Sonic Firestorm

Last updated

Sonic Firestorm
DragonForce-SonicFirestorm-AlbumCover.jpg
Studio album by
Released11 May 2004
Recorded6 October – 10 December 2003
Studio
Genre
Length56:35
Label
Producer
DragonForce chronology
Valley of the Damned
(2003)
Sonic Firestorm
(2004)
Inhuman Rampage
(2005)
Singles from Sonic Firestorm
  1. "My Spirit Will Go On"
    Released: 2004
  2. "Soldiers of the Wasteland"
    Released: 2004
  3. "Fury of the Storm"
    Released: 2005
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Blabbermouth 7/10 [2]
Sputnikmusic 4/5 [3]

Sonic Firestorm is the second studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released through Noise Records on 11 May 2004. It is the first album to feature bassist Adrian Lambert and drummer Dave Mackintosh. The reissue of this album was released on 22 February 2010, along with a remixed and remastered version of the band's first album, Valley of the Damned . The re-release also came with the bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was a Japanese bonus track on the original release. [4]

Contents

Production

The recording and mixing for the band's second album took place at Surrey's Thin Ice Studios, from 6 October to 10 December 2003. All the guitars were recorded at Herman Li's LamerLuser Studios in London.

Track listing

Along with the bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was initially only included as a Japanese bonus track on the original release, the 2010 re-release includes a bonus DVD with an interview from Dave Mackintosh and a commentary from Herman Li and Sam Totman, as well as live "Fury of the Storm" and "Fields of Despair" performances in Japan from 2005.

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."My Spirit Will Go On"Totman7:54
2."Fury of the Storm"TotmanTotman6:46
3."Fields of Despair"
  • Li
  • Totman
5:25
4."Dawn Over a New World"TotmanTotman5:12
5."Above the Winter Moonlight"
  • Vadim Pruzhanov
  • Totman
  • Li
  • Theart
Pruzhanov7:30
6."Soldiers of the Wasteland"
  • Theart
  • Totman
Totman9:47
7."Prepare for War"
  • Li
  • Theart
Li6:15
8."Once in a Lifetime"
  • Theart
  • Totman
Totman7:46
Total length:56:35
2010 re-release/Japanese bonus track
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
9."Cry of the Brave"
  • Pruzhanov
  • Li
  • Totman
  • Theart
Pruzhanov5:45
Total length:62:20

Personnel

DragonForce
Additional personnel
Production

In other media

Charts

Chart (2004)Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [5] 34
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [6] 38
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [7] 34

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DragonForce</span> British power metal band

DragonForce are a British power metal band from London. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme power metal".

<i>Valley of the Damned</i> 2003 studio album by DragonForce

Valley of the Damned is the debut studio album by British power metal band DragonForce. In 2000, while the band was still known as DragonHeart, a demo of the same name was recorded and sent to Noise Records, subsequently gaining the band a deal with the label. It was then re-recorded in late 2002 and released as a full-length studio album on 25 February 2003, following the band's obtainance of the deal with Noise and change in name to DragonForce. The album was set to be remastered and released with a bonus DVD on 24 September 2007, but was subsequently delayed and eventually released on 22 February 2010, along with the re-release of the band's second album, Sonic Firestorm.

<i>Retro Active</i> 1993 compilation album by Def Leppard

Retro Active is a compilation album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released in 1993. The album features touched-up versions of B-sides and previously unreleased recordings from the band's recording sessions from 1984 to 1993. The album charted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Li</span> British guitarist

Herman Li is a Hong Kong-born British musician. He is one of two lead guitarists and one of the producers and songwriters for the power metal band DragonForce. Li has played with the band based in England since it was formed in 1999 by Li along with Sam Totman, both of whom are also the remaining original members of the band. Before DragonForce he was in the black metal band Demoniac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Totman</span> New Zealand guitarist

Ian Samuel Totman is a British-born New Zealand musician best known as guitarist and main songwriter for the power metal band DragonForce.

<i>Inhuman Rampage</i> 2005 studio album by DragonForce

Inhuman Rampage is the third studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released first on 28 December 2005 in Japan, and 9 January 2006 elsewhere, through Victor Entertainment and Roadrunner Records, respectively. Its first single, "Through the Fire and Flames", has received rock radio and Fuse TV airplay, and has appeared as a playable track on the video games Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Rock Band 3, and Rocksmith 2014 Edition – Remastered. It is the band's first album to feature harsh vocals, which were recorded by Demoniac vocalist Lindsay Dawson; the album is also the last to feature bassist Adrian Lambert, who left the band in 2005 and was replaced by Frédéric Leclercq before the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZP Theart</span> South African singer

ZP Theart is a South African singer, songwriter and the former lead vocalist for the British power metal band DragonForce and American rock band Skid Row. Theart was also hired by Riot Games for the voice of Karthus in the songs "Deathfire Grasp" and "Last Whisper" by the metal band Pentakill.

