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Post by Admin on Sept 30, 2019 21:36:35 GMT
On September 27, power metal legends DRAGONFORCE performed at TwitchCon 2019 in San Diego, California during the opening ceremony at the Glitch Theatre, to celebrate the launch of their eighth full-length, "Extreme Power Metal". In addition to the live audience of thousands, this performance was streamed live on Twitch. Video footage of the concert can now be seen below.
Twitch is a one-of-a-kind collision of subcultures, games, communities, and streamers co-creating content around everything they're into, with over 1.3 million people participating at any moment.
Guitarist Herman Li is a Twitch partner and has livestreamed DRAGONFORCE rehearsals, album recording sessions, and live shows. DRAGONFORCE plans to stream daily from its upcoming U.S. tour, and Li will give away a guitar live on stream.
"Extreme Power Metal" is available as a CD digipak, 2LP+DL and digital. Produced in Los Angeles, California by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited, "Extreme Power Metal" was also recorded, in part, on Li's livestream channel on Twitch with participation from the fans.
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Post by Admin on Oct 8, 2019 17:57:20 GMT
On the decision to name DRAGONFORCE's new studio album "Extreme Power Metal": Herman: "We actually called our music 'extreme power metal' back in 2004 when we had the sticker that said 'extreme power metal' on it. It's kind of a fun title, a bit over the top, but it goes with the theme of the new album, the artwork and everything like that."
On the 1980s video game theme that is featured on the new album's cover: Herman: "We've always had video game references in our songs and music since the first album from stuff like the 'The Last Ninja', all the way to newer stuff. It was just a natural thing; we just wanted to do what we liked, that's it. What do we like? We like this kind of stuff. That's it. [Laughs] There's no one there to stop us and say, 'You can't do it.' We have songs, obviously, with video game sounds and weird guitar playing that sounds like a video game like 'Mario [Bros]', we also wrote a song called 'The Last Dragonborn' that's about 'Skyrim', 'The Elder Scrolls' series. Even movies, like 'Starship Troopers', one of the songs is written about 'Starship Troopers' the movie. It's a mix of stuff, kind of fun stuff. Really, this is a 'fun' DRAGONFORCE album, unlike the last album which was kind of a darker, more serious album."
On whether the new song "Cosmic Power Of The Infinite Shred Machine" is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the band's reputation as guitar shredders: Herman: "It's a joke, a fun thing to say. The reason that title came, not because of only the song, because we didn't want some boring song title that's been used a million times. Not every single song on there has a crazy title, but some songs have to have kind of a title that we used to do, 'Revolution Deathsquad', 'Heartbreak Armageddon', or 'Operation Ground And Pound', some kind of silly, over-the-top titles. This is another one of them."
On embracing Twitch, the popular live streaming video game platform: Herman: "I was never into the whole social media thing. I find that a bit…I mean, when it started off, Facebook and all of that, I'm sick of people posting about their dinner and really boring stuff. Then it became an advertising platform for bands instead of social media. There's nothing special about it, most of it. [Laughs] I embraced social media now; you have no choice in the band, you have to do it. We skipped it for a few years after MySpace, funny enough. [Laughs] Then Twitch, as a guy, a tech guy, a video game guy, I signed up to it before I started streaming. I thought, 'That's a good idea. I should have a real interaction instead of posting videos that have been done and edited to death on YouTube and on whatever Facebook.' We actually get to really talk to fans and they get to interact and listen to us make the new album. It's a completely different experience. I find that way more fun. They can see the true us. When you see us playing on stage, that's my stage persona, for example. I'm very different when I take the guitar off of me. I feel like I get possessed once I play the guitar. It's a whole different thing. I thought, 'That's kind of cool for fans to see us recording an album.' Thousands of people have actually heard the new album while it was being made. They heard multiple versions of the songs, multiple versions of the solos while it was in progress."
On whether he's happy with DRAGONFORCE's progress as a band: Herman: "I'm in a very lucky position. This is what I do full-time and I enjoy what I'm doing. Obviously, I didn't have any idea what it was going to be when I started. I didn't think I would be streaming on Twitch, to be honest. I didn't think I had the personality to be live streaming, but it's going well and it's fun. I do it, and all the donation money comes in. I give it to dog rescue. Saving some dogs while doing it."
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Post by Admin on Feb 6, 2020 21:30:47 GMT
Fan-filmed video footage of DRAGONFORCE's February 4 concert at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands can be seen below. The show marked the band's second performance with new bassist and backing vocalist Alicia Vigil (VIGIL OF WAR), who joined DRAGONFORCE last month.
DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li stated about the group's latest additon: "Alicia was recommended to me by a number of musician friends in L.A. She impressed me with her playing, her professionalism, and her ability to learn the DRAGONFORCE songs really quickly! I'm excited to have her playing on this tour and I think the fans will really like what she brings to the show."]
DRAGONFORCE is streaming its world tour live on twitch.tv/hermanli. Livestreams will include performances, backstage and special guest appearances.
Last August, DRAGONFORCE parted ways with longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq. Playing bass for the group at some its recent shows was Damien Rainaud, who produced DRAGONFORCE's eighth full-length album, "Extreme Power Metal".
"Extreme Power Metal" came out in September. Li stated about the effort: "This album again combines the best of DRAGONFORCE in an even bigger, more epic way than we have ever done before."
DRAGONFORCE will embark on a U.S. headlining tour in March. Support on the trek will come from UNLEASH THE ARCHERS and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. The tour will begin on March 5 in Phoenix, Arizona and end on March 21 in Brooklyn, New York.
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Post by Admin on Mar 23, 2020 21:29:21 GMT
DragonForce guitarist Sam Totman talked about the band's original singer ZP Theart, who left the group in 2010, ultimately joining Skid Row in 2016.
DragonForce released its latest studio album "Extreme Power Metal" in September 2019. When asked whether the band fired ZP or he quit, Sam replied (transcribed by UG):
"Oh, it was one of those things, we couldn't get on anymore. It's, like, people just don't get on. It's like when you break up with your missus for whatever dumb reasons...
"It's a shame, I thought he had a great voice and stuff, but the funny thing is - you brought up Skid Row before - when he left, we were, like, 'Maybe we could get him back,' and then we were, like, 'Oh, no, he won't do it.'
"But then the funny thing is that he joined Skid Row, right now he's singing with them."
Did you guys ask Sebastian Bach? "No. I know, we fucking should've, maybe he would do it. It would've been fucking funny if we had done it, yeah."
Asked how he started on the instrument, Totman replied:
"I was learning classical guitar first, I knew how to hold a guitar. I started when I was about 10 years old, my parents were kind of musical, so they were, like, 'You got to play sports or learn an instrument.'
"I was too lazy to run around the football pitch - I'd get beaten up, all the dudes in New Zealand were like big dudes. I had to play rugby in primary school and I just got hammered; I was, like, 'Fuck this, give me an instrument!' [Laughs]"
I was taking a little bit of classical-guitar lessons, but we would just fuck around, playing Slayer songs... "I did the exact same thing. When I left school, the only thing I could do is the shit from all the lessons, so my parents were, like, 'You got to go to university for guitar,' and I did for six months.
"I was at my parents, and after six months I didn't like it, I wasn't into classical music. I could do it, and so I stopped turning up and all this shit. I found my report card in '92, it goes E, E, E in everything, totally fail.
"And then the comments were really funny, like, 'You have great potential to become a good guitarist if you wanted to, but I think you need to find another vocation in life.'
"I was gonna put it on Instagram or something, but we get so much shit from people, like, 'Oh, DragonForce are crap, they can't play' - that would just confirm this. [Laughs]"
Why has DragonForce banned you from doing interviews? "I'm usually drunk and talk a lot of shit that gets us in trouble or embarrass us.
"This is a true story, I actually was banned for interviews for about five years, which I was totally happy with because it meant I had more time to sit around the bus and wank, but you're lucky, I'm back."
Is this the first interview since you've been banned? "No, no, I've had a few, but I actually don't do many at all."
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2020 18:13:12 GMT
DragonForce drummer Gee Anzalone has been hospitalized and will be absent for the band's upcoming U.S. tour with Unleash the Archers and Visions of Atlantis. The previously announced concert trek kicks off later this week in Phoenix before covering the States for an additional 12 dates.
The British power metal act broke the unfortunate news Monday (March 2) with a statement shared via social media and the group's website. Said to be dealing with a heart condition, accompanying photos show Anzalone in a hospital bed.
For the scheduled tour, percussionist Aquiles Priester (Hangar, ex-Angra, ex-Di'Anno) will replace the ailing drummer.
"DragonForce are sad to announce that drummer Gee Anzalone will not be performing on the upcoming US tour," the band explained. "Gee has been hospitalized for Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. Virtuoso drummer Aquiles Priester (Angra, Tony MacAlpine) will perform on the upcoming DragonForce US Tour while Gee recovers."
DragonForce guitarist Herman Li added, "We will miss our brother Gee on the upcoming US tour, but health is most important. We wish Gee a speedy recovery and we know he will be back on tour with us soon. We want to thank our friend Aquiles for stepping up and helping us out on short notice."
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