# Maximum Overload > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maximum_Overload > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maximum_Overload.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Overload > Source revision: 1351315993 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox album | name = Maximum Overload | type = studio | artist = [DragonForce](/source/DragonForce) | cover = DragonForce-Maximum-Overload.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|df=yes|2014|8|18}} | recorded = July 2013 – March 2014 | studio = Fascination Street Studios in [Örebro](/source/%C3%96rebro), Sweden | genre = {{hlist|[Power metal](/source/Power_metal)|[speed metal](/source/speed_metal)}} | length = 49:33
76:14 (special edition) | label = [earMUSIC](/source/Edel_AG) (Europe)
[Metal Blade Records](/source/Metal_Blade_Records) (North America)
3Wise (Australia)
[JVC Victor](/source/JVC_Victor) (Japan) | producer = [Jens Bogren](/source/Jens_Bogren) | prev_title = [The Power Within](/source/The_Power_Within_(album)) | prev_year = 2012 | next_title = [In the Line of Fire... Larger than Live](/source/In_the_Line_of_Fire..._Larger_than_Live) | next_year = 2015 | misc = {{Singles | name = Maximum Overload | type = studio | single1 = [The Game](/source/The_Game_(DragonForce_song)) | single1date = 18 June 2014 | single2 = [Ring of Fire](/source/Ring_of_Fire_(song)) | single2date = 7 August 2014{{cite web|title=Ring of Fire CD Single|url=https://www.discogs.com/Dragonforce-Ring-Of-Fire/release/7281579|work=[Apple Music](/source/Apple_Music)|accessdate=12 November 2017}} }} }} {{Music ratings | MC = 71/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/maximum-overload/dragonforce |title=Reviews for Maximum Overload by Dragonforce |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=2014-08-21}} |rev1 = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Heaney |first=Gregory |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/maximum-overload-mw0002682340 |title=Dragonforce - Maximum Overload |publisher=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)| accessdate=2014-09-08}} |rev2 = ''[Alternative Press](/source/Alternative_Press_(music_magazine))'' |rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}} |rev3 = ''[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)'' |rev3score = {{Rating|8|10}}{{cite web |last=Van Horn, Jr. |first=Ray |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/maximum-overload/ |title=Dragonforce - "Maximum Overload" |website=[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)|date=8 September 2014 | accessdate=2014-09-08}} |rev4 = ''[Exclaim](/source/Exclaim)'' |rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}} |rev5 = ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' |rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}} |rev6 = ''[Kerrang!](/source/Kerrang!)'' |rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}} }} '''''Maximum Overload''''' is the sixth studio album by British [power metal](/source/power_metal) band [DragonForce](/source/DragonForce), which was released in Europe on 18 August 2014, and in North America the next day. [Trivium](/source/Trivium_(band)) vocalist [Matt Heafy](/source/Matt_Heafy) contributed backing vocals on three songs, including the album's first single, "[The Game](/source/The_Game_(DragonForce_song))".{{cite web|title=DragonForce To Release 'Maximum Overload' In August|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dragonforce-to-release-maximum-overload-in-august/|work=[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)|accessdate=9 May 2014|date=31 March 2014}} The album was produced by [Jens Bogren](/source/Jens_Bogren), marking the first time the band decided not to record in their own studio and with an outside producer. The album was released in three versions: standard physical or digital CD, special edition physical or digital CD (with five bonus tracks and a bonus DVD), and vinyl. It is also the last DragonForce album to feature drummer Dave Mackintosh, who announced his departure from the band on 3 June 2014, and was subsequently replaced by Gee Anzalone.