<i>Cheap Trick</i> (1997 album) 1997 studio album by Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick, commonly referred to as Cheap Trick '97, is the second eponymous album, and thirteenth studio album, by the American rock band Cheap Trick, produced by the band and Ian Taylor and released on Red Ant Records and Alliance Entertainment. The album is referred to as "Cheap Trick II" when it is referenced on the promotional DVD that was released with the band's Special One album in 2003. Ian Taylor had previously engineered the One On One LP in 1982 and produced a handful of other tracks from 1983's Next Position Please LP, as well as the title track for the 1983 Sean S. Cunningham comedy film Spring Break.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Through the Fire and Flames</span> 2006 single by DragonForce

"Through the Fire and Flames" ("TTFAF") is a song by British power metal band DragonForce. The song is acclaimed as the most successful song by the band. The song was the lead single and opening track from DragonForce's third album, Inhuman Rampage. It is known primarily for its rapid twin guitar solos by Herman Li and Sam Totman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Ground and Pound</span> 2006 single by DragonForce

"Operation Ground and Pound" is a song by British power metal band DragonForce. It is the fourth track of the band's third album, Inhuman Rampage. The track was the second music video to be released by the band, although as with their previous single, "Through the Fire and Flames", the song is edited to reduce the running time to around 5 minutes compared to the album version of nearly 8 minutes.

<i>Ultra Beatdown</i> 2008 studio album by DragonForce

Ultra Beatdown is the fourth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released on 20 August 2008 in Japan through JVC and on 26 August 2008 worldwide through Roadrunner Records and Spinefarm Records. Ultra Beatdown was the band's last studio album to feature vocalist ZP Theart and their first to feature bassist Frédéric Leclercq.

"Revolution Deathsquad" is a song by British power metal band DragonForce. The song was released as the third and final single from their first major label album and third album overall Inhuman Rampage. It was first released via web streaming on their official MySpace profile in late 2006. A music video for the song was never made. The single was released for download on iTunes. The song is available as a download to play on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock alongside "Heroes of Our Time" and "Operation Ground and Pound". It is one of the band's heaviest songs, with screaming backing vocals, under a keyboard solo, a chugging, extreme-metal-oriented guitar, and a powerful, yet dark scream from vocalist ZP Theart toward the end.

<i>Twilight Dementia</i> 2010 live album by DragonForce

Twilight Dementia is the first live album by British power metal band DragonForce, released in Japan on 8 September 2010, the United Kingdom on 13 September and in the United States on September 14. The album was recorded in November and December 2009 during the United Kingdom leg of the Ultra Beatdown world tour, across nineteen different shows. The album features songs from all the band's previous albums. It is the last overall release to feature ZP Theart as the lead vocalist.

<i>The Power Within</i> (album) 2012 studio album by DragonForce

The Power Within is the fifth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released in April 2012. It is the first DragonForce album to feature vocalist Marc Hudson. "Cry Thunder" was released as downloadable content for Rock Band 3.

<i>Maximum Overload</i> 2014 studio album by DragonForce

Maximum Overload is the sixth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, which was released in Europe on 18 August 2014, and in North America the next day. Trivium vocalist Matt Heafy contributed backing vocals on three songs, including the album's first single, "The Game". The album was produced by Jens Bogren, marking the first time the band decided not to record in their own studio and with an outside producer. The album was released in three versions: standard physical or digital CD, special edition physical or digital CD, and vinyl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road of Resistance</span> 2015 single by Babymetal

"Road of Resistance" is a song by the Japanese Kawaii metal band Babymetal. The song was released worldwide as a digital single on February 1, 2015 by Toy's Factory, serving as the lead single off the international re-release of the album Babymetal, as well the opening track from Metal Resistance. The official live music video gaining over 34 million views on YouTube.

<i>Reaching into Infinity</i> 2017 studio album by DragonForce

Reaching into Infinity is the seventh studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released on 19 May 2017. It is the band's first studio album to feature drummer Gee Anzalone and the last to feature longtime keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov.

<i>Killer Elite: the Hits, the Highs, the Vids</i> 2016 compilation album by DragonForce

Killer Elite: the Hits, the Highs, the Vids is a compilation album by British power metal band DragonForce. It was released on 3 April 2016 and was supported by the band through the Killer Elite World Tour lasting from April to September 2016.

<i>Extreme Power Metal</i> 2019 studio album by DragonForce

Extreme Power Metal is the eighth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released on 27 September 2019. It is the band's last studio album to feature longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq and the first not to feature longtime keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov, who left the band in 2018; Epica keyboardist Coen Janssen recorded keyboards for the album as a session member. The lead single "Highway to Oblivion" was released on 30 July 2019. The band embarked on a world tour in support of the album following its release. Music videos for "Troopers of the Stars" and "Strangers" were filmed, but not released until two years later, on 27 August 2021 and 25 October 2021, respectively. In 2022, the band continued touring the album after their last tour's cancelation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 29 November 2022, the music video for "The Last Dragonborn" was released, being the first music video with new bassist Alicia Vigil.

<i>Warp Speed Warriors</i> 2024 studio album by DragonForce

Warp Speed Warriors is the ninth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released on 15 March 2024 through Napalm Records. It is the first album with bassist Alicia Vigil following the departure of Frédéric Leclercq in 2019 and more than four years after the previous album Extreme Power Metal was released in September 2019, marking their longest gap between studio albums to date. It is also the band's shortest studio album, at 49 minutes and 7 seconds.

References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Daley, Tony (10 April 2004). "Review: Sonic Firestorm". Blabbermouth . Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  3. Sputnikmusic review
  4. DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through The Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors Archived 2 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  6. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  7. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 May 2024.