History - Early years and Valley of the Damned (1999–2003).
DragonForce was founded in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, under the name of DragonHeart. Totman and Li had both experienced beings in a band previously, with both having come from the New Zealand heavy metal band Demoniac. The two later found vocalist ZP Theart through an advertisement, and soon acquired former Demoniac drummer Matej Satanc, bassist Steve Scott and keyboardist Steve Williams. Satanc left the band in December 1999 and was replaced by Didier Almouzni. The band also parted ways with Scott, who left to join Shadowkeep, in 2000. Williams took a small break then later rejoined the band as they recorded their first demo later that year, but left once again in December 2000, days ahead of the band's tour with Halford and Stratovarius to promote the demo, and formed his own band, Power Quest. Bassist Diccon Harper joined the band in November that year, with keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov joining in February 2001 to complete the line-up for recording their debut studio album.
Although it was an independent release, their demo was enough to make them one of the most popular independent power metal bands in the UK at the time. Their song "Valley of the Damned" was released as their debut single shortly after they changed their name permanently to DragonForce in 2002 (after finding out another power metal band already had the name DragonHeart). A promotional video featuring live footage from their tour around Europe was released along with the song. The song was also a huge success on MP3.com where it charted at No. 1 for 2 weeks as the most downloaded song. In 2002, the band signed to Noise Records and began recording their debut album, Valley of the Damned. Harper performed the bass tracks for the album but left the band in 2002 because of a tendon problem that required surgery. The title track, re-released in the promotion of the album, is one of the best-known DragonForce songs to date and is a staple of their live performances to this day. The band's tour for Valley of the Damned lasted until 2004, with the tour ending in Tokyo, Japan.
Sonic Firestorm and Inhuman Rampage (2004–2007)
DragonForce's second studio album, Sonic Firestorm, proved to be even more successful than their previous album, with the help of the album's lead single, "Fury of the Storm." Sonic Firestorm was the first DragonForce album to feature new bassist Adrian Lambert and drummer Dave Mackintosh. When Mackintosh entered the band in 2004, they began referring to their style of music as "extreme power metal" due to his fast blast beats and double bass rhythms. The tour was longer than the band's previous tour for Valley of the Damned and featured many more headlining shows. The band toured with many well-known metal bands such as W.A.S.P. and Iron Maiden. On the album, they also added a video commentary focusing on the making of Sonic Firestorm.
The band went mainstream with their third album, Inhuman Rampage, which was released on 9 January 2006 after signing with Roadrunner Records. The first song on the album, "Through the Fire and Flames," is perhaps their most famous song to date, and is featured on the video games Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and Brütal Legend, and as downloadable content for the Rock Band franchise. Former Demoniac frontman Lindsay Dawson appeared as a backing vocalist for the album. In November 2005, prior to the release of the album, Lambert left the band to raise his newborn son, and the band enlisted Frédéric Leclercq for the remaining of the Sonic Firestorm Tour. Leclercq later became an official member of the band in January 2006 following the release of Inhuman Rampage, and was also featured in the band's music video for their second single from the album, "Operation Ground and Pound." The "Through the Fire and Flames" single later reached gold status in USA and Canada.
Ultra Beatdown and world tour (2007–2009)
Herman Li, Frédéric Leclercq and Sam Totman in Melbourne in 2009
DragonForce toured with Disturbed and Slipknot during the inaugural Mayhem Festival in 2008; the band then returned in autumn with the release of their fourth studio album, Ultra Beatdown. The album's lead single, "Heroes of Our Time," was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance on 3 December 2008, eventually losing out to Metallica with their song "My Apocalypse." A short version of "Heroes Of Our Time" is also featured in the video game Skate 2, and the full version in NHL 10. On 22 January 2009, the music video for their song "The Last Journey Home" was released to the Xbox Live Community a week before it was released online.
The band carried out the Ultra Beatdown world tour in Europe, North America and South America. They were supposed to play in South America in May but the tour was postponed due to the swine flu outbreak. They performed at the Two Days a Week Festival in Wiesen, Austria on 4 September, before performing in the United States and Canada from 15 September to 11 October, with special guests Sonata Arctica and Taking Dawn. The next leg of the tour was in Germany, from 16–30 October, followed by a single live performance in Luxembourg on 31 October. They then traveled to South America to perform in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, São Paulo, Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Bogotá from 6–14 November. The final part of the tour was carried out entirely in the UK from 19 November to 12 December.
