Reaching into Infinity

The album was written largely by Sam Totman and Frédéric Leclercq,{{cite web|title=DragonForce Reveal Details of New Album|url=http://www.dragonforce.com/2017/02/08/dragonforce-reveal-details-of-new-album-2/|work=DragonForce's official website|date=9 February 2017|accessdate=10 February 2017}} with Vadim Pruzhanov contributing to one song and Marc Hudson contributing to some of the lyrics.{{cite web|title=DragonForce about "Reaching Into Infinity" - Part 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkrCeXzXIYk|website=earMUSIC official channel|via=YouTube|accessdate=25 May 2017|format=video|date=22 May 2017}}

Leclercq stated he listens more to traditional heavy metal, thrash metal, death metal, black metal and progressive metal than he listens to power metal, which is why the album sounds different from the band's previous efforts.{{cite web|title=Interview with Frédéric Leclercq of Dragonforce 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lvNs3OMLzc|website=The Classic Metal Show|accessdate=10 July 2017|date=28 April 2017}} When asked about Leclercq's songwriting work and the possible influence of his extreme metal side project Sinsaenum, Herman Li stated, "We try to make use of everyone's skills, which is something we didn’t do much at the beginning of the band. I don't think Sinsaenum made too much of a difference, because there are still so many ideas we haven't been able to put into Dragonforce yet, and if you introduce too many new ideas you lose focus. [...]"{{cite web|last1=Rees|first1=Adam|title=Five minutes alone with DragonForce's Herman Li|url=http://teamrock.com/feature/2017-06-27/five-minutes-alone-with-dragonforces-herman-li|website=Metal Hammer|accessdate=10 July 2017|date=29 June 2017}} The band at first wanted to have a guest for the harsh vocals, but they eventually had Hudson give it a try and they were happy with the result.

Li described the album as their "most diverse" one and also as "escapist", saying people are supposed to listen to it to temporarily get away from the "craziness of the world".{{cite web|title=DragonForce about "Reaching Into Infinity" - Part 1|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMFpLINi-Ns|website=earMUSIC official channel|via=YouTube|accessdate=25 May 2017|format=video|date=17 May 2017}} The album title was conceived to be a reference to how the band wish their music to take people from anywhere to any time.{{cite web|last1=Issler|first1=Philipp|title=Dragonforce Interview mit Sam Totman und Herman Li zu drachenstarker Musik|url=http://www.metal.de/interviews/interview-mit-sam-totman-und-herman-li-zu-reaching-into-infinity-249382/|website=Metal.de|accessdate=26 May 2017|language=German|date=19 May 2017}}

Reaching into Infinity is the band's longest studio album at 60:46. The album also features the band's longest song, at 11 minutes and 3 seconds, in "The Edge of the World". When asked about the inspiration for writing that song, Totman explained they had the idea from the title track of Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Hudson said that the song centres around the poem Epic of Gilgamesh.{{Cite news|url=http://bravewords.com/news/dragonforces-marc-hudson-discusses-epic-the-edge-of-the-world-its-basically-about-the-epic-of-gilgamesh|title=DRAGONFORCE's Marc Hudson Discusses Epic "The Edge Of The World" – "It's Basically About The Epic Of Gilgamesh"|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en-US}} Li also explained that "Silence" was written about a friend of Leclercq who committed suicide.

Li explained that the portal in the middle of the album's cover is a wormhole, symbolizing the energy of the band's music and the idea that people from anywhere in the world can reach different times through it, emphasising the album's escapist vibe. He also explained that the dragon in the cover represented the band's spirit.

The album was recorded at a number of locations, including Fascination Street Studios, in Sweden; Lamerluser Studios, in London, United Kingdom; Dark Lane Studios, in Witney, United Kingdom; Evil1 Studios, in Charleville-Mézières, France; and Shredforce One Studios, in California, United States.(2017). "Reaching into Infinity liner notes (Japanese edition)". In Reaching into Infinity [CD booklet]. JVC. Instead of reserving some time to work exclusively on the album from beginning to end, the band intercalated studio commitments with their touring legs. Leclercq commented:

{{cquote|We were flying out, playing a festival, then back into the studio, then back out again. It was very intense and very tiring... [I] lost my temper a few times – I think we all did at some point, because we wanted to deliver nothing but the best. I think we have proven that playing fast was something we were good at, so this time I wanted to bring even more diversity into our music. It's great to challenge ourselves instead of staying in a comfort zone.}}

