Band:	DragonForce
Album:	Valley Of The Damned
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2003
Guest review by:	Dark Cornatus

Disc I
01. Invocation Of The Apocalyptic Evil
02. Valley Of The Damned
03. Black Fire
04. Black Winter Night
05. Starfire
06. Disciples Of Babylon
07. Revelations
08. Evening Star
09. Heart Of A Dragon
10. Where Dragons Rule [Japanese bonus]

Disc II [Remixed and Remastered Edition Bonus DVD]
+ Valley Of The Damned: LIve Performance, Japan 2004
+ Backstage Footage
+ Video Interviews
+ Behind The Scenes
+ In-Studio Video Footage
+ Video Commentary

DragonForce have come a long way from their first album titled "Valley Of The Damned" but this was where the success started. Its easily their fastest album overall and usually the most widely accepted. The album kicks off with pace and fury (apart from the 13 second intro) with songs Valley Of The Damned, Black Fire, and Black Winter Night. The first two are arguably their two favoured tracks off the album, and are always played live. Black Fire is the fastest song to date they have written, which gives you an idea just how fast this song is!

We then follow up with a ballad "Starfire." They have quite eccentric ballads actually, not your common Power Metal ballads; see, with DragonForce, I picture holding a lollpop, and dancing under a gleaming rainbow of endless happiness? ok no I don't but it does remind me of something from the 80's, perhaps an old Power Ballad.

This is where repetition starts as the next 5 songs are really not all that different; DragonForce seem to be plagued with that burden of repetition. The songs one by one are not actually terrible, but played as a whole, it justs gets too boring, I can only seem to get through around three DragonForce tracks at a time before I get bored.

Herman Li and Sam Totman are wizard guitarists and that is evident through all songs on the album. What I don't like is the endless aura of solos? you hear a solo for one minute thinking, gosh, that was a good solo - two minutes later you're thinking the same thing, with a few yawns. What about a solo that's lasts a week? No not that much, but it feels like it, believe me. The drumming is another point I have to note. In any given standard Power Metal song drummers are known to use the double bass in parts, perfectly normal - in DragonForce they use it ALL the time!!!

The album is unfortunatly one of the worst produced albums I have heard, their songs sounded far better in the DragonHeart days, even on the demo. The artwork, however, is quite good, and stands out.

Pros: Speed, Melody, Heaviness, Cover.

Cons: Production, Repetitive, Solos, Ballads.