Let’s see now… where do I begin to talk about this band?! That is how much high praise I have for them. They’re not the best that is out there, by far. Their lyrics are incredibly cheeseball with overblown fantasy imagery, the music is almost always played at an blistering pace (anything overdone gets boring, even when extreme) and almost every song follows the same content structure.
However, it’s the spirit in which the music is done that I have such a love for. Despite some of the song titles, it’s just in-your-face, happy-go-lucky, let’s-go-slay-evildoers-while-wearing-a-cheerful-grin-and-afterwards-sit-back-and-chug-a-tankard-of-ale type music. Like I said, they may not be the best, but they play with a ferocity and conviction that is just mind-blowing to this hyphen-loving music listener. The drummer plays as if he’s trying to power the Space Shuttle’s engines with his legs alone! The guitarists seem like they’re both trying to mow down a Sequoia forest with their brand of shredding. The keyboardist even interjects with some cross-pollination of rock and techno phrasing that somehow works for their music. Oh, and the singer is surprisingly clean-voiced for music that requires power vocals, but he pulls off that job as well, albeit a but grating at times. The only low point of the group is the bass. I’m sure the bass player is good, too… but you can barely hear it in the mix! I’m sure he’s in there somewhere supporting his guitarists, and you can hear him clearly in some parts of the album, but his bass needs to be more towards the front of the mix.
A bit about the songs before I go into detail. Many of them (if not all!) have the same formula, as I pointed out earlier. However, that’s not to say they don’t make things interesting nonetheless! Some reviewers have slammed DragonForce, saying that “once you’ve heard one song, you’ve pretty much heard them all.” Well, if your listening with half an ear then, yes, they do sound the same. However, I’m one listener that loves detail in music… and they put loads of little touches and details in each song, besides using different keys and such. They make every song sound different with all the little things they put in there, and that’s what puts a big smile on my face when I hear these details. Plus, they’re big on re-creating video game sounds and using those as musical tools in almost every song. As one reviewer pointed out (and I agree wholeheartedly!), Metal and Video Games are like Chocolate and Peanut Butter… and this album is like one big Reese’s Cup! With all that being said, I’ll try to keep my song synopsis brief, seeing as they cram so much content in each one.
Through The Fire And Flames: Ah, the song that made many Guitar Hero players sit there slack-jawed in disbelief. Like many of the songs they’ve composed, this one has some special touches that seem to pop out at the listener. At 2:13, they provide a bit of a breather for your ears before spanking them some more a few seconds later. At 4:58, listen for what sounds like a Super Mario Bros. super-growth sound!
Revolution Deathsquad: If you thought that TTFAF was their tour-de-force for the album, this song will prove you dead wrong! “Revolution Deathsquad” is arguably the shining gem on Inhuman Rampage. If I had a 6-star GIF, I’d have put it up for this masterpiece! There are just too many good things going on in this song and it all flies at you with the speed and power of a japanese bullet-train! The section from 3:17 to 3:36 has the keyboard taking center stage with some awesome riffing between it and the guitars. Also of note is the use of two other vocal effects for every instance of the bridge, with the second one bringing a bone chilling techno-climax to the song at 7:11. I’m a sucker for over-the-top endings, and this one delivers all too well!
Storming The Burning Fields: More face-ripping speed, along with a good sing-along chorus. Not as breathtaking as the last song, but a good track nonetheless. There’s a very interesting interlude at 2:47, with some triplet riffing at 3:12. Watch for that Super Mario sound again at 3:28!
Operation: Ground And Pound: A mid-tempo (for DragonForce!) intro let’s you know to prepare for takeoff. This is their all-around great-but-not-totally-overwhelming song in the first half of the album, and as such was probably perfect for a video treatment. Watch the video, as it has some cool and funny moments in it! However, the song on the album has a great interlude, from 4:20 to 5:13, that was cut in the video version.
Body Breakdown: After the initial intro and subsequent blast-beat shredding, lasting for a little over thirty seconds, were treated to a different sound in the opening verse, full of drums and keyboard effects, with light guitar added for great effect! It’s moments like this song presents that make me wonder about the reviewers who say stuff like “All the songs sound the same!”. Evidently, they’re not good listeners. Listen to the keyboardist and bassist having fun at the 4:12 to 4:33 mark! The ending is a real treat!
Cry For Eternity: Once you get a feel for DragonForce’s songs, you should have an idea of what the “typical” DF song sounds like. This is one such song, and as such, is the first average song of the bunch. Not bad for being more than halfway towards the end of the album! The middle section has some cool video-game-type feels to it (think of the legendary F-Zero!) that bump up my rating from three to four stars. The chorus is especially catchy!
The Flame Of Youth: The beginning reminds me of Iron Maiden. The middle section even has some egyptian-style riffing going on! 
The opening verse is a treat to listen to. In fact, the whole song seems designed for a crowd sing-along. By this time, though, one may find themselves being worn out by the sheer ferocity of the whole album.
Trail Of Broken Hearts: If you’ve heard their last album, you’ll recognize this as the typical majestic DragonForce ballad. In fact, it’s so typical, that you may just wave your lighter up high out of sheer impulse! Refer back to what I said in the last track; they probably should have put this song in the middle of the album for that much-needed breather! However, it’s not as good as “Dawn Of A New World” from their last album. Still, it’s a decent way to end a great album, albeit a bit anticlimatic.
And there you have it… Whew!! DragonForce may not be for everyone, but for those who like power and speed along with cheesiness and a bit of off-the-wall goofiness in their metal music, this album will definitely fit the need very nicely! Oh… and please, whatever you do, don’t listen to this album while driving. Doing so will virtually guarantee you loads of speeding tickets like the one I just paid out the nose for!
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