Dragonforce's beatdown
William Sohl
Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: Entertainment
For years, Dragonforce was one of the best kept secrets in metal. But since "Through the Fire and Flames" was released on Guitar Hero III, the multinational musical conglomeration has been finding more and more fans drawn to their blistering riffs. Now with Ultra Beatdown, the band's fourth album and second on Roadrunner Records, they're sure to cement this new fan base.
The first single, "Heroes of Our Time," is a great introduction to the album. The song contains plenty of speed sections with Herman Li, Sam Totman, David Mackintosh, and Frederic Leclercq blazing away as usual. ZP Theart still sings as though he's stuck in the middle of a game of D&D and Vadim Pruzhanov gets a few solo sections in which to shine.
Another noteworthy track is "Inside the Winter Storm." This eight-minute track gives all the members a chance to shine and goes through a wide range of tempos and themes that still blend together beautifully. "The Last Journey Home" and "The Warrior Inside" are also worth checking out for some great keyboarding from Pruzhanov.
Counter to this, "Reason to Live" for some reason sounds awkward. It's as if the lyrics and music can't quite match up. "A Flame for Freedom" also paces itself more like a power ballad, which is a bit jarring when set against an otherwise very up-tempo album. The track has some great guitar and keyboarding, but feels out of place until nearly two thirds of the way through.
Overall, Ultra Beatdown has the same primary merit and flaw as any other Dragonforce album. The music is astounding in both its speed and complexity, but the lyrics are over the top.
Despite this, the album is more accessible to the wider audience the band has been pulling. More breakdowns, a wider use of keyboard, more incorporation of guitar rather than a focus on it and wider range of tempos run throughout the album to give more variety than their previous albums.
It may not convert everyone, but Ultra Beatdown is a solid addition to Dragonforce's discography. It's a must own for speed and power metal fans, and a great album to check out for anyone looking to test the waters.
The first single, "Heroes of Our Time," is a great introduction to the album. The song contains plenty of speed sections with Herman Li, Sam Totman, David Mackintosh, and Frederic Leclercq blazing away as usual. ZP Theart still sings as though he's stuck in the middle of a game of D&D and Vadim Pruzhanov gets a few solo sections in which to shine.
Another noteworthy track is "Inside the Winter Storm." This eight-minute track gives all the members a chance to shine and goes through a wide range of tempos and themes that still blend together beautifully. "The Last Journey Home" and "The Warrior Inside" are also worth checking out for some great keyboarding from Pruzhanov.
Counter to this, "Reason to Live" for some reason sounds awkward. It's as if the lyrics and music can't quite match up. "A Flame for Freedom" also paces itself more like a power ballad, which is a bit jarring when set against an otherwise very up-tempo album. The track has some great guitar and keyboarding, but feels out of place until nearly two thirds of the way through.
Overall, Ultra Beatdown has the same primary merit and flaw as any other Dragonforce album. The music is astounding in both its speed and complexity, but the lyrics are over the top.
Despite this, the album is more accessible to the wider audience the band has been pulling. More breakdowns, a wider use of keyboard, more incorporation of guitar rather than a focus on it and wider range of tempos run throughout the album to give more variety than their previous albums.
It may not convert everyone, but Ultra Beatdown is a solid addition to Dragonforce's discography. It's a must own for speed and power metal fans, and a great album to check out for anyone looking to test the waters.
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