DRAGONFORCE Guitarist: People 'Either Love Us Or They Really Hate Us'

David Priest of OnTrackMagazine.com recently conducted an interview with DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

OnTrackMagazine.com: I know that there have been some confused fans wondering what happened with the U.S. release of the new CD, "Inhuman Rampage". I know that you signed a deal with Roadrunner Records, but what was the delay in getting the album out in the first place? I know it was originally due to be released by Sanctuary and then, all of a sudden, it wasn't. What happened with that?

Herman: Well, it was supposed to come out on Sanctuary originally, they actually printed the CDs. And then, basically, Roadrunner approached us because not much was actually done on the previous two albums in America. So we thought, "Well maybe we'll actually get a chance to have the album released to where you can go and buy it in a music shop and everything." And when we started talking to Roadrunner, I think after we finished recording the album, we re-signed with them in England and some other countries as well, and now the U.S.

OnTrackMagazine.com: So how did the deal with Roadrunner come into play?

Herman: They just emailed me through the website.

OnTrackMagazine.com: (Laughing) Oh, that's very cool, they sought you guys out.

Herman: Yeah, yeah! And they just said, "We love the stuff and what are you guys doing? Who you signed to? What's going on?" It just kind of came like that, kinda weird huh? Just straight out, what's up?

OnTrackMagazine.com: That's very cool, when an artist doesn't have to try so hard and you're good enough to where they're actually comin' after you. That's great man. So the style of music that DRAGONFORCE plays is a combination of old-school speed metal and traditional power metal, but unlike anything that has been done before. When the band formed was speed a primary focus for you guys?

Herman: That part comes from more of the thrash metal and the death metal we listen to. I mean I used to play in a thrash band, death metal band and so did Sam, so it kind of just happened naturally when we started playing, straight away. I mean we like all this power metal and traditional classic rock and everything, but we also like a lot of the newer, like, death metal and older thrash and the Scandinavian stuff. That kinda came out with AT THE GATES all the way to whatever... the progressive stuff, so the speed part comes from the heavier stuff.

OnTrackMagazine.com: That's interesting, really. A lot of people set out to try and force something to happen; it's great when it can happen naturally that way, especially something like this. Most musicians just can't ever play as fast as what you guys do.

Herman: (Laughing) Yeah, I mean the first band I played in was a thrash band and the first band Sam ever played in was a death metal band, so he played a gig opening for CARCASS in New Zealand when he was fifteen.

OnTrackMagazine.com: Very cool. So in your opinion, looking at where you're at right now, do you believe you've been able to hit a niche in the market that will elevate you to some pretty high places?

Herman: I think so. I think even since the second album there was something there that was missing, something that we have kind of put into the scene that was pretty much missing. A lot of people listen to heavier stuff and they don't mind power metal but they just hate the stuff all over it, not necessarily the image but a lot of the things they find too soft and whatever. We kind of balanced it with a mixture of other stuff — blast beats and stuff — so we're getting fans that are not really power metal fans anymore. It's kind of strange really, we've got fans that slip from emo to there isn't like a boundary any more. I think first that this kind of music sounds just like Roadrunner as well; that kind of label.

OnTrackMagazine.com: What led you to choosing this particular name [DRAGONFORCE] and has it been a conscious decision to keep the writing content away from that Medieval-type thinking?

Herman: I think there was a combination of a few different weird things. We said the name has to be short enough, but long enough for people to shout at the gig, yeah? "DRAGONFORCE, bababa, bababa." Good for people to shout in the crowd, a name easy to remember and easy to read for all different nationalities and countries to speak. We also said whatever name we choose people are gonna have something to say about us, good or bad, so it doesn't really matter. So it happened that way I guess.

OnTrackMagazine.com: Right, right. So you didn't really put a lot of thought into what people would think about the name but obviously there are those that are gonna group you in with the traditional power metal element and think that you're singing a lot about dragons and wizards and such. And although you may touch on that at times, it really doesn't apply to you as much. Have you run into many problems with people trying to stereotype you?

Herman: Yeah we get a lot of some people who keep thinking we sing about dragons and crap, you can read it all on Blabbermouth, which is really funny and I actually enjoy reading it. Sam and I just laugh all the time at the drama on Blabbermouth… bands slagging us, slagging us off of other bands; it's like kids in school. We actually knew what we were gonna get into so it's not really a problem. Since the lyrics are open for interpretation, a lot of them can mean so many different things. So if people are like into those kind of bands they think they can relate in that way, but a lot of people also don't relate in that way. So it's OK, I think we've pretty much cut a fine line of love and hate. A lot of people, with us they either love us or they really hate us; that's just how it is at the moment.

Read the entire interview at OnTrackMagazine.com.