Dragonforce speed into 'thrashier' territory

British speed metal merchants Dragonforce have been experimenting on different sounds on their forthcoming album Maximum Overload.

Speaking with Norway’s Metal Express Radio, vocalist Marc Hudson revealed Dragonforce’s sound was evolving and the band weren’t afraid to mix things up on the new album.

He says: “The last two albums have been quite different to the previous ones. There’s a formula we’re following because we are melodic speed metal, so we can’t slow down. But we’ve got Jens Bogren as our producer, who’s worked with Symphony X and Opeth, and he’s had an influence on this album.

“We recently released The Game and we did a demo for Metal Hammer called Defenders. Both those songs have a thrashy sort of feel to them and that’s definitely come from bassist Frederic Leclercq and Jens.

“Although we have to stick to what we’re good at, we’re able to move around, evolve and change the sound here and there. We’ve got the classic Dragonforce power metal stuff through to some thrashier moments. There’s progressive stuff, too.”

Hudson took over vocal duties from ZP Theart in 2011 and says the group have been adapting around his vocal style.

“Because I’ve got a different sound to ZP Theart, we’re able to adapt things to suit me,” he revealed. “There might be something I can sing that they weren’t expecting, so we can change vocal melodies and put my own feel into it.”

Maximum Overload is the follow up to 2012’s The Power Within and will be Dragonforce’s sixth album. The recording will be released in Europe on Aug 18 and in North America on Aug 19. The band commence a UK tour on Sept 17 in Edinburgh.

Dragonforce Maximum Overload UK Tour dates

Sept 17: Edinburgh Liquid Room

Sept 18: Aberdeen Lemon Tree

Sept 19: Glasgow King Tut’s

Sept 20: Belfast Limelight 2

Sept 21: Dublin Whelan’s

Sept 23: Carlisle Brickyard

Sept 24: Middlesbrough Empire

Sept 25: Manchester Deaf Institute

Sept 26: Stoke Sugarmill

Sept 27: Birmingham Temple

Sept 30: Brighton The Haunt

Oct 01: Southampton Joiners

Oct 02: Plymouth White Rabbit

Oct 03: Bridgend Hobo’s

Oct 04: Bristol The Thekla

Oct 07: Leeds Brudenell

Oct 08: Nottingham Rescue Rooms

Oct 09: Colchester Arts Centre

Oct 10: Norwich Waterfront

Oct 11: London Bush Hall

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