What Music Theocracy Enjoys! (mostly DragonForce talk)

[Ryan M.]

Ya... Dragonforce is sort of fake. It's sort of fun to listen to their older stuff though. They didn't bite of more then they could chew in Valley of The Damned... and not as much in Sonic Firestorm (no pacman solos lol) And Ultra Beatdown (And I'm not anti Dragonforce) is just a piece of crap imo. Inhuman Rampage V2 without the heaviness.

 

[RedFox742]

I don't disagree with most of the criticisms about the band--a better band should have gotten the break, they're still a bit sloppy live (but they've improved immensely--I've seen 'em four times, and each has been better, plus their stage presence is above anyone else I've ever seen), they massively abuse whammy effects and such, the songs are formulaic, the lyrics nonsensical, the music immensely overproduced, etcetera, etcetera. I immensely love them in spite of (and partially BECAUSE of) all that--it's power metal reducto ad absurdum. It's epic, triumphant, and as you said, catchy as hell.

And yes, they even admit in that video that it takes them a bajillion takes to get the solos. right. But they don't speed it up. It just tweaks me when people say that--they don't. "Skeptical Guitar World editors" attested to it. They produce it to a mirror sheen to eliminate all the irregularities (except on the original Valley of the Damned, which is a good measure of their actual quality as players), but they really do play that fast. Hence why their live stuff doesn't sound as good, but is still played at that speed. It will be interesting to see how their live album comes out, if they ever get around to releasing it.

As for adding faux fingerings in their videos... can't really say I care? Again, wait for the live album. No way to add faux fingerings there. (I imagine there'll be a lot of post-production, obviously, but what can you do?)

Also, that's just the guitarists. The keyboardist and drummer are also both legitimate speed-freaks. Maybe not exactly Pontroy-esque drum complexity, but legitimate metal speed. The band has just been poisoned by people leaping to declare Herman and Sam the greatest guitarists ever, when they're just a couple of goofs with insanely fast fingers. It takes more than speed to make a truly great guitarist, but for what DF is trying to do, speed--and stage energy, which ALL metal bands should take an example from DF on--suffice.

P.S.: Incidentally, who's seen this really well-researched About.com list of 10 "essential power metal albums"? It's spot-on, and includes both DF and Theocracy.

 

[Aish!]

*BUMP*

This thread should probably be re-named, since it's become almost exclusively a DragonForce discussion. [Edit: Thanks SeaStorm.]

In 2008, shortly after turning vegetarian, while backstage during a performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's Trial by Jury, one of the choristers was playing "Pacman Power Metal", aka DragonForce on his phone.

I was intrigued, but after some investigation, thought they seemed a bit dubious (members formerly in a band called Demoniac?!?). Still, this started me on the path to discovering Theocracy, and I praise God for that!

Six and a bit years later, I've only just bought Valley of the Damned and Sonic Firestorm (2010 editions) and I love them! Sure, most of the songs sound the same, and the lyrics are practically meaningless, but it's wonderfully energetic metal.

I'm not sure I'd spend real money on them, but when I've completed enough online surveys to claim another iTunes voucher, I'll be happy to "purchase" another DragonForce album.

 

[Aletheus]

I'm glad you brought up the Demoniac bit since it was the same reason I had certain reservations. The imagery around that band was more than enough to deter me, but I never actually cared enough to determine whether or not they were an influence on me. I just listened to them sort of superficially.

 

[Rawshik]

Lil Wayne??????????

I'm embarrassed by how many question marks I used here.

 

[Aletheus]

I'm embarrassed by how many question marks I used here.

If you wish to truly cringe go check out your posts on any other forum that's a few years old...

I just hope most of those places end up 404ing before anyone has the chance to back it all up.

 

[Rawshik]

If you wish to truly cringe go check out your posts on any other forum that's a few years old...

I just hope most of those places end up 404ing before anyone has the chance to back it all up.

To the sdgdsfgdfghdfhjfgjhgfhj forums I shall go!

Edit: Changed forum name. Decided I didn't want others seeing that.

 

[Aish!]

I bought Inhuman Rampage this week and, listening to it driving to work in bad traffic, was surprised how unsatisfying it was. So I read a pile of review by fanboys and haters, had a good laugh, then listened to a few tracks again, this time driving home in good traffic, and loved what I heard.

Great music can be enjoyed deeply on the first listen, and then appreciated more and more with subsequent listens - e.g. AtWB. This isn't great, and anyone who's ever listened to DragonForce knows they're shallow at best. But this is great fun. So what if there's heaps of sound effects. Why not?!?

I await releases of greater substance this year from Theocracy and Ascension, and in the meantime am enjoying getting to know DragonForce.

 

[Aletheus]

For a while I was addicted to Dragonforce - The Game


It just had that kick which initially drew me to Dragonforce, so I just had it on repeat.

 

[Ryan M.]

Oh man... this is like a look into the past. Cool to see a thread of mine still getting bumped. I still listen to both Theocracy and Dragonforce

 

[Aish!]

Hey Ryan M.!

Yeah, it took me a while, but I now own & love (despite their total meaninglessness) 6 DragonForce albums.

DragonForce, Ascension,Pathfinder & ReinXeed are all keeping me going while I await Theocracy's next chapter.