Perennial Quest

Whoa, I didn’t think they had it in them, but in just one year, Dragonforce release an EP chock full of those rich melodies and enthusiastic, over the top performances that we once knew and loved (or hated?) them for. Extreme Power Metal showed that, when push comes to shove, they still have it right where it counts. With Perennial Quest, you bet your ass they’re maintaining that momentum. There are so many moments that remind me of their past glory that I’m convinced that there was some crazy voodoo black magic shit going on in the studio while writing and recording this album. The lack of restraint in their playing, coupled with the melodies permeating from their compositions, positively scream Sonic Firestorm. The old Dragonforce is truly back on this one!

Aaaaaaand it’s just now occurred to me that this isn’t Dragonforce, but actually, a band called Perennial Quest. To be fair, many of the licks, the leads, the extended solos, the riffs and the overall soaring compositions lead to songs that wouldn’t be out of place on Sonic Firestorm or Inhuman Rampage. Performances that don’t know the meaning of the word restraint – yeah, Perennial Quest sure love their Dragonforce. Thankfully, it’s a loving tribute at worst, and a bonafide slab of highly energetic power metal at best. Just one whiff of “Twisted Circuits” is enough to get you hooked. Yeah, the melodies are so sugar-laden that even a singular note will give you diabetes, but it’s got that same addicting quality to it that keeps you listening.

Thankfully, it’s not a case of the first song carrying the rest of the EP, since “The Immortal Sons” is just as intense; nor is it even a one-note EP. “Beyond the Light” doesn’t just slow things down because they ran out of energy. Hell, despite this sort of fast sort of mid-pace throughout much of the song, the riffs are still caked with enough energy to power a third world village, all topped off with some extra sweet melodicism. Even when they slow it down, it’s expertly used to build up towards the hyperkinetic soloing. The lead-drenched finale, “Nightmare Horizon”, has mid-fast-paced riffs with some real pumped-up kicks behind them. From there, the song soars higher than Mt Everest’s peak, ending the album on a Cheech and Chong-level high.

That being said, “Twisted Circuits” and “The Immortal Sons” are the better songs here since they’re basically coked-up power metal joints while “Beyond the Light” and “Nightmare Horizon” are a tad more subdued. Just a tiny little bit. However, it says more about how good the faster songs are than anything else. The vocals also don’t quite match the energy nor scale of the performances. I dunno, it just seems like only ZP Theart got it right. But to Tony DiBiase’s credit, he’s not without trying, especially as seen in moments during “The Immortal Sons” where he’s wailing with the chorus. It’s just that the guitars and percussion stand so tall that the vocals don’t come across quite so strongly.

Basically, if you like Dragonforce, you already like this, and that’s all you need to know.