{{cite web|title=DragonForce Parts Ways With Drummer DAVE MACKINTOSH, Announces Replacement|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dragonforce-parts-ways-with-drummer-dave-mackintosh-announces-replacement/|website=[Blabbermouth.net](/source/Blabbermouth.net)|accessdate=3 June 2014|date=3 June 2014}} == Concept and recording == The album saw guitarist [Sam Totman](/source/Sam_Totman) co-writing songs with bassist Frédéric Leclercq{{cite web|last=Gillicker|first=Hannah|title=Music Interview: DragonForce|url=http://www.bringthenoiseuk.com/201306/music/interviews/music-interview-dragonforce|work=Bring the Noise|accessdate=10 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512230819/http://www.bringthenoiseuk.com/201306/music/interviews/music-interview-dragonforce|archive-date=12 May 2014|url-status=dead}} who, due to his [thrash](/source/thrash_metal) and [prog](/source/Progressive_metal) tastes, expects the album to sound "a bit more diverse". Guitarist Herman Li explained that the album's title and artwork were inspired by "the constant bombardment of information we are subjected to during our daily lives": {{cquote|We were in an airport departure lounge surrounded by TV screens, flight information screens, and advertising screens. We then looked around and no one was saying a word, they were all looking at more screens on tablets, laptops and mobile phones. There's no escaping it; it's complete information overload!}} Totman said it also reflected the musical direction of the album:{{cite web|last1=Ramanand|first1=Elizabeth|title=Interview: Sam Totman of DragonForce|url=http://www.charged.fm/blog/post/5905/interview-sam-totman-of-dragonforce|website=Charged.com|accessdate=19 August 2014}} {{cquote|We were trying to come up with a title to try and describe the music, it's kind of like an overload of music, faster guitar playing and more of everything. The theme of the album is talking about our society and what it does at the moment – information on the internet and phone and absorbing a lot of this unnecessary stuff.}} == Song information == On 18 June 2014, German label Ear Music released the official video of the opening track "[The Game](/source/The_Game_(DragonForce_song))" which featured new drummer, Gee Anzalone, as Dave Mackintosh had departed before the video was made. The song also features Heafy's vocals. Herman Li recorded the solos of both this song and "City of Gold" aboard [Zoltan Bathory](/source/Zoltan_Bathory)'s yacht, off the coast of Los Angeles.{{cite web|last1=Fehl|first1=Zach|title=Interview: DragonForce's Herman Li and Sam Totman talk 'Maximum Overload,' touring plans, Babymetal|url=https://www.metalinsider.net/interviews/interview-dragonforces-herman-li-and-sam-totman-talk-maximum-overload-touring-plans-babymetal|website=Metal Insider|accessdate=10 August 2014|date=24 July 2014}} Inspired by [Sepultura](/source/Sepultura)'s ''[Beneath the Remains](/source/Beneath_the_Remains)'' and [Slayer](/source/Slayer)'s ''[Reign in Blood](/source/Reign_in_Blood)'', "The Game" is the fastest song ever performed by the band at 240 bpm, a record they had already broken in the [previous album](/source/The_Power_Within_(album)) with "Fallen World".{{cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Spencer|title=DragonForce Stream New Song 'Fallen World'|url=https://loudwire.com/dragonforce-new-song-fallen-world/|work=[Loudwire](/source/Loudwire)|accessdate=9 August 2014|date=20 February 2014}} According to Herman Li, after recording numerous takes for the "Three Hammers" solo, he couldn't decide which one to use.{{cite web|last1=sciarretto|first1=Amy|title=DragonForce: May the "Force" Be With You|url=https://arena.com/article/dragonforce-guitar-wizards-lead-by-herman-li-are-back|website=Arena.com|accessdate=10 August 2014|location=Greater London|date=30 July 2014|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810140250/https://arena.com/article/dragonforce-guitar-wizards-lead-by-herman-li-are-back|url-status=dead}} Because his dog always reacted with a "cute face" to the [pitch bending "Whammy effect"](/source/Vibrato_systems_for_guitar), Li had his pet listen to all takes and picked the one which made her do the cutest face. "Defenders", which also features Heafy on backing vocals, was the second single and the first song to be revealed via a demo version released via a video uploaded to DragonForce's official channel on 31 March 2014.{{cite web|last=Pasbani|first=Robert|title=Here's the New DRAGONFORCE Demo featuring TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/av/heres-the-new-dragonforce-demo-featuring-triviums-matt-heafy|work=Metal Injection|accessdate=10 May 2014|date=31 March 2014}} The official version of the song was premiered at ''[Loudwire](/source/Loudwire)''{{'}}s website on 16 June 2014.