The departure of Theart and Twilight Dementia (2010)
Li stated in late 2009 that DragonForce would stop touring in December and spend Christmas at home, before beginning to write and record their next studio album in January. On 22 February 2010, the band re-released their first two albums, Valley of the Damned and Sonic Firestorm. Valley of the Damned included newly remixed and remastered tracks while both albums included bonus tracks, updated packaging, and DVDs featuring live footage, commentary and more. Both albums were also released in a box set which featured a T-shirt, a card of guitar picks, and an inflatable guitar.
On 8 March 2010, it was announced via the band's record label at the time, Roadrunner, that Theart had parted ways with DragonForce due to "insurmountable differences of musical opinion," and that the band would be seeking a new frontman. The next day, the band released a press statement confirming the news and containing a link to request an audition.
The band released their first live album, Twilight Dementia, on 13 September 2010, in Europe and 14 September 2010, in US and Canada. The album art, title, and release date were revealed on the band's official website on 22 June 2010. The performances were recorded on the final leg of the Ultra Beatdown world tour. Regarding the album, Li stated:
For years, fans have been asking us to record a live album, but honestly, we never really had the time due to our worldwide touring commitments and studio album recording. However, due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans on the Ultra Beatdown world tour, we decided to finally put some real thought into it...
These recordings really capture the raw sonic energy of a DragonForce show in fine detail. It is so real that you can hear the noise of the crowd and experience the show as it was that night – you can even hear the guitar pedals being stepped on!
The band then began working on their new studio album in early 2010, recording in various studios in California, London and the South of France. The band later confirmed that they would be the opening act for Iron Maiden in two UK shows in August 2011, with the first at Odyssey Arena in Belfast on 3 August and the second at The O2 Arena in London on 5 August.
The Power Within and Maximum Overload (2011–2015)
On 2 March 2011, DragonForce announced their new vocalist, Marc Hudson. Hudson had previous experience performing in a band but was not a professional musician before joining DragonForce. His first show with DragonForce was the band's opening for Iron Maiden in August 2011, where they debuted a new song titled "Cry Thunder." DragonForce released their fifth studio album, The Power Within, on 15 April 2012. Mediæval Bæbes vocalist Emily Ovenden appeared as a backing vocalist for the album. During their North American tour, the band performed a new song titled "Fallen World," along with "Cry Thunder." Starting from late September 2012, the band embarked on a UK and Ireland tour and was supported by The Defiled, Cavorts and Alestorm. DragonForce also played at Soundwave Festival in Australia in February 2013.
On 12 April 2013, the band announced that writing for a follow-up to The Power Within had been completed, and on 19 May 2013, DragonForce entered Fascination Street Studios in Sweden with Jens Bogren as the producer of the band's sixth album, Maximum Overload. On 31 March 2014, it was revealed that Trivium vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy would appear as a backing vocalist for the album and that Ovenden would return after providing backing vocals for The Power Within. On 3 June 2014, DragonForce announced that they had parted ways with Mackintosh and had enlisted former Braindamage and Kill Ritual drummer Gee Anzalone. Maximum Overload was released in the UK on 18 August, in North America on 19 August and in Australia on 22 August, and a special edition which included five bonus songs was released in Japan on 19 August (the same date as the normal edition's release in North America) and in Australia on 22 August, at the same time as the release of the normal edition. To promote the album, the band embarked on their second world tour, beginning in Edinburgh on 17 September and ending in Brussels, Belgium on 1 February 2015. On 12 February, DragonForce announced that they would release their first live DVD, a recording of their performance at Loud Park Festival 2014 titled In the Line of Fire... Larger than Live. The band performed at Download Festival in June 2015, with a surprise guest appearance by Babymetal during the set. DragonForce would then act as Babymetal's backing band at the 2015 Metal Hammer Golden Gods (Li and Totman had previously collaborated on the track "Road of Resistance" for Babymetal).
