AMG Review of Twilight Dementia: Live

Gregory Heaney
All Music Guide

Not ones for subtlety, metal virtuosos Dragonforce storm straight from the stage and into your ears like a tornado made of broken guitar strings and shredded picks with the double live album Twilight Dementia. Since this is a live recording, the sound feels a little thin, but everything else is in place with the main attraction being shredmasters Herman Li and Sam Totman, who perform like a pair of Old West trick shooters, constantly outdoing one another in guitar combat. The fun doesn’t end there, though. With liner notes that read like a technical rider, fans looking for a glimpse behind the scenes will enjoy pouring over the detailed list of equipment used by the band, as well as the specifics of the sound and lighting systems. If you’re not already on board with Dragonforce, the extra bombast of their live show probably isn’t going to win you over, but if you’re among those who just can’t seem to get enough of their well beyond over the top musical antics, Twilight Dementia will certainly satisfy.