{{cite web|last1=Childers|first1=Chad|title=DragonForce, 'Defenders' – Exclusive Song Premiere|url=https://loudwire.com/dragonforce-defenders-exclusive-song-premiere/|website=[Loudwire](/source/Loudwire)|accessdate=23 July 2014|date=16 July 2014}} The newer version was also released as a single on the day after, on [iTunes](/source/iTunes). According to Herman Li, "Defenders" was one of the first songs from the album to be finished. He also explained that the idea for the song "was to create a contrast, by fusing some thrash metal style riffs with DragonForce's big epic choruses and high-speed twin guitars solos. Our friend Matt Heafy from Trivium helped us out with some aggressive backing vocals in the pre-choruses. In terms of lyrics, here we went for our classic fantasy approach similar to [our first album](/source/Valley_of_the_Damned)." The album features a cover of [Johnny Cash](/source/Johnny_Cash)'s "[Ring of Fire](/source/Ring_of_Fire_(song))", which premiered at ''[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)'' on 6 August 2014.{{cite web|last1=Heller|first1=Jason|title=Hear DragonForce make The Man In Black's "Ring Of Fire" metallic|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/hear-dragonforce-make-man-blacks-ring-fire-metalli-207780|website=[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)|accessdate=10 August 2014|date=6 August 2014}}{{cite web|last=Bowar|first=Chad|title=DragonForce Reveal 'Maximum Overload' Release Plans, Stream New Demo|url=https://loudwire.com/dragonforce-maximum-overload-release-date-stream-new-demo/|work=[Loudwire](/source/Loudwire)|accessdate=10 May 2014|date=31 March 2014}} According to Totman: {{cquote|Every band member wrote down three songs each and we compared them all, just for a laugh. I wrote down 'Ring of Fire' by Johnny Cash, an idea which the rest of the band loved, so we've DragonForce-ized it!}} The band has announced it as their first released cover, although they have re-recorded songs made by Totman under the name Shadow Warriors; "Strike of the Ninja" ("Feel the Fire") on 2008's ''[Ultra Beatdown](/source/Ultra_Beatdown)'' and "Power of the Ninja Sword" in their 2012 album ''[The Power Within](/source/The_Power_Within_(album))''. ''Maximum Overload'' itself features a third Shadow Warriors re-recording: "Fight to Be Free", available as a deluxe edition bonus track. The bonus track "Galactic Astro Domination" is a remix of a short instrumental song originally recorded by DragonForce for a [Capital One](/source/Capital_One) commercial featured on [YouTube](/source/YouTube). In the video, guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are performing the song on an asteroid in space while using Capital One's Mobile Banking App. == Track listing == The special edition physical copy of the album contained a bonus DVD with a documentary on the making of the album, ''A New Found Force'', as well as a live performance of the song ''Cry Thunder'', from their previous album ''[The Power Within](/source/The_Power_Within_(album))'', at the Loud Park 2012 festival. {{Track listing | title1 = [The Game](/source/The_Game_(DragonForce_song)) | lyrics1 = {{hlist|[Sam Totman](/source/Sam_Totman)|[Marc Hudson](/source/Marc_Hudson)}} | music1 = {{hlist|[Frédéric Leclercq](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Leclercq)|Totman}} | length1 = 4:56 | title2 = Tomorrow's Kings | lyrics2 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | music2 = Totman | length2 = 4:13 | title3 = No More | lyrics3 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman|Vadim Pruzhanov}} | music3 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | length3 = 3:50 | title4 = Three Hammers | lyrics4 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | music4 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | length4 = 5:50 | title5 = Symphony of the Night | lyrics5 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | music5 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | length5 = 5:19 | title6 = The Sun Is Dead | lyrics6 = Leclercq | music6 = Leclercq | length6 = 6:34 | title7 = Defenders | lyrics7 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | music7 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | length7 = 5:47 | title8 = Extraction Zone | lyrics8 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | music8 