Where in the fuck did you people hear about dragonforce?

[Tono_Fyr]

I heard about them randomly on a forum a year or so ago, and after asking Flint (fruitlessly) for some suggestions, I downloaded some tracks.

I really don't know how they're getting popular, but they are. I kinda wanted to see them live, but moving to college the day of the show shot that plan right out of the sky.

Now who's going to put the scene kids in their place?

[Kai Stromler]

I got into them when their first demo (expanded into their first record with some minor changes, so you don't have to go hunting for it if you already have Valley of the Damned) was #1 in metal on mp3.com, back in like 2000 or 2001. I've seen them live twice, at Wacken and then at their North American debut at this year's Mass Metalfest, and while they've tightened up a little, they're still more 'fun but sloppy' than 'awesome' -- ZP's voice needs some work and Sam needs some fucking locking tuners on his guitars so he can't pull the strings out of tune playing.

Since they do have a fair degree of skill, I've been following them, but with progressively more detachment; they've kind of stagnated musically since that demo, probably due to their fanbase not really asking anything of them. There were some promising moments on Inhuman Rampage, but if they blow up Stateside, they'll probably get into that rut again.

On Blabbermouth, reports from England indicate that a lot of their popularity is driven by emos who don't really understand metal, but can "ironically" dig the band because they go so over the top. Of course, since they buy merch, DragonForce is laughing up their sleeves at them, but playing to this crowd in order to sell more stuff, and stagnating as mentioned above. This may be what's going on in the States as well; at Mass Metalfest, anyone honestly interested in melodic metal would have stayed for Gamma Ray, but 2 in 3 people left the venue after DragonForce finished. I'd double-check at Ozzfest, but everyone else but SYL on that bill kind of sucks, and I need to catch a plane for Wacken the next day.

At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with a band being fun; Edguy is a fun show even if their CDs get real old real fast, and you don't exactly go to a GWAR or Knorkator show for the music. But what is probably frustrating for a lot of the power metal fans in this thread is that DragonForce obviously has the talent to be totally awesome, and they're wasting it by dicking around for the entertainment of people who aren't even particularly into metal.

--K

[Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

Not exactly sure why they're so popular over here, everyone i know who's into metal knows about all the better shredders out there and speed seems to but just about all dragonforce have going for them, the lyrical content definately isn't much to write home about, but the most annoying thing about them is that Sam and Herman are obviously talented but don nothing but wank, even Malmsteen slows down more than they do...

[nailz]

POPULAR??? PEOPLE LIKE IT?!?! DAMMIT!!!!!!!! o HOW CAN IT BE

I only ask because there is a very "metal is dead" additude in the USA. There are tons of better metal bands that could have come into the scene, but it was just.. wake up one day, and Dragonforce was the new Madonna.

[Tono_Fyr]

But what is probably frustrating for a lot of the power metal fans in this thread is that DragonForce obviously has the talent to be totally awesome, and they're wasting it by dicking around for the entertainment of people who aren't even particularly into metal.

You know, that's more or less what I wanted to say, but couldn't find the words for. It's not that we're bothered so much by them being popular as that it's causing them to suck by making them write the same song over and over again.

Though, they did do that before.

[Bardiel13]

This is why DragonForce kicks ass.

[rubyeye]

Seriously, how and why did they explode into popularity? I'm desperate to know.

Because they are on Roadrunner Records, that's why!
Hell if I know. Dragonforce don't have talent, they haveskill, which unfortunately is limited in trying to play faster than Dave Mustaine did on the Rust In Peace album. I hate extreme shredding because it is never utilized to the benefit of a song other than to waste time and to show off. Few guitar players can do it properly. Even fewer bands know how to use it in songwriting.

[nailz]

What about Sonata Arctica? I have never heard better Guitar Keyboard song dueling than in Wolf and Raven.

[Bardiel13]

What about Sonata Arctica? I have never heard better Guitar Keyboard song dueling than in Wolf and Raven.

Yeah, but this thread isn't about Sonata Arctica. However, I do like them more than DragonForce.

[nailz]

What the hell.. this is MY thread, I can make it about anything I want!


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