Wikipedia

Extreme Power Metal

(Redirected from Troopers of the Stars)

Extreme Power Metal is the eighth studio album by British power metal band DragonForce, released on 27 September 2019.[7] It is the band's last studio album to feature longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq[8] and the first not to feature longtime keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov, who left the band in 2018;[9] Epica keyboardist Coen Janssen recorded keyboards for the album as a session member.[7] The lead single "Highway to Oblivion" was released on 30 July 2019.[9] The band embarked on a world tour in support of the album following its release.[10] Music videos for "Troopers of the Stars" and "Strangers" were filmed, but not released until two years later, on 27 August 2021 and 25 October 2021, respectively.[11] In 2022, the band continued touring the album after their last tour's cancelation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] On 29 November 2022, the music video for "The Last Dragonborn" was released, being the first music video with new bassist Alicia Vigil.[13]

Extreme Power Metal
Studio album by
DragonForce
Released27 September 2019 (2019-09-27)
StudioMix Unlimited, Los Angeles
Genre
Length52:50
LabelearMUSIC, Metal Blade, JVC Victor
ProducerDamien Rainaud
DragonForce chronology
Reaching into Infinity
(2017) 		Extreme Power Metal
(2019) 		Warp Speed Warriors
(2024)
Singles from Extreme Power Metal
  1. "Highway to Oblivion"
    Released: 30 July 2019
  2. "Heart Demolition"
    Released: 27 August 2019
  3. "Razorblade Meltdown"
    Released: 23 September 2019
  4. "Troopers of the Stars"
    Released: 27 August 2021
  5. "Strangers"
    Released: 25 October 2021
  6. "The Last Dragonborn"
    Released: 29 November 2022
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Blabbermouth.net[4]
Metal Injection[5]
Kerrang![6]

Recording

edit

The band recorded the album with producer and Once Human's bassist Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles.[14] Part of the recording was also livestreamed on guitarist Herman Li's Twitch.[15]

Track listing

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No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Highway to Oblivion"Sam TotmanTotman6:48
2."Cosmic Power of the Infinite Shred Machine"TotmanTotman6:36
3."The Last Dragonborn"
  • Totman
  • Herman Li
  • Twitch Chat[16]
  • Totman
  • Coen Janssen
6:12
4."Heart Demolition"Frédéric LeclercqLeclercq5:39
5."Troopers of the Stars"TotmanTotman5:03
6."Razorblade Meltdown"TotmanTotman4:45
7."Strangers"
  • Leclercq
  • Totman
Leclercq4:29
8."In a Skyforged Dream"LeclercqLeclercq4:45
9."Remembrance Day"
  • Totman
  • Marc Hudson
Totman5:10
10."My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion cover)Will JenningsJames Horner3:23
Total length:52:50
Japanese bonus track[17]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
11."Behind the Mirror of Death"LeclercqLeclercq5:32
Total length:58:22

The Japanese special edition of the album also included a bonus DVD containing professionally recorded footage of the band's performance at Download Festival in 2018.

Live at Download Festival 2018 (Japanese special edition bonus live DVD)
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."Ashes of the Dawn"Reaching Into Infinity (2017)4:46
2."Cry Thunder"The Power Within (2012)5:16
3."Judgment Day"Reaching Into Infinity (2017)7:01

Personnel

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DragonForce

  • Marc Hudson – lead and backing vocals
  • Sam Totman – guitars, backing vocals
  • Frédéric Leclercq – bass, guitars, backing vocals
  • Herman Li – guitars, backing vocals
  • Gee Anzalone – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians

  • Coen Janssen – keyboards, piano, orchestration, programming
  • Emily Ovenden – additional backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – additional backing vocals
  • Kalen Chase Musmecci – additional backing vocals
  • Steve Francis, Ross Mallon, Josh O'Brien, Paul Roberts, Tim Mekalick – additional backing vocals on "Troopers of the Stars"

Technical

Visuals

  • Stan-W Decker – cover art, layout
  • Vladan Cvetkovic – photography

Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] 87
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19] 42
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 145
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] 158
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] 34
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[23] 26
Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] 21
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 93
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[27] 12
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[28] 4
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[29] 36
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[30] 13
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[31] 19

References

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  1. ^ Lawson, Dom (15 September 2019). "CD Reviews - Extreme Power Metal Dragonforce". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Jonathan (25 September 2019). "DragonForce - Extreme Power Metal (Album Review)". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ^ Extreme Power Metal - DragonForce | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 28 January 2022
  4. ^ Blabbermouth (15 September 2019). "Extreme Power Metal - DRAGONFORCE". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  5. ^ Sol (10 October 2019). "Album Review: DRAGONFORCE Extreme Power Metal". Metal Injection. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Album Review: DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal". Kerrang!. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "DRAGONFORCE Reveals Details Of New Album 'Extreme Power Metal', Launches Video For 'Highway To Oblivion'". Blabbermouth.net. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  8. ^ "DRAGONFORCE: Frédéric Leclercq lascia la band". metalpit.it (in Italian). 14 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  9. ^ a b Divita, Joe (30 July 2019). "DragonForce Announce New Album, Debut 'Highway to Oblivion' Video". Loudwire. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  10. ^ "DRAGONFORCE Reveals Details Of New Album 'Extreme Power Metal', Launches Video For 'Highway To Oblivion'". heavy-metal.it. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  11. ^ "DragonForce launches 'Starship Troopers'-inspired video for "Troopers of the Stars"". metalblade.com. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  12. ^ "DRAGONFORCE Goes Full '80s Glam In 'Strangers' Video, Announces North American Tour With BATTLE BEAST". Blabbermouth.net. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  13. ^ "The Last Dragonborn". youtube.com. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  14. ^ "DRAGONFORCE Unveil Epic "Highway To Oblivion" Music Video, Announce New Album Extreme Power Metal". Metal Injection. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  15. ^ Bienstock, Richard (30 July 2019). "DragonForce Detail New Studio Album, 'Extreme Power Metal,' Share First Single". Guitar World. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  16. ^ "[DragonForce] Herman Li & Sam Totman - Lyrics Writing Session on Twitch (2018-12-27)". YouTube. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Extream Power Metal [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] [Japane Bonus Track] Dragonforce CD Album". CDJapan.
  18. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #545". auspOp. 5 October 2019. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Austriancharts.at – DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  23. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2019-10-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  25. ^ "Swisscharts.com – DragonForce – Extreme Power Metal". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  27. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  28. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  29. ^ "DragonForce Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  30. ^ "DragonForce Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  31. ^ "DragonForce Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
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