Through the Fire and Flames
DragonForce, 2006, from Inhuman Rampage. Solo by Herman Li, Sam Totman.
A power-metal race of trade-off solos, sweeps and whammy effects, later made famous by Guitar Hero III.
Through the Fire and Flames is built for speed, and Herman Li and Sam Totman fill it with trade-off solos that push technical metal guitar to the extreme. They swap fast sweep-picked arpeggios, blistering scale runs and wild whammy-bar effects, including squeals and dive bombs that sound almost like video game sound effects. The song's huge length and relentless tempo make it more of a marathon than a song. It became famous through Guitar Hero III, where it served as a notoriously difficult challenge for players. Listen for the way the two guitarists trade short sections back and forth, and notice the harmonised passages where they play together before returning to their individual flurries of notes.
Through the Fire and Flames by DragonForce is ranked #266 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Herman Li, Sam Totman and the song was released in 2006. It appears on 2 lists, placing as high as #6 (All About The Rock).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Shred Guitar Solos — #14
- The 2000s — #18
- Twin Guitars & Harmonies — #21
- Most Divisive — #12
- The Best DragonForce Guitar Solos — #1
Sources
- All About The Rock: Top 10 Best Heavy Metal Guitar Solos of All Time — #6
- Consequence: 10 Classic Guitar Shredding Songs — #7
- Planet Rock: The 75 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #56
- Guitar Solo Legends: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) — #99
- DigitalDreamDoor: 200 Greatest Metal Guitar Solos — #164
- Lefty Fretz: 53 Best Metal Guitar Solos Of All Time
Who played the guitar solo on Through the Fire and Flames?
Herman Li, Sam Totman played the solo on DragonForce's Through the Fire and Flames (2006).
Where does Through the Fire and Flames rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#266 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 2 of them.