“Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen”: Herman Li on his switch to PRS

It takes a certain kind of band to get away with naming an album Warp Speed Warriors. In the case of DragonForce, the title of their ninth full-length is most apt indeed, encapsulating their steely dedication to lightning-fast musical ideas that seem almost humanly impossible.

But they also know how to keep it light-hearted, as guitarist Herman Li explains…

Your music is known for being very technical, and yet there are clips of you playing your most famous solos underwater!

“It’s quite a procedure! Especially figuring out how to keep the wireless working, making sure it was floating okay, and then swimming and snorkelling while playing the solo from Valley of the Damned.

“You don’t get many opportunities in life to do something that crazy. Another time I went down a waterslide playing Through the Fire and Flames. It was alright, I hit most of the notes, but I got stuck at one point! People do these things in videos but never live, so I figured: why not?”

You’re such a dyed-in-the-wool Ibanez enthusiast. We have to ask: what prompted the move over to PRS?

“Back in 2006, before my Ibanez model, Paul Reed Smith came to a show and loved the band. He wanted to do something but I had to explain it was my dream as a kid to have an Ibanez signature. I’ve learned a lot about guitars since then, playing all kinds of brands and models.

“I wanted something that could go beyond what I play in DragonForce, covering rock and bluesy stuff. Paul said he’d do anything to make it happen, which obviously costs a lot of money! My main guitar is the fourth prototype and has everything I’ve ever needed.”

Like what, exactly? 

“There’s a one-piece neck instead of laminated, because, though it’s not as strong, the tone is much better. Paul gave me access to the best tops and everything. It was hard to refuse! Everything about this guitar is there for a reason.

“There’s a stabiliser so I can bend and everything stays in tune. I broke a string the other night and it was fine, even with a floating system. The Fishman Fluence pickups were voiced just for me. I tested it out against all the guitars I have at home and it won! PRS are now my main thing.”

Did you use your Kemper on the new album or have you switched over to plugins?

“I’ve been a gear nerd my whole life, so for my Twitch streaming channel I run a hybrid system where I can mix plugins with my Kemper and pedals in front. It’s fun to have access to different technology at the press of a button. Pretty much no boundaries! But for the album, I don’t want to be a chameleon, so I stuck with my own Kemper sounds.

“The main one is a Rocktron Prophesy preamp that I profiled myself through various Mesa, Peavey and Marshall cabinets. I’d profiled my old Marshall JMP-1 that was used on the first three albums. Those tones always sound and feel right for me.”

• Warp Speed Warriors is out now via Napalm.