''Sonic Firestorm'' is the second studio album by British

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band

DragonForce DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, England. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced ...

, released through

Noise Records Noise Records is a German heavy metal record label founded in 1983 by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any ...

on 11 May 2004. It is the first album to feature bassist

Adrian Lambert Adrian Lambert (born 26 April 1972 in Brighton) is an English bassist and songwriter who currently plays for thrash metal band Biomechanical and progressive rock band Son of Science. Lambert also played bass in power metal band DragonForce ...

and drummer

Dave Mackintosh Dave Mackintosh is a Scottish drummer, best known as the former drummer for the power metal band DragonForce. Mackintosh also appeared on ''The Power Cosmic'' and ''Atlantis Ascendant'' albums, by the symphonic black metal band, Bal-Sagoth. On ...

. The reissue of this album was released on 22 February 2010, along with a remixed and remastered version of the band's first album, '' Valley of the Damned''. The re-release also came with the bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was a Japanese bonus track on the original release.DragonForce: Live Playing 'Through The Roof' Since Having In-Ear Monitors

Production

The recording and mixing for the band's second album took place at Surrey's Thin Ice Studios, from 6 October to 10 December 2003. All the guitars were recorded at Herman Li's LamerLuser Studios in London.

Track listing

Along with the bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was initially only included as a Japanese bonus track on the original release, the 2010 re-release includes a bonus DVD with an interview from

and a commentary from

Herman Li Herman Li (; born 3 October 1976) is a Hong Kong-born British musician who is one of two lead guitarists for the power metal band DragonForce. Li has played with the band based in England since it was formed in 1999 by Li along with Sam Totma ...

and

Sam Totman Ian Samuel Totman is an English-born New Zealand musician best known as guitarist and main songwriter for the power metal band DragonForce. Early life Totman was born in England and grew up mainly in New Zealand. He moved back to England arou ...

, as well as live "Fury of the Storm" and "Fields of Despair" performances in Japan from 2005.

Personnel

;DragonForce * ZP Theart –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

–

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

– guitars, acoustic guitar *Vadim Pruzhanov - keyboards,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a musica ...

, additional acoustic guitar *

–

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

;Additional personnel *

Clive Nolan Clive Nolan (born 30 June 1961) is a British musician, composer and producer who has played a prominent role in the development of progressive rock. He has been the regular keyboard player in Pendragon (1986–present), Shadowland (1992–prese ...

–

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...

Production

*Produced by

Karl Groom Karl Groom is a British guitarist and record producer. He is best known as a founding and the only constant member of the progressive metal band Threshold. His production and mixing credits are mainly with progressive and power metal bands. Mu ...

and DragonForce *Recorded and mixed at Thin Ice Studios by Karl Groom *All guitars recorded at Herman Li's LamerLuser Studios,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

*Engineered by Karl Groom *All vocals recorded by Richard West *Mastered by Eberhard Kohler at Powerplay Mastering

In other media

*The song "Fury of the Storm" is featured as a playable track in '' Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock''.

Charts

Footnotes

External links

Sonic Firestorm on the official website
{{Authority control 2004 albums DragonForce albums Noise Records albums Sanctuary Records albums Albums produced by Karl Groom