Reaching into Infinity and an upcoming eighth studio album (2016–present)
In April 2016, the band released the compilation Killer Elite: the Hits, the Highs, the Vids, featuring a double CD of the band's greatest hits, with a DVD that contained the videos released by the band. The band also embarked on the "Killer Elite World Tour" to support the release. On July 2016 DragonForce issued a statement on the health status of Marc Hudson revealing he had been signed off by doctors and was unable to perform at the Metal Days Festival in Slovenia and the Benatska! Festival in the Czech Republic and replaced by Per Fredrik Åsly for the two shows. This was then further followed up by former Power Quest vocalist Alessio Garavello filling in for the Leyendas del Rock Festival concert in Spain, and the More//Than concert in Slovakia. DragonForce concluded their "Killer Elite World Tour" at a free show in Uncasville, Connecticut on 11 September. On 11 November, DragonForce was confirmed for the 2017 edition of Pulp Summer Slam in the Philippines.
During an interview with Alto Music at the NAMM 2017 Winter Show, Li revealed that the band was putting the "finishing touches" on their upcoming seventh album. In February 2017, the band revealed pieces of the album cover on their Instagram account, and the album title was revealed to be Reaching into Infinity. On 9 February, the band released details of the new album on their official website, including the release date, format and a release party show date. Leclercq also gave insight into the recording process of the album. "We were flying out, playing a festival, then back into the studio, then back out again," said Leclercq, who handled the majority of songwriting on the album. "It was very intense and very tiring... I lost my temper a few times – I think we all did at some point because we wanted to deliver nothing but the best. I think we have proven that playing fast was something we were good at, so this time I wanted to bring even more diversity into our music. It’s great to challenge ourselves instead of staying in a comfort zone." Reaching into Infinity was released on 19 May 2017.
A music video for "Ashes of the Dawn" was released on 15 May 2017. Keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov was not featured in the clip, nor in any of the shows happening by the time of the album's recording. In a video published in his official YouTube channel, he explained he wanted to have more time for his daughter and that due to contractual limitations, he had to choose between performing in all or none of the shows. He chose the second option and will be absent from the album's promotional tour as well. Power Quest will support DragonForce as special guests on the UK leg for the Reaching Into Infinity World Tour while supporting their own new album, Sixth Dimension. On 13 July, the band announced that Swedish act Twilight Force would support the band during the European leg of the Reaching into Infinity World Tour a music video for "Midnight Madness" was released on 21 September 2017, which documented the making of that song at Fascination Street Studios. On 15 October, they were announced to appear as a headlining band at Vagos Open Air in 2018, however, on 20 January 2018, they issued a statement saying that they will not be attending due to "circumstances beyond their control." On 20 December, the band was announced to appear at Skogsröjet Festival in Rejmyre, Sweden in August 2018. In January 2018, the band was announced to appear at Area 53 Festival in Leoben, Austria in July and at Download Festival's main stage for the first time since 2009 in June. On 11 April 2018, the band announced a remastered version of The Power Within called Re-Powered Within, guitarist Herman Li stated: “I love how ‘Re-Powered Within’ has turned out. We remixed and remastered the original music with a more modern production, in the vein of our last two releases. The result is a clearer, more powerful sound. The fans will get to hear the music in better detail, bringing out parts they couldn’t hear so well before, and injecting new excitement into the songs we love even more now.” Re-Powered Within was released on 4 May 2018.
On 28 October 2018, DragonForce announced that they have entered the studio with Damien Rainaud, who had previously mixed and mastered for the band, to work on their eighth studio album, which is set to be released in 2019. It was also revealed that the band would be joining Megadeth, along with other artists on their MEGACruise from 13-18 October 2019.
In 2020, DragonForce has announced the addition Vigil of War bassist Alicia Vigil into the fold for the upcoming tour dates.
Musical style:
Much of DragonForce's idiosyncratic style comes from the high-speed dual guitar sounds of Herman Li and Sam Totman. By playing at a high tempo within the upper registers of their instruments, their sound becomes similar to the "bleepy" arpeggios and quick pitch-bends normally associated with chiptunes usually heard in the third generation of video game music. The band often pays homage to this influence in their music videos. Although the band has frequently referred to their style as power metal, Li commented on descriptions of the band's style in an interview with Guitar World: "Nintendo metal," "extreme power metal," "Bon Jovi on speed', "Journey meets Slayer," ... people are always coming up with weird labels for us." The band has sometimes been labeled as a speed metal band.
