Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 05/11/2004
One term that is used quite a bit in
jazz circles these days is "Young Lions," which refers to young
jazz musicians whose work is a throwback to the straight-ahead acoustic
jazz of the '40s, '50s, and '60s -- a "Young Lion" might have started recording in the '80s, '90s, or 2000s, but stylistically, they are quite committed to the
jazz of previous generations. And in
heavy metal, a similar mentality exists in the
power metal revival movement; the '90s and early 2000s saw the rise of many young power metallers who look and sound like they belong in the '70s or '80s. England's
Dragonforce is a perfect example; although their second album,
Sonic Firestorm, is a 2004 release, it might as well have been recorded in 1981. Just as the "Young Lions" of
hard bop and
post-bop reject
fusion,
crossover jazz and
free jazz,
Dragonforce is oblivious to
alt-metal,
rap-metal,
death metal/
black metal, metalcore, and other styles that have flourished in post-'80s
metal. There are no chug-chug riffs or downtuned guitars on
Sonic Firestorm, which happily recalls an era in which
Iron Maiden,
Queensrÿche,
Manowar,
King Diamond, and
Savatage reigned supreme.
Sonic Firestorm isn't the least bit groundbreaking, and no one will ever accuse
Dragonforce of being the most original or distinctive band in the
metal field. Nonetheless,
Dragonforce's long-haired members are good at what they do -- and what this CD lacks in originality, it usually makes up for in terms of passion, energy, and craftsmanship.
Sonic Firestorm falls short of exceptional, but it's a generally decent effort that is noteworthy if you still regard
Queensrÿche's
Operation: Mindcrime and
Maiden's
The Number of the Beast as essential listening.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
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