DragonForce at Thanks Jimi Festival: power metal and lightning-fast guitar riffs

The band formed in London in 1999 as DragonHeart, changing their name to DragonForce two years later. They were founded by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman. The current international line-up also includes bassist Frédéric Leclercq, drummer Gee Anzalone, keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov and singer Marc Hudson. Their career began with a self-produced demo downloaded more than half a million times. Early DragonForce music was modern power metal. Over time, their style evolved to incorporate elements of heavy metal, speed metal, thrash metal, death metal and hard rock.

Their debut, “Valley of the Damned”, was enormously successful in Asia and Europe. In Japan’s annual Burn! poll, DragonForce placed 3rd in Most Promising Act, while guitarist Herman Li received a Metal Hammer Golden Gods award. The second album, “Sonic Firestorm”, and concerts alongside W.A.S.P. and Iron Maiden consolidated their international position. True fame, however, came after their third album, “Inhuman Rampage”, featuring “Through the Fire and Flames”, familiar to Guitar Hero and Rock Band gamers.

“Ultra Beatdown” brought DragonForce a Grammy nomination for “Heroes of Our Time”, definitively confirming their place in power metal’s pantheon. Despite several line-up changes, they maintain the pace, regularly releasing acclaimed albums distinguished by Li and Totman’s supersonic playing. “The faster we play, the catchier and more recognisable a sound we can create,” says Totman. Discover it live in Wrocław on 1 May.

▶