DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage (2006)

By the time of their third album, DragonForce was falling more and more into that heavy metal sin of popularity (the opening single "Through The Fire And Flames" even got onto Guitar Hero) - indeed, it was probably through this one that many fans were introduced to them.  If so, they would not have experienced the feeling of over-familiarity that could threaten to engulf the listener who had been with them from the beginning.
Again, there is speed, which is great. It would be DragonNotQuiteSoForceful otherwise. There are also the furious guitar solo battles between Herman Li and Sam Totman. And I mean battles.  It's so over the top in "Revolution Deathsquad", it's like each one doesn't want the other to have the last word.
And with all this are the melodies, and here lies part of the problem.  By now, the listener (those who have been with them from the beginning) can virtually pick how the choruses are going to go, from beginning to the - pause - last few woooooorrrdddsssss. Even the key changes are sign posted.
But added to this are the limited song structures. The band got immediate critism for sounding repetitive on their debut VALLEY OF THE DAMNED, but there's more variety there than here. It's almost as if DragonForce were aware of their growing fame, and wanted to play it as safely as possible.
The one notable difference from their first two albums is the ballad. Rather than putting it at 'half time', to give us a break from the lightning fury of the other songs, it's left to the end.  But it almost seems like they said to each other 'look, fellas, we need to do something different here. I know, let's put "Trail Of Broken Hearts" after everything else. That'll throw 'em'.  Oh, there are also moments of harsh vocals, although they're rare, and hard to pick (or maybe they just seem rare because they're hard to pick). Then there are the lyrics, which are full of eternities and fighting evil and whatnot, but really seem to say nothing at all.
Now having said all this, I still like Inhuman Rampage, because I just cannot help but be a sucker for the ferocity and the melodies, unimaginative as they might be becoming.  And there's something about the whole unabashed way these boys go about their business that is undeniably impressive.  They really do love what they do.
But the fact remains that, after such a brilliant start, they're stuck in a rut, and going backwards as a result.  Surely they can do more with the talent they have.

***1/2