Get A Good Taste Of DragonForce In "Reaching For Infinity"

If you've been screwed over by 'Through The Fire and Flames' on Guitar Hero before, you already know what DragonForce is all about. They haven't stopped bringing that same power metal chaos. Get a good taste of DragonForce in Reaching For Infinity, an intricately crafted album that really embodies them.

DragonForce is known for one thing: their wicked solos. You're reminded of that almost immediately, after calming and mysterious intro 'Reaching Into Infinity' subsides into 'Ashes Of The Dawn,' the chaotic solos ensuing atop full riffing force. The fact paced song really drives the record to a rolling start, the energy immediate and the power tangible. Granted, it's not a particularly great song, but the qualities are all there.

The chaotic energy comes in a lot of forms, most grandly in the eleven-minute epic 'The Edge Of The World.' The multi part song begins on a dark note, the heavy part coming by the bridge and including great elements of electronica in between. 'Midnight Madness' has a great upbeat intro that comes with it too, as well as the gentler 'Silence.' 'Curse Of Darkness' has the most epic sound on the record, its classical intro roaring with rage as it progresses, its soft part transitioning into pure chaos in just the right fashion.

The problem with the record mostly lies in the fact that there is little interest generated on it - it's a pretty standard record, and that also means that when you hit the lows, you really feel them. 'WAR!' is a super basic and clichéd song and really stands out like a sore thumb, and the pace of 'Judgement Day' feels entirely too fast, to the point where it could literally have been sped up in a program and no one would question it. It ends on such a confident note with 'Our Final Stand,' but resorts to a terrible fading out outro just when the solo sounds like its hitting a real climax. A lot of unfortunate choices go into this record that make for a bumpy road.

You can get a good taste of DragonForce in Reaching For Infinity, for better and for worse. Big riffs and chaotic solos lay ahead of you, but as do some cringey and misled moments. DragonForce really embodies their sound on this record, though, and for some that's all you'll need.

Favorite Track: Curse Of Darkness

Least Favorite Track: WAR!

Rating: 70 / 100

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