The Game
DragonForce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Told me it's okay
But this path that I'm taking
I'm lost in the deep end
One last chance, never more
Told me it's all right
In this sea of denial
So why is it me
Am I blinded or too blind to see?
(Am I too blind to see?)
Why was I born?
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
Same thing, different day
Tried to make a change
Left with nothing more to live for
But everything to die for
Humanity, insanity, the everlasting grip
Lost all will to keep trying
Our bed we must lie in
So why was I born
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching for
Ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
I tried so hard
To reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
For ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
The DragonForce song "The Game" explores the feelings of someone who feels lost and isolated from society. The lyrics express a sense of helplessness and frustration at not being able to fit in with the expectations of others. The singer describes feeling like they are drowning in a sea of denial, but also finding a sense of cleansing in the fire. They question their own existence, wondering why they were born and feeling like they are not a part of society.
The repeated refrain of "again and again I tried, so hard to reach for the stars, but I failed you all" highlights the central theme of the song - the struggle to succeed and meet the expectations of others, which ultimately ends in failure. The singer recognizes that life is tragic and that time marches on regardless of our efforts, but also maintains a sense of hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Overall, "The Game" tells a story of struggle, isolation, and the quest for meaning in a world that can often feel alienating and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
Messed up, once again
Feeling lost and confused because of repeating past mistakes.
Told me it's okay
Someone reassured the singer that everything will be fine.
But this path that I'm taking, I'm lost in the deep end
Despite reassurance, the singer feels lost and uncertain about their life's direction.
One last chance, never more
The last opportunity to achieve a desired outcome has passed.
Told me it's all right
Again, someone tried to reassure the artist about their situation.
In this sea of denial, I'm cleansed in the fire
The singer is living in a state of denial, but this is like purifying fire to them.
So why is it me
The singer is questioning why they are facing these challenges.
Am I blinded or too blind to see? (Am I too blind to see?)
The artist is not sure if they are not seeing clearly or simply blinded by something else.
Why was I born? Not a part of this society?
The artist is feeling disconnected from society and questioning their purpose in life.
Again and again I tried
The artist has made multiple attempts to achieve their goals.
So hard, to reach for the stars
Trying to achieve something that is very difficult to attain.
But I failed you all
Despite the artist's efforts, they were not able to succeed or make others proud.
Tried to keep standing tall
Despite setbacks, the singer tried to maintain a strong, positive attitude.
Never had a real chance at all
The singer feels as though they never truly had a chance to succeed.
But still I'm searching
Despite everything, the singer is still looking for a way to achieve their goals.
Same thing, different day
The artist's situation seems to be repetitive and unchanging.
Tried to make a change
Despite the repetition, the artist attempted to do something different.
Left with nothing more to live for
Feeling hopeless and like there is no reason to go on.
But everything to die for
Despite feeling hopeless, the singer still has things that they are willing to fight for.
Humanity, insanity, the everlasting grip
The artist is trapped in the never-ending cycle of life and death, hope and despair.
Lost all will to keep trying
Feeling completely drained and without the energy to continue striving for success.
Our bed we must lie in
The consequences of our actions and choices are things we must face and accept.
Ten thousand ways to say sorry
Desperately wanting to make amends for past mistakes.
But life writes its own tragic story
Our lives are shaped by events beyond our control and we must face the reality of our situations.
Time marches onwards and
The passage of time is a constant and inevitable force.
Nothing can ever be the same
Change is the only constant in life and things can never truly stay the same.
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Despite everything, there is still hope for a better future.
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Trying to escape from the cycle of pain and despair that the artist is trapped in.
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
We are all just players in the game of life and time will inevitably continue to move forward.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: FREDERIC LECLERCQ, HERMAN LI, MARC HUDSON, SAM TOTMAN, VADIM PRUZHANOV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LydiaVespera
I feel I need to clear something up, to the negative vocal majority.
