DragonForce - Reaching Into Infinity: Album Review

Reaching for infinity and grabbing it.

I fully believe that one of the more fascinating discographies to dissect in the metal scene as of late is that of DragonForce. Love them or hate them (as you probably fall into one of either category) DragonForce’s brand of ultra-speed thrash/power that, let’s be honest, only reached the mainstream for a short time due to their appearance in Guitar Hero III, was a niche kind of music that thrilled some and bored others. Then in 2010 when vocalist ZP Theart left, the band rebooted themselves, going back to more traditional power metal, and producing one of the most underwhelming albums of 2012, followed by one of the most underrated albums of 2014.

It’s been a bizarre ride to be sure, but it’s one that I feel has no real destination. DragonForce have proven that they have some level of talent and can make something besides overly masturbatory solos masquerading as songs, so in terms of what I was hoping for on Reaching Into Infinity, I was kind of lost. On the one hand, I want them to continue the work they did on Maximum Overload, but if they did that they may just end up making Maximum Overload again, and that’s just not what this band needs right now. The one thing I knew was I didn’t want DragonForce to return to their Ultra Beatdown and Inhuman Rampage era of… well, overly masturbatory solos masquerading as songs. But I know that whichever road they pick, the band is kind of boned. After all, continuing past the denser material will mean continually alienating their past fanbase, while not attracting any new fans because no one thinks they have moved past the denser material.

And that’s what makes Reaching Into Infinity so disappointing. Not that it’s bad, but that it’s actually pretty good, but it feels like no one cares anymore.

Reaching Into Infinity is DragonForce’s latest work that tries its damnedest to satisfy both ends of the power metal spectrum. This mostly means bringing back some of the more exotic and over-active guitar playing, while trying to remain as concise and melodious as possible. And honestly, it works. Reaching Into Infinity’s attempts at blending those two very different styles succeed in making an album that doesn’t reach the level of complexity of Ultra Beatdown or the emotional impact of Maximum Overload, but makes such a strong attempt, that it’s hard not to get caught up in the thrill of it all.

Most of the songs on Reaching Into Infinity follow the template the modern DragonForce has been following for a while now. Most of the riffs are incredibly fast, with the drums falling just short of blast beats, and the bass… is also there. The difference here being, much like Maximum Overload, the band’s overactive playing style has been greatly toned down to allow a more melodious (but still face paced) style grow out. Here and there, the band return to that crazy style, but it’s used sparingly. Honestly, it’s used so rarely that whenever it does come up, the band really feels like they have earned it. Even the songs Judgement Day and Midnight Madness who throw that style right in your face feel like they’ve earned it considering most of their choruses and verses are so controlled and well executed. The solos aren’t as long and intricate as previous records, but much like the rest of the songs, they allow for things to get crazy when they should, and end up sounding much more melodious and enjoyable as a result.

The overall flow of the album is what sells it. Past records have always been exhausting to listen too, and even though Reaching Into Infinity is a solid hour, it doesn’t feel its length. The band tries its best to make sure that every song doesn’t overstay its welcome. No chorus is too repetitive, no solo is overbearing, and the overall tone of the album is constantly changing. Things are constantly kept fresh and exciting while sticking to that melodious speedy power metal vibe. Even the 11 minute track “The Edge of The World” doesn’t drag on like most attempts tend to do thanks to some amazing melodies and even a dramatic change in vocals.

Lyrically this album is a bit more cheesy than I would like, but considering power metal as a whole is meant to be more cheese over substance I can let it slide. It certainly helps that ZP Theart’s replacement, Marc Hudson, is a fantastic vocalist whose delivery of each line never ceases to be entertaining, even when the lyrics may be more clumsy and cheesy than the group intended.

The only real nitpick I have with the album is that the group seems to be going for this sci-fi theming on the album, and don’t really flesh out what their going for as well as they could. Most of that is due to the cheesy lyrics which focus more on the power metal tropes of victory and war and rising up and all that instead of doing something that reinforces that sci-fi feel.

I enjoyed my time with Reaching Into Infinity. It’s a refreshing new piece of talent from a band that is working hard to redeem themselves, and I for one hope that this album does well and DraonForce gets their chance to shine again.

9/10