DRAGONFORCE Guitarist Says Band Has Yet To Choose New Lead Singer

DJ Marco Garavelli of the Italian web site LineaRock conducted an interview with Herman Li, guitarist, songwriter and producer of the Grammy-nominated British extreme epic power metal band DRAGONFORCE, in late November during Li's Italian clinic tour.

When asked about DRAGONFORCE's split with lead singer ZP Theart and the band's search for a replacement, Herman said, "The split with the singer, I can't talk too much about it yet. We'd love to tell the fans... I know a lot of fans have been asking us... And we don't wanna keep silent that long, but it has to be the right time before we can explain the reasons, so they have to be patient with us, hopefully, the fans, a bit more. And we're still working with trying out different singers to see which [one] best fits into DRAGONFORCE. Because it's a big thing having someone in the band; it's like family, you can't just let someone in so easily. It's hard work and they have to be travelling around the world; it's not so easy."

Herman Li interview (audio):

Video footage of Li's November 25, 2010 clinic at Dragon Music in Forli, Italy can be viewed below.

DRAGONFORCE's first live album, "Twilight Dementia", was released on September 13 via Spinefarm Records (Europe) and Roadrunner Records (U.S., Canada). The double live set was produced by longstanding DRAGONFORCE collaborator Karl Groom, along with band guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman. Records (Europe) and Roadrunner Records (U.S., Canada).

Featuring 13 tracks, including such pivotal numbers as "Fury Of The Storm", "Operation Ground And Pound", "My Spirit Will Go On", "Valley Of The Damned", "Heroes Of Our Time" and "Through The Fire And Flames", this exercise in soaring vocals and advanced guitar pyrotechnics was recorded across 19 U.K. shows, with the very best takes lovingly compiled and mixed by Groom, Totman and Li.

Formed in 1999, DRAGONFORCE – a multi-national amalgam of players at the very top of their game — has spent the past decade proving that virtuoso musicianship and strong songwriting values can appeal to rock fans right across the board; it's a journey that has seen the band playing sold-out headline shows around the world, including in markets as far afield as China, Hawaii, New Zealand, Russia and Colombia, forging a telling relationship with the "Guitar Hero" franchise, and tucking four strong studio albums under its collective belt, with sales currently topping the two-million mark worldwide.

DRAGONFORCE's latest album, 2008's "Ultra Beatdown", sold 24,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 18 on The Billboard 200 chart.

DRAGONFORCE had its first two studio albums — "Valley Of The Damned" and "Sonic Firestorm" — reissued on February 22, 2010 via Spinefarm Records U.K. Both titles were made available with updated packaging and bonus audio/DVD content, some of it exclusive to these releases.

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