Chipmunk metal - can metal be too fast?

[BoB]

I realize the Dragon Force review is almost a year old but I've been going back to this album on and off trying to see if my opinion would change any over time. Despite the good review I find this album incredibly boring because of the speed. There's the monotony of the same double bass tempo throughout most of the album which is probably the worst part for me. Kinda like the roller coaster analogy I've used before - sure the tracks are up high but they're flat, no ups and downs, so the up high ride is really no different than the kiddie train track on the ground.

But even most of the solos are just stupidly fast. Sure it requires great control over the instruments but I think that after a certain speed you loose all hope of groove and any musical sensibility. To me it sounds like someone took "normal" music and recorded it at 2x speed. Maybe I'll try recording Dragon Force at 1/2 speed...

Am I alone on this or do others agree that listenability turns to shit once music of structure we're all used to passes a certain speed?

[Zane]

It all depends upon clarity. If a band sounds muddy then the music with suck, no matter what speed. Truly gifted artists can pick at lightning speed with crystal clear clarity. So to sum up, mud=suckitude, crystal clear clarity(or CCC)=METAL!!!
Just kidding, I have no clue what I'm talking about(or do I???)

[BlazeTSU]

i actually like dragonforce a lot......but i do get bored with them after a while. it does start to bleed together a bit, but i still listen to it every couple of days. it just entertains for some reason. i have both of their cd's and they are actually the only power metal albums i own.

[ratanda]

Am I alone on this or do others agree that listenability turns to shit once music of structure we're all used to passes a certain speed?

It depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to hear just consistently fast stuff, be it Hate Eternal or Dragon Force. And sometimes I want more dynamics.

[Greg]

The "stupidly fast" aspect of it is why I like it - this album is quite simply the fastest album I've ever heard that is man-made and not coming from a drum machine or something. Plus the way they end the last solo on the song "Fury of the Storm" with some kind of guitar sound effect that sounds like it comes from the game Pac-Man when you die, that brings a smile to my face every single time. But then again I'm pretty easy to please as far as metal goes.

Seriously, if anyone knows of any band that plays as fast or faster than these guys let me know because I don't know that much about power metal and would love to hear someone try to race these guys.

[Zane]

The "stupidly fast" aspect of it is why I like it - this album is quite simply the fastest album I've ever heard that is man-made and not coming from a drum machine or something. Plus the way they end the last solo on the song "Fury of the Storm" with some kind of guitar sound effect that sounds like it comes from the game Pac-Man when you die, that brings a smile to my face every single time. But then again I'm pretty easy to please as far as metal goes.

Seriously, if anyone knows of any band that plays as fast or faster than these guys let me know because I don't know that much about power metal and would love to hear someone try to race these guys.

I think new Helloween almost gets it. Check out "Just a Little Sign" from Rabbit Don't Come Easy, also it's video is hilarious!