REVIEW: Ultra Beatdown

Dragonforce
Ultra Beatdown
© 2008 Roadrunner

Most bands have a gimmick, a hook to pique listeners’ interest from album to album. If successful, this often becomes band’s biggest draw, such as intensity, recurrent themes, or showmanship. If unsuccessful, it is often the thing that damns the album. With the power metal band Dragonforce, their gimmick is clear from the seconds of their fourth album Ultra Beatdown: blistering, high-speed virtuosity. But, this time, have they taken it too far?

What Dragonforce lack in subtly, depth, and innovation, they have compensated for by plaing faster power metal than pretty much anyone out there. Their songs are epic affairs, packed with fantasy-themed lyrics, soaring synths, and frantic drum-work invariably serving as foreplay to the inevitable, extended, dueling solos. Of course, fans of Dragonforce will already know what to expect from Ultra Beatdown. Dragonforce is not a band who reinvents the wheel with every album, instead pushing forward on the same path to yet another plateau of epic shred.

The album starts off on the right foot. The opener “Heroes of Our Time” wastes no time before launching headlong into furious metal. The song is Dragonforce at their best, with heroic lyrics, jaw-dropping solos, inspiring breakdowns, and a video that really doesn’t make much sense.

“Heroes of Our Time”
(Unfortunately, this is the radio version, which is a shorter than the album version. Watch for the solo(s) starting at 2:00.)


Another fine example of Dragonforce’s style is “The Last Journey Home,” whose video is a nod to their large, gamer fanbase. (Guitar Hero III featured their song “Through the Fire and Flames” as a special track, widely acknowledged as the hardest in the game.)

“The Last Journey Home” (radio version)


As well as these epic, shredding tracks, Ultra Beatdown features another Dragonforce staple: the power ballad.

“A Flame for Freedom” (no video)


While even these power ballads include the high-octane solos Dragonforce fans crave, they often come across as overwrought or even false. Ultra Beatdown’s “A Flame for Freedom” is one of their better ballads, but until the guitars really kick in at 2:50, your patience will be tested. If you like power ballads, you’ll do fine. I could live without them.

The album also sees the continuing rise of Dragonforce’s “other” gimmick: retro-videogame style electronic noises. First notably experimented with in their previous album, Inhuman Rapage, they have returned in Ultra Beatdown with even greater force. While newcomers might not notice, those who did not like them then will hate them now, where nearly every break is filled with a MIDI squawk.

“Reasons to Live” (no video)


These effects are particularly strong in the Special Edition bonus tracks so, if they aren’t your thing, don’t bother with the it. If you do like that sort of thing (And I do.), you shouldn’t miss out on “Scars of Yesterday,” which sounds like a Final Boss fight on amphetamines.

“Scars of Yesterday” (no video)


Ultra Beatdown’s biggest flaw—whatever your thoughts on the synth—is that this is nothing we have not heard before. There is some growth seen on this album, but, as I have mentioned, no reinvention. Aside from their speed and skill, nothing new is presented; in other words, if you already own a Dragonforce album, you might be better off saving your money.

RECCOMENDED IF… you like power metal; every metal fan should have one Dragonforce album. Their music is like a rollercoaster: a fast, exhilarating experience that is a lot of fun despite it’s inherit shallowness. If you like electronic/synth elements thrown in with your shredding, Ultra Beatdown is the album for you. If that’s not your cup of tea, check out Sonic Firestorm.

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