With the ongoing popularity of miniature video game consoles based on classic brands like Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, British metal band DragonForce’s sound has found its moment. The band’s intricate prog-rock has always been heavily influenced by retro video games, both lyrically and musically, and now there’s a whole new generation discovering those classic 8-bit and 16-bit games.
the band, led by guitar wizards Herman Li and Sam Totman, has been building an audience for years, starting in the underground power metal scene in the U.K. with their 2002 debut album Valley of the Damned.
DragonForce’s 2006 single “Through the Fire and Flames” broke the band into the mainstream thanks to its inclusion in video games Guitar Hero and Rock Band. With its lightning-fast guitar solos, intense blast beats and soaring vocals, DragonForce’s music is perfect for the fast-paced play of those music-performance games, and the keyboard flourishes and fantasy-themed lyrics tie in with the aesthetic of old-school games like The Legend of Zelda.
The band has undergone numerous lineup changes over the years, but Li and Totman have always anchored it with their dual guitar attack and their affinity for the kind of video games that other people are finally starting to appreciate.
Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m. Oct. 3, starting at $22 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