Sonic Firestorm sounded nothing live Valley of the Damned. Inhuman Rampage sounded nothing like Sonic Firestorm. Ultra Beatdown sounded nothing like Inhuman Rampage, The Power Within sounded nothing like Ultra Beatdown, and from what they've released so far, Maximum Overload will sound completely different from The Power Within. So, what's the problem? Why are you complaining about the change in style, when they have done it, every album.
People complained when Cry Thunder came out. Said it was too slow and not as heavy. It is now a crowd favourite and in my opinion, a great song to represent the band.
People are now complaining that this Metal song is too fast and too heavy. Like, what? Are you actually serious?
What do you people even want, anymore? You're almost as bad as those people who mock Nintendo for remaking their old games, but then moan when they make something new.
Personally, I've been a fan of this band since the early days and have loved everything they have done. Every album they do, they do something different, which brings something fresh to the table.
I love the direction the band is going in for this album. You people should be supportive of them and wait for the album to come out, before you make such negative judgements. Seriously, this could be the only song that sounds like this. You never know. Be patient, wait for the album, then make your judgements.
If you REALLY don't like this, then just leave. Simple as that.
Anyway. Can't wait for the album! :D
@Thez0mb13s1ay3r
I love the new Dragonforce and I love these lyrics, fantastic!
Messed up once again
Told me it's okay
But this path that I'm taking
I'm lost in the deep end
One last chance - never more
Told me it's all right
In this sea of denial I'm cleansed in the fire
So why is it me
Am I blinded or too blind to see
Why was I born
Not a part of this society
Again and again
I tried so hard to reach for the stars but I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall, never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
Same thing - different day - try to make a change
Left with nothing more to live for but everything to die for
Humanity - insanity - the everlasting grip
Lost all will to keep trying our beds we must lie in
So why was I born
Not a part of this society
Again and again
I tried so hard to reach for the stars but I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall, never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching...
Ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes it's own tragic story
Time marches onwards and nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
@simpdevtubers6088
Messed up, once again
Told me it's okay
But this path that I'm taking
I'm lost in the deep end
One last chance, never more
Told me it's all right
In this sea of denial
I'm cleansed in the fire
So why is it me
Am I blinded or too blind to see?
(Am I too blind to see?)
Why was I born?
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
Same thing, different day
Tried to make a change
Left with nothing more to live for
But everything to die for
Humanity, insanity, the everlasting grip
Lost all will to keep trying
Our bed we must lie in
So why was I born
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching for
Ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
I tried so hard
To reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
I tried so hard
To reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
For ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game.
@henriquesabino3595
Lyrics:
Messed up, once again
Told me it's okay
But this path that I'm taking
I'm lost in the deep end
One last chance, never more
Told me it's all right
In this sea of denial
I'm cleansed in the fire
So why is it me
Am I blinded or too blind to see?
(Am I too blind to see?)
Why was I born?
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
Same thing, different day
Tried to make a change
Left with nothing more to live for
But everything to die for
Humanity, insanity, the everlasting grip
Lost all will to keep trying
Our bed we must lie in
So why was I born
Not a part of this society?
Again and again I tried
So hard, to reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching for
Ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game
I tried so hard
To reach for the stars
But I failed you all
Tried to keep standing tall
Never had a real chance at all
But still I'm searching
For ten thousand ways to say sorry
But life writes its own tragic story
Time marches onwards and
Nothing can ever be the same
But we'll pray for a brighter tomorrow
Break free from this lifetime of sorrow
Years pass us by but we're all just a part of the game.
@dragonforce
Go to iTunes to check out clips of all the other epics songs from 'Maximum Overload' and pre-order it ;)
@kirbymegaman3652
I hope that they all sound awesome like this one!
@NextSelection671
It won't let you preview the other epic songs.
@Imou69
how to do it? Only The Game works...
@kattfan
Dosen't work. Fix it so we can listen to the other previews :D
@LPStevie
Marc and Herman are the best!! Stay Metal bros!! \m/
@dragonforce
10 out of 10 #MaximumOverload in score review by Metal Temple. The feedback on this album has been amazing!
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/d_2/dragonforce-maximum.htm
@The_Wild_Healer
Hell yeah! I might be calm and collected on the outside but I'm frothing at the mouth on the inside from impatience for August!
@chainsnz8164
DF you are f**king pro
@estefanosebastianpalominoa8989
great song