Guitar World recently caught up with DragonForce guitarist Herman Li to discuss the band's new album, Warp Speed Warriors. He also offers some insight on his evolution as a guitarist. An excerpt is available below.
Guitar World: What was it about these songs that told you they met the DragonForce standard?
Li: "The standard of what we do with our music has moved in different directions as we’ve gotten older. We’re doing other things that led to a more diverse, dynamic album. In the early days, it was about playing fast, going to extremes and shredding until we dropped. Now we can combine styles; I wouldn’t say experiment, but maybe add more simply because we’re better players now."
Guitar World: But the music still ultimately needs to sound like DragonForce, right? Your sound is so unique; you wouldn’t want to lose that.
Li: "That’s a good point. When we made our first few albums, we could slow down the music, but we decided to make what we call ‘extreme power metal,’ which was faster, longer and had more and more guitar solos. As Yngwie Malmsteen once said, ‘More is more,’ and that was the motto. These days, we’re more about melodies and dynamics; but don’t get me wrong – there’s still more (laughs). It’s just that we’re showing different sides of us. I guess what’s come out of a lot of the YouTube and Twitch stuff is that we in DragonForce do whatever the fuck we wanna do."
Guitar World: Some would say there needs to be less shredding and more feeling, in general.
Li: "Like all the great young shredders, many new players have a certain mindset because shredding is so much fun. But sometimes you can forget about the fine art of string-bending, and what happens is you overplay. Finding a balance between shredding and keeping the subtle nuances apparent is always a challenge."
Read the complete interview here.
Founded in 1999 by virtuoso guitarists Herman Li (also known for his Twitch channel with 270k followers) and Sam Totman, the new masterpiece Warp Speed Warriors sees DragonForce experimenting with different genres more than ever before, while staying true to their power metal roots.
Warp Speed Warriors was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Sam Totman and Herman Li. This album is a matchless, innovative listening experience that continues the band's legacy with songs that will, without a shadow of a doubt, become instant classics in and beyond the DragonForce canon.
Warp Speed Warriors is available in the following formats:
- 2CD Deluxe Box incl. Bonus Jewel Case CD with 5 bonus tracks, wristband (embroided), poster flag (100x70cm), gaming coin keyring/pendant (with leathercord), packed in a gym bag (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive) - strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
- 1LP Gatefold Turquoise marbled Vinyl incl. slipmat, record butler (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive) - strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide
- 1LP Gatefold Purple Vinyl (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive) - strictly limited to 400 copies worldwide
- 1LP Gatefold Orange Vinyl (Retail UK exclusive) - strictly limited to 300 copies
- 1LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
- 1CD Digisleeve incl. 1 Bonus Track
- Digital Album incl. 3 Bonus Tracks
Order your copy of Warp Speed Warriors here.
Warp Speed Warriors tracklisting:
"Astro Warrior Anthem"
"Power Of The Triforce"
"Kingdom of Steel"
"Burning Heart"
"Space Marine Corp"
"Doomsday Party"
"Prelude to Darkness"
"The Killer Queen"
"Pixel Prison"
"Astro Warrior Anthem" video:
"Power Of The Triforce" video:
“Doomsday Party” feat. Elize Ryd video:
DragonForce is:
Herman Li - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam Totman - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Hudson - Vocals
Alicia Vigil - Bass, Backing Vocals
Gee Anzalone - Drums, Backing Vocals
