Review Summary: A couple thoughts on this album.
Dragonforce, Dragonland, Dragonhammer. It seems inevitable that a band will be called Dragoncock or Dragonnado. As it is with such named bands, Dragonhammer drag in us to their den of cheese, and drag in nearly infinite double bass pedal smushing. High vocals? Check. Medieval, symphonic soundscapes with grossly fake horns? Check. People that wank to fan fics of Lord of the Rings will love this, and they really should.
As easy to mock as this genre is, none can prepare you for how wonderfully fun the album is. Silver Feathers may have the most artificial saxophone ever recorded, yet it receives a beautifully epic solo. It is
that type of album. Even the ballads reek of glorious purpose, where lovers and fighters unite as one voice, the voice of generations. When all is said and done and the victory is won, a purely symphonic song ends the album, retailing the conquests that transpired. With the wind on their back, the instrumental song plays as they ride away from their fallen enemies.
The lead singer sounds quite similar to the singer from Theocracy, which is a definite compliment. This man can sing high as a banshee among the stars, yet does not irritate. What truly sets this band apart is not the singing, though it persistently pleases. The songwriting is superior to many bands, if catchiness is your mark of a good album. This is power metal - catchiness is quite important - and boy do Dragonhammer bring it. From start to finish the choruses are delectably danceable, though if you dance to these songs at a wedding you are the nerdiest of nerds. Just so that you understand the framework of that statement, I am a nerd myself, but not the nerdiest of nerds. Please never call me King Nerd, I
will kill you.
It can’t be denied that Second Life is entirely derivative. You’ve heard this before; pick a band, any band, and they sound like them. More mentionable content is the production, which sounds incredibly raw. Diamond Of Peace, especially, is murkier than sludge water. Also, if you compare this album to any any big name power metal group the vocals here are nowhere near as slick (check Into The Warrior’s Mind for such roughness of vocals). The mixing is furthermore questionable, with the bass drum often overpowering the guitar. Transparently, the production could be a lot better, and Second Life is conclusively less relaxing on the ears than it could be. The reason why I can’t rate this album higher is simple. This band has been making albums since 2004, yet sound like they just came out on the scene. Fix that production y’all!
Second Life will not be everyone’s cup of tea, like this review and this sentence. The production can be quite irksome, and the vocals may grow tiresome. The cheese level is to the point of being drowned in it, and cornier than your mom pretending to like metal. This band may be a slayer of dragons, but also you. Once you begin there is no escape from the cheese, and nowhere you can hide. For those that survive this experience I tip my hat to you, but for those that don’t, I offer power metal anonymous meetings on Thursdays if you have particular stress that needs addressing. Don’t worry, it’s a safe space. Bring your friends! Tips are appreciated of course, oh, and it’s required to bring a desert. It’s for the visitors of course, of course, for sure.
With everything said beyond being merited - to the point of repeating myself and Gyro complaining about word salad - this is still a great album. This metal slaps, most songs are bangers, and the choruses grow on you like Voldemort’s face. It’s not the best produced, or the most memorable album, but gosh dang it does it go hard. This album is for power metal truth seekers, the chosen ones. So grab your sword and the nearest dragon, because on we go into the thickets of enemies. Glory awaits!
Be warned: this is your final warning. The drums will not stop crushing you. The vocals will cause bruising of all sorts and internal bleeding. If left unchecked, these riffs will murder you within two days upon listening, causing deadly boils in the ears. This is not for the faint of heart, get on the train or get kicked off.
I have one last further thing to highlight. Some albums require you to believe in them, like Peter Pan. Let’s put aside your views on power metal, production, cheesiness, and your preferred singing style. Put all these aside and you’ll find that Second Life is not only catchy, but also well written, sung very well, and instrumentally impressive. I’m somewhat telling you what’s already been said, but reframing it to cause intent pondering. Not every album needs to be critiqued to death, this album is clearly a work of passion, and it’s heard at every juncture. If you’ve been reading this review Dragonhammer, have a cold one - the next round is on me.
Despite some production issues, Dragonhammer deserve to be more well known. They can write on the same level as big name bands - even better in some cases. Lots of bands peeter out and resort to Eurovision metal, but such is not the case here. Dragonhammer know exactly who they are and how to present themselves professionally within their cheesy, yet effective motifs. This is by no means a culture shifting album or even an album that will be remembered in time, but if you come across this album don’t skip it. It’s at the very least a great one-time listen, though it deserves another listen to let the songs sink in.
If entertaining me was the goal, consider it well met. Like I enjoy lower budget movies did I equally enjoy this album. This is an easy skip for those who sit in their cushy seats, and spin their new Blind Guardian vinyl, with the limited edition set that comes with a beer mug with the band’s logo and backstage VIP tickets that include a personalized interview. Everyone else with an open mind may find something quite stellar about this album. No, it’s not your favourite band, but it surely brings the power metal goodies.