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | length8 = 5:06 | title9 = City of Gold | lyrics9 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | music9 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | length9 = 4:43 | title10 = [Ring of Fire](/source/Ring_of_Fire_(song)) | note10 = [Johnny Cash](/source/Johnny_Cash) cover | lyrics10 = {{hlist|[June Carter Cash](/source/June_Carter_Cash)|[Merle Kilgore](/source/Merle_Kilgore)}} | music10 = {{hlist|Cash|Kilgore}} | length10 = 3:15 | total_length = 49:33 }} {{Track listing | headline = Japanese edition bonus track | title11 = Summer's End|lyrics11=Leclercq |music11=Leclercq | note11 = track 14 on Japanese deluxe edition | length11 = 5:28 | total_length = 55:01 }} {{Track listing | headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks | title11 = Power and Glory | lyrics11 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Totman}} | music11 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}} | length11 = 5:06 | title12 = You're Not Alone | lyrics12 = {{hlist|Totman|Hudson}} | music12 = Totman | length12 = 4:38 | title13 = Chemical Interference | lyrics13 = Leclercq | music13 = Leclercq | length13 = 5:12 | title14 = Fight to Be Free|lyrics14=Totman |music14=Totman | note14 = moved to track 15 on Japanese deluxe edition | length14 = 4:45 | title15 = Galactic Astro Domination|lyrics15=''Instrumental'' |music15=Totman, [Herman Li](/source/Herman_Li) | note15 = Moved to track 16 on Japanese deluxe edition | length15 = 1:32 | total_length = 1:16:14 }} ===Notes=== "Fight to Be Free" is a re-recording of a song titled "Fight for Be Free" (sic), recorded by Totman and [ZP Theart](/source/ZP_Theart) under the name Shadow Warriors. ==Personnel== * Marc Hudson – lead and backing vocals * [Herman Li](/source/Herman_Li) – guitars, backing vocals * [Sam Totman](/source/Sam_Totman) – guitars, backing vocals * Dave Mackintosh – drums, percussion, backing vocals * Vadim Pruzhanov – keyboards, synthesizer, piano, backing vocals * [Frédéric Leclercq](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Leclercq) – bass guitar, guitars, backing vocals, guitar solos on "The Sun is Dead" and "Summer's End"{{cite AV media notes|author=DragonForce|author-link=DragonForce|date=18 August 2014|title=Maximum Overload|type=liner notes}} ===Additional musicians=== * [Matt Heafy](/source/Matt_Heafy) – guest vocals on "Defenders", "No More" and "The Game" * [Clive Nolan](/source/Clive_Nolan) – backing vocals * [Emily Ovenden](/source/Emily_Ovenden) – backing vocals == Charts == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"| Peak
position |- {{album chart|Australia|48|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Austria|46|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|128|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|91|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Finland|34|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|France|154|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Germany|20|id=251353|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Oricon|14|M|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/315487/products/1082881/1/|title=マキシマム・オーヴァーロード(初回限定DVD付スペシャル・エディション盤)|publisher=Oricon.co.jp|access-date=May 31, 2024|rowheader=true}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|42|date=20140824|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|44|artist=DragonForce|album=Maximum Overload|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UK2|44|date=20140824|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|8|date=20140824|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKRock|5|date=20140824|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|62|artist=DragonForce|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardHardRock|7|artist=DragonForce|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|9|artist=DragonForce|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}} |} == References == {{reflist}} {{DragonForce}} {{Authority control}} Category:2014 albums Category:DragonForce albums Category:Metal Blade Records albums Category:Albums produced by Jens Bogren --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maximum Overload](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Overload) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Overload?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.