DRAGONFORCE have their first two studio albums – ‘Valley Of The Damned’ & ‘Sonic Firestorm’ – re-issued on February 22nd 2010 via Spinefarm Records.
Both titles will now be available with updated packaging and bonus audio/DVD content, some of it exclusive to these releases.
FORMED IN 1999, DragonForce issued their ‘Valley Of The Damned’ debut in 2003 – an impressive nine-track showcase for their accomplished power metal forays. Containing a host of songs that still rank amongst the most popular of their output, the likes of ‘Black Fire’, ‘Evening Star’ and the title track itself, ‘VOTD’ has now been Remixed and Remastered to allow every aspect of the recordings to make maximum impact…
“Fans who have heard the original mixes many times might find that the songs sound a bit different now,” observes guitarist Herman Li, “but that’s how we always wanted the original songs to sound. We just didn’t have the time back then to make everything sound the way we wanted.”
The studio track, ‘Where Dragons Rule’, has now been added to the audio side, and there is a bonus DVD featuring never-before-seen live footage (‘Valley Of The Damned’, filmed in Japan), behind-the-scenes material (also from Japan), video commentaries, plus in-studio interviews and clips (shot in Denmark & the UK), all of it lovingly assembled by Li himself.
2004 SAW the release of the follow-up album, ‘Sonic Firestorm’, which gave the band the chance to hone their skills and push their trademark sound to a whole new level. They were happy with ‘Sonic…’ at the time and remain so to this day, which is why the mixing and the mastering have been left just as they are; however, the packaging has been upgraded, an extra track added (‘Cry Of The Brave’ – a song the group felt uncomfortable taking off first time around), and – as with ‘Valley…’ – a bonus DVD added, this one featuring live footage from Japan (‘Fury Of The Storm’), video commentaries plus freshly recorded interviews with the band members themselves.
As a way of celebrating the recordings that effectively launched DF’s international career, both re-issued albums will be included in a limited edition package along with exclusive band merchandise and various collectable items.
Tracklistings and contents:
Valley of the Damned – Remixed & Remastered Reissue
CD
1. Invocation of the Apocalyptic Evil
2. Valley of the Damned
3. Black Fire
4. Black Winter Night
5. Starfire
6. Disciples of Babylon
7. Revelations
8. Evening Star
9. Heart of a Dragon
10. Where Dragons Rule (bonus track)
Bonus DVD
- Valley of the Damned: Live performance, Japan 2004
- Backstage footage in Japan
- Video Interviews
- Behind the Scenes: Recording Valley of the Damned
- Behind the Scenes: Remixing Valley of the Damned
- Video Commentary
Sonic Firestorm – Reissue
CD
1. My Spirit Will Go On
2. Fury of the Storm
3. Fields of Despair
4. Dawn Over a New World
5. Above the Winter Moonlight
6. Soldiers of the Wasteland
7. Prepare for War
8. Once In a Lifetime
9. Cry of the Brave (bonus track)
Bonus DVD
- Fury of the Storm: Live performance, Japan 2005
- Video Interviews
- Video Commentary