{{Track listing

| title1 = Reaching into Infinity

| lyrics1 = Instrumental

| music1 = Leclercq

| length1 = 1:25

| title2 = Ashes of the Dawn

| lyrics2 = Leclercq

| music2 = Leclercq

| length2 = 4:33

| title3 = Judgement Day

| lyrics3 = Sam Totman

| music3 = {{hlist|Totman|Pruzhanov}}

| length3 = 6:13

| title4 = Astral Empire

| lyrics4 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}}

| music4 = Leclercq

| length4 = 5:24

| title5 = Curse of Darkness

| lyrics5 = Leclercq

| music5 = Leclercq

| length5 = 5:35

| title6 = Silence

| lyrics6 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Hudson}}

| music6 = Leclercq

| length6 = 4:50

| title7 = Midnight Madness

| lyrics7 = Totman

| music7 = Totman

| length7 = 6:21

| title8 = WAR!

| lyrics8 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Hudson}}

| music8 = Leclercq

| length8 = 5:19

| title9 = Land of Shattered Dreams

| lyrics9 = Hudson

| music9 = {{hlist|Totman|Leclercq}}

| length9 = 4:59

| title10 = The Edge of the World

| lyrics10 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Hudson|Totman}}

| music10 = Leclercq

| length10 = 11:03

| title11 = Our Final Stand

| lyrics11 = {{hlist|Leclercq|Hudson}}

| music11 = Leclercq

| length11 = 5:04

| total_length = 60:46

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Special edition bonus tracks

| title12 = Hatred and Revenge

| lyrics12 = Totman

| music12 = Totman

| length12 = 5:26

| title13 = Evil Dead

| note13 = Death cover

| lyrics13 = Chuck Schuldiner

| music13 = Schuldiner

| length13 = 3:21

| total_length = 69:33

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese bonus track

| title14 = Gloria

| lyrics14 = Juichi Morishige

| music14 = Morishige

| note14 = ZIGGY cover{{cite web|url=http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/WPCR-17718|title=CDJapan : Reaching Into Infinity [Regular Edition] [Japan Bonus Track] Dragonforce CD Album|publisher=CDJapan}}

| length14 = 5:01

| total_length = 74:34

}}

The special edition of the album also included a bonus DVD containing footage of the band's performance at Woodstock Festival Poland in 2016, available in a single angle and four camera multi-angles. It was also distributed individually in digital stores.{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/dragonforce-live-at-woodstock-festival/8d6kgwxc8h3s/0016|title=Microsoft store: Dragonforce: Live at Woodstock Festival|publisher=Microsoft}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Live at Woodstock Festival (Special edition bonus live DVD)

| extra_column = Original album

| title1 = Holding On

| extra1 = The Power Within (2012)

| length1 = 6:36

| title2 = Heroes of Our Time

| extra2 = Ultra Beatdown (2008)

| length2 = 9:11

| title3 = Operation Ground and Pound

| extra3 = Inhuman Rampage (2006)

| length3 = 7:50

}}

Credits adapted from the band's website.{{cite web|title=Reaching Into Infinity|url=https://dragonforce.com/release/reaching-into-infinity/|work=dragonforce.com|date=23 February 2019 |accessdate=27 September 2019}}

Band members

• Marc Hudson – lead and backing vocals
• Sam Totman – guitars, backing vocals
• Herman Li – guitars, backing vocals
• Frédéric Leclercq – bass, guitars, backing vocals, guitar solo on "The Edge of the World" and "Our Final Stand"{{cite web|url=http://cadiesart.com/gallery/cdpackaging/DragonForce_ReachingIntoInfinityCD.php#artDragonForce|title=DragonForce - Reaching Into Infinity CD|work=CadiesArt|access-date=18 September 2018}}
• Vadim Pruzhanov – keyboards, backing vocals
• Gee Anzalone – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Clive Nolan – backing vocals
• Emily Ovenden – backing vocals
• Dagge Hagelin – battle choirs
• Ronny Milianowicz – battle choirs, marching snare drum on "Reaching into Infinity"
• André Alvinzi – additional keyboards and programming
• Francesco Paoli and Francesco Ferrini (MIDAS Productions) and Jon Phipps – orchestration

Technical staff

• Jens Bogren – production, mixing on all regular edition tracks
• Johan Örnborg – mixing on special edition bonus tracks
• Tony Lindgren – mastering
• Linus Corneliusson – edition, mixing assistance
• Viktor Stenquist – additional engineering
• Ludwig Näsvall – studio drum technician

|-

! scope="row"| New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2017-05-26|title=NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=29 May 2017|access-date=May 31, 2024}}

| 9

|-

{{album chart|Scotland|29|date=20170526|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|Switzerland|24|artist=DragonForce|album=Reaching into Infinity|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|UK2|69|date=20170526|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|UKIndependent|9|date=20170526|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|UKRock|6|date=20170526|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|11|artist=DragonForce|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}

|}

{{reflist}}

{{DragonForce}}

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Category:2017 albums

Category:DragonForce albums

Category:Metal Blade Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Jens Bogren