Review by robiu013 for DragonForce - Extreme Power Metal (2019)

Turns out this is better than I expected and most importantly really fun.

I had originally put this on my to-do list, because it was a band I was familiar with and I wanted to listen to and rate more music. Having been familiar with DragonForce's Inhuman Rampage previously and initially finding it really overwhelming and hard to make out head from toe in the full blast power metal setlist, where half the songs sound really similair to eachother, I was fully prepared to rip DragonForce's arse wide open with their newest release. That would show them for arriving late, that one time I went to see them live, then having some Norwegian Youtuber take over singing, because their frontman got sick...

Actually, not really - I feel like I'm quite the nice guy as a reviewer, but looking at my current music scores (of mostly music, I really like), then comparing it to other sites I'm active at, where I rate films, anime and books, it could give people the impression, that I'm handing out participation prizes to bands every time, they churn out an album. And well, I can't have that for some reason.

So yeah, Extreme Power Metal is not really that extreme. In fact, I'd say Inhuman Rampage is closer to fitting the term (...and since I mentioned it again - yes, I kinda do like the album now - after repeated listens), but that doesn't mean, that the album is worse. Can't say whether this will stand after a couple of years, but right now I'm still quite high from the enjoyment it gave me.

The most notable difference between 2006 DragonForce and 2019 DragonForce is definetly a more laid back attitude and a more fun - albiet less heavy - sound. Seems like DragonForce have been injecting themselves with all sorts of Japanese anime-style musou games and embraced the ridiculousness of the melodramatic fantasy battlefields, they tend to sing about in a self-aware fashion. Just look at the album cover - it's gloriously terrible.

Notable - which was an issue to that other record, I mentioned twice by now - is also, that there is more stylistic diversity. While it's granted still power metal at it's core, you are served an anthemic synth intro on the opening track Highway to Oblivion, oriental flutes and strings on The Last Dragon Born and more of that classic arena rock vibes sprinkled throughout.

I can't say for sure, whether this is a drastic or notable development for the band in the long run - heck, maybe what won me over was already present on the previous records, after all I'm not in-the-know about them - but I'm more than willing to give this album a couple more spins, as the soundtrack to my workload on the upcoming workdays.

7/10