Dragonforce | Guitar World

DragonForce’s Herman Li is one of power metal’s most outrageous shredders – put your playing through the fire and flames with this lesson in his videogame-inspired soloing style

By Charlie Griffiths published 6 November 23

Melodically OTT, technically on point even when on the trampoline or underwater, Li is one of shred guitar’s greatest showmen

Legend of Zelda-inspired fret-burner gallops and drunken bends: This week's essential guitar tracks

By Matt Owen published 20 October 23

Usher in the weekend with must-hear cuts from Brittany Howard, Dead Poet Society, Kurt Vile, DragonForce, IDLES and more

Manual Gardner Fernandes of Unprocessed playing guitar in the Thrash music video

“A moment for modern guitar playing” that reaches new technical heights and Spinal Tap’s antidote to the Barbie hype: this week’s essential guitar tracks

By Matt Owen published 15 September 23

Hot new cuts courtesy of Unprocessed, Derek Smalls, Meet Me @ The Altar, Wargasm, While She Sleeps, Erja Lyytinen, Wilco, Big Thief and more

Watch DragonForce’s Herman Li shred underwater as he goes Through the Fire and the Flames – and a water slide – to end up in a hot-tub

By Jonathan Horsley published 23 March 23

The DragonForce shredder and bassist Alicia Vigil donned masks and snorkels and turned power metal into a water sport during their set at the 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise 2023

Herman Li explains why more rock musicians should be getting into online content creation

By Matt Owen published 27 July 22

The DragonForce maestro, who is active on Twitch and YouTube, says having a social media side hustle provides more than just a secondary income

Herman Li and Paul Reed Smith playing guitar onstage

Watch Herman Li and Paul Reed Smith trade licks at a DragonForce show

By Matt Owen published 27 April 22

The pair shared the stage with Li's bandmate Sam Totman and Master Sword's Kojo Kamya for a bluegrass arrangement of Flatt & Scruggs' Randy Lynn Rag

Watch the moment a crew member fails to catch Herman Li's guitar after he throws it across the stage

By Sam Roche published 19 April 22

The DragonForce guitarist appears to be attempting a guitar swap, but painfully miscalculates the distance of the throw

Herman Li reveals Guitar Hero paid DragonForce “barely any money” for Through the Fire and Flames

By Sam Roche published 5 April 22

But he says the exposure was invaluable at a time when “guitar music wasn't really that popular”

Steve Stevens teams up with Herman Li for Jason Becker fundraiser jam

By Matt Owen published 9 November 21

The pair pulled out all the stops during a virtual jam session, before partaking in the customary blindfold shred challenge

DragonForce unleash their inner ‘80s glam in new video for Strangers, featuring Steve Vai’s Whitesnake guitar

By Matt Owen published 26 October 21

Herman Li said he “almost cried” when he was handed Vai’s Whitesnake and David Lee Roth-era axes, which feature heavily in the cheesy new video for DragonForce’s 2019 Extreme Power Metal track

Tim Henson playing Jason Becker's Peavey JB24 Numbers electric guitar

Watch Tim Henson improvise with Herman Li using Jason Becker’s original prototype Peavey Numbers guitar

By Matt Owen published 17 June 21

The pair teamed up to trade licks in the latest installment of the Jason Becker fundraiser livestream event, which has raised nearly $250,000 so far

Herman Li offers Phoebe Bridgers one of his signature guitars for her next axe smash: "Next time, make sure it's a $3,000 guitar"

By Matt Owen published 17 February 21

"Phoebe, if you're listening, let me know. Let's get you a real guitar to smash up"

Herman Li of Dragonforce performs on stage during their ?The Power Within? world tour at Rock City on October 3, 2012 in Nottingham, United Kingdom

Herman Li responds to criticism that shredders “don't have any feel or emotion in their music”

By Richard Bienstock published 17 December 20

“I like playing fast because I find it exciting,” the DragonForce virtuoso tells Music Is Win

Herman Li asks Misha Mansoor: what is djent?

By Richard Bienstock published 1 July 20

The Periphery guitarist explains the sound, and why people think he created it

Dear Guitar Hero - DragonForce's Herman Li answers your questions: "I am a specialist in my own weird guitar sound"

By Mark McStea published 6 March 20

The shredder on the band's latest album Extreme Power Metal, his favorite EVH solo and how he developed his mind-bending sweep-picking ability

5 fresh guitar songs you need to hear this week

By Guitar World Staff published 30 August 19

This week, we're bringing you everything from a teeth-baring epic from indie stalwarts Big Thief to 5 Seconds of Summer's unlikely collaboration with a six-string legend

DragonForce Detail New Studio Album, ‘Extreme Power Metal,’ Share First Single

By Richard Bienstock published 30 July 19

Listen to “Highway to Oblivion” now.

DragonForce Announce New North American and U.K. Tour Dates

By Richard Bienstock published 9 July 19

British shred outfit are currently in the studio recording their eighth album.

DragonForce’s Herman Li Auctioning Off One-of-a-Kind Ibanez Prototype

By Richard Bienstock published 22 May 19

The guitarist has used the instrument in the studio and onstage with the band.

Watch DragonForce's Herman Li Play a Guitar Solo While Snorkling Underwater

By Richard Bienstock published 10 September 18

The guitarist used a special customized waterproof Ibanez for the performance.