The Valley of the Damned

• Artist: Dragonforce
• Rating:
• Release Date: February 25, 2003
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

The debut album from U.K. power metal giants Dragonforce is a polarizing affair. Valley of the Damned could be construed as a bloated, Spinal Tap-style tribute to early-'80s fantasy-metal, and in many ways it is; however, it's so well played and so joyously executed that it could very well reignite the entire genre. For a band that collectively cites video game music as one of its major influences -- the nine blistering tracks do, on occasion, conjure up images of greasy-haired teens huddled around a Commodore 64 playing King's Quest -- the multicultural sextet is a master of its craft. From the epic title track to the fist-pumping closer, "Heart of a Dragon," the guitar pyrotechnics of Herman Li and Sam Totman light up the sky like a third world war, bending riffs into melodic submission while never overplaying. Vocalist ZP Theart has no qualms about emulating heroes like Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and Michael Kiske (Helloween), but his lupine howls have a character all their own. Dragonforce plays faster than most bands in the genre -- this may be the first speed metal pop group -- but the production is precision-tuned and never muddy, allowing the giant Slade and Andrew W.K.-style choruses the room they need to explode. Valley of the Damned may not be groundbreaking or cathartic, and lyrics like "In the land of desire with your heart filled with fire you live for the right to be free/We will sail on forever more to the land of the evening star" may cross the line into heavy metal parody, but it's undeniably entertaining, expertly played, and endlessly fun. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Invocation of Apocalyptic Evil		Dragonforce	(:13)
Valley of the Damned (Lyrics)	ZP Theart, Sam Totman	Dragonforce	(7:12)
Black Fire (Lyrics)	Sam Totman, ZP Theart	Dragonforce	(5:47)
Black Winter Nights	ZP Theart, Sam Totman	Dragonforce	(6:30)
Starfire (Lyrics)	Sam Totman, ZP Theart	Dragonforce	(5:53)
Disciples of Babylon (Lyrics)	Herman Li, ZP Theart	Dragonforce	(7:16)
Revelations (Lyrics)	Sam Totman, ZP Theart	Dragonforce	(6:52)
Evening Star (Lyrics)	Herman Li, ZP Theart	Dragonforce	(6:39)
Heart of a Dragon (Lyrics)	ZP Theart, Sam Totman	Dragonforce	(5:22)

Credits

Herman Li (Guitar), Karl Groom (Engineer), Herman Li (Soloist), Sam Totman (Guitar (Acoustic)), Sam Totman (Guitar (Electric)), Herman Li (Vocals (Background)), Vadim Pruzhanov (Keyboards), Vadim Pruzhanov (Group Member), Sam Totman (Lead), Tommy Hansen (Engineer), Herman Li (Producer), Herman Li (Group Member), ZP Theart (Lead), Vadim Pruzhanov (Soloist), ZP Theart (Vocals (Background)), Herman Li (Guitar (Electric)), Karl Groom (Mixing), Herman Li (Assistant), Sam Totman (Guitar), Sam Totman (Vocals), Rob Aubrey (Mastering), Dragonforce (Arranger), Tommy Hansen (Drum Engineering), ZP Theart (Group Member), Herman Li (Guitar (Acoustic)), Herman Li (Engineer), Herman Li (Logo Concept), Herman Li (Vocals), Clive Nolan (Vocals (Background)), ZP Theart (Vocals), Sam Totman (Producer), Sam Totman (Group Member), Herman Li (E-Bow), Sam Totman (Mixing), Herman Li (Lead), Herman Li (Mixing), Vadim Pruzhanov (Piano), Sam Totman (Soloist)