The detailed instrumentation and rustling scales on the verses create some of the most breathtaking sections on the entire album. Afterwards, the sprinkling harpsichord opening and dotting the brisk, neoclassical rushes of "Symphony of the Night" is a sweet touch to what rolls out as another melodic salvo. Of course, you can expect the song to pick up speed for a spell since these guys can't help themselves, as Herman Li and Sam Totman screech like sonic bees in accordance. The slower overture of the six minute "Three Hammers" is a much-needed interjection to the breaking speed as DRAGONFORCE engineers a pop-flavored take on a MANOWAR battle hymn. Matt Heafy, yeah, he's there if you listen hard for him.
#MAXIMUM OVERLOAD DRAGONFORCE ALBUM COVER PLUS#
"No More" changes nothing except the central melody and vocal shifts toward slightly lower octaves, plus some gang shout supplements. At least the supple backing choral section on "Tomorrow's Kings" is a pleasing touch. More upbeat lyrics about self-empowerment are pulled through Marc Hudson's falsettos, Frédéric Leclercq's manic bass lines and, naturally, loads of ripping guitar and keyboard solos, i.e. "Tomorrow's Kings" opens with a spacey synth dragged out of a Seventies schlock film before kicking the thrusters back on. "The Game" is intended to send a positive message of standing tall against adversity, albeit the line "same thing, different day" is ironic, given however you interpret it. Dig them or not, though, DRAGONFORCE's understated talent is Hudson's capacity to free-float with cadence amidst the grinding chaos around him. Matt Heafy's raging contributions are subtle at best. Overtop is Marc Hudson's pinpointed singing that as ever, drifts instead of tries to match the instrumental velocity.
"The Game" kicks the album into gear in the manner DRAGONFORCE fans would expect: blazing tempos, mondo shredding and inhumanly wild solos from Herman Li and Sam Totman. The need for speed is ever the credo in DRAGONFORCE, and there's tons of it on "Maximum Overload", along with three barely-there cameos by TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy. They're one of the fastest, most precise bands out there, but they have their share of haters as supporters and opinions for either side will hardly change with the band's latest album, "Maximum Overload". Normally a band bearing such insane talent would rule the world, though no one will ever deny DRAGONFORCE is lacking a substantial audience. DRAGONFORCE is a band you either appreciate or you don't.