them." His production really worked to get the right guitar tones for these songs.
"The mix on this album is different from the previous album. He didn't really push the songs in that way." Totman: "All the songs were written before we went to Jens. How much of an influence did he have on the heavier direction? Jens Bogren has worked with Soilwork, Devin Townsend, Amon Amarth and Symphony X. We have a weird sense of humour anyway, so it's all cool with us."īraveWords: Maximum Overload is heavier than expected for a DragonForce album, and it's the first time you worked with an outside producer. But we hear it all the time: 'DragonForce? They're that shitty band from Guitar Hero.' We also hear good things from that too, though, because people got into the band thanks to the game. Li: "Sometimes one of us meets a girl in a bar and the only reason she might know of us is because of Guitar Hero, which is kind of cool (laughs). We can handle anything now."īraveWords: So that Guitar Hero stigma still follows you around?
Li: "I think after Guitar Hero things can't get any worse when it comes to insults (laughs). Some people love it, other people hate you for it. Taking a classic song ("Ring Of Fire") from a legend like Johnny Cash and re-working it the way you have on Maximum Overload, you're throwing yourselves to the wolves to a degree. Maximum Overload ranks as DragonForce's heaviest album to date, all at the frenzied yet capable hands of guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman.īraveWords: You guys have been magnets for criticism from day one because you dared to be different - what some people consider obnoxious - by going completely over-the-top. It's unlikely fans will be disappointed with the album, but the diehards should be prepared a few sonic changes going in. They've released three albums since Inhuman Rampage (2006) gave us their chart-approved hit, the latest being Maximum Overload featuring not-so-new vocalist Marc Hudson.
It's almost a bad cliché at this point, as some folks routinely bash DragonForce for "Through The Fire And Flames" becoming a video game hit that ultimately made them a big deal around the world. Mention UK-based power metal speedsters DragonForce in group conversation and somebody is bound to shriek or mumble "Guitar Hero" depending on their feelings towards the band's unique brand of metal.