Photo Credit: Eplixs
In the wake of this year, we saw DragonForce on their North American tour and a last-minute addition to 70000 Tons of Metal. They are back at it again; this time, they’ve signed to Napalm Records and announced their new album, Warp Speed Warriors, which is scheduled to arrive in March 2024. With a new chapter on the horizon, the group has also enlisted a fresh lineup of supporting acts, including Edge Of Paradise, Nanowar of Steel, and Amaranthe. We caught the trek on Friday, October 27, 2023, at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida.
Edge of Paradise
Photo Credit: Eplixs
Los Angeles hard rockers Edge of Paradise opened the stage, acquainting the crowd with their new album, Hologram, released earlier this year. Maintaining their vibrant stage energy, Edge of Paradise seized a significant opportunity on this tour to demonstrate their style transcends to heavier beats, not just on record but also onstage. In addition to their latest effort, the group predominantly showcased songs from their last two records, concluding with “Basilisc” and “The Unknown.”
Nanowar of Steel
Photo Credit: Eplixs
Next up were Italy’s Nanowar of Steel, injecting their humorous disdain for fake metal into the mix. Known for their comedic approach to power metal clichés, as heard in their latest release, Dislike To False Metal, these power metal giants recently celebrated their twentieth anniversary and brought the after-party to their first-ever North American tour. With a commemorating performance that blended parody and a touch of chaos, Nanowar of Steel had the crowd enjoying their tunes, including “Uranus,” “Norwegian Rageaton,” and “Valhalleluja,” all accompanied by numerous entertaining costume changes.
Amaranthe
Photo Credit: Eplixs
Following the anthemic tune on becoming a superhero, akin to Thor hammering away at building IKA furniture, Nanowar of Steel and the crowd-surfed furniture bid farewell just in time to transition to a pop-melo-death realm with Swedish outfit Amaranthe. Like Dragonforce, Amaranthe are gearing up for their new album, The Catalyst, set to arrive on February 23rd, 2024, via Nuclear Blast Records. Despite the upcoming album, the group had abundant material to share, presenting their more pop-oriented direction, or one might even consider it pop-melo-death. With three vocalists seamlessly blending their voices, they performed songs like “Viral,” “Digital World,” “Hunger,” “The Nexus,” and “Amaranthe,” getting the crowd moving and warming up for the main act.
Dragonforce
Photo Credit: Eplixs
DragonForce, as usual, brought loads of energy and interacted with the crowd. However, having seen them three times in the past year and a half, this show seemed tamer. That feeling persisted even as I watched Alicia Vigil attempt to reach the circle pit with a bass in a fully booked venue. At the same time, it’s unrealistic to expect every DragonForce show to conclude with Herman Li jumping into a hot tub with a guitar, as they did at the last edition of 70000 Tons of Metal.
Photo Credit: Eplixs
They played a few songs from their upcoming album, Warp Speed Warriors, including “The Last Dragonborn” and “Power of Triforce.” The latter’s performance was accompanied by a plush chicken tossed into the crowd, along with a challenge for Orlando fans to help the flightless bird reach the second floor. The crowd delivered on more than one occasion, promptly returning the bird to the band after the song for the bird and Dragonforce, together, to continue their journey across North America.
Photo Credit: Eplixs
New songs were mixed with old classics, including the fan-favorite staple, a cover of Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” Throughout the entire show, fans never lost their enthusiasm or energy. They continued to sing along with every chorus, headbang to every riff, and kept throwing bodies into the circle pit. Ultimately, it was another fantastic show and my first time covering a band at the House of Blues, a great venue. The only drawback was its location in the middle of Disney Springs. As soon as the band finished playing at 11:30, there wasn’t a single open restaurant or pub within walking distance to grab a snack or a drink with the rest of the fans.
Dragonforce Gallery
Photo Credit: Eplixs
