Watch: DRAGONFORCE Plays First Full Live Show With New Singer ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ At WELCOME TO ROCKVILLE Festival

DRAGONFORCE made its official live debut with new singer Alissa White-Gluz (ex-ARCH ENEMY) Saturday night (May 9) at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Due to ongoing hearing loss and tinnitus issues that have increasingly affected longtime DRAGONFORCE singer Marc Hudson's ability to tour, he didn't join DRAGONFORCE on stage at Welcome To Rockville.

DRAGONFORCE commented: "This hasn't been a sudden decision, but something [Marc has] been managing behind the scenes for quite some time. After careful consideration, it's become clear that taking a little break is the best move for his long-term health and recovery.

"We know many of you were looking forward to seeing [Marc] on stage again with Alissa, but don't worry. We have new music with Marc and Alissa in the works. In the meantime, Billy [Wilkins, who has been handling additional guitars and backing vocals for DRAGONFORCE since late 2023] will be stepping in to handle the next two live performances.

"Thank you for all your love and support".

Wilkins will also handle lead vocals, alongside White-Gluz, for DRAGONFORCE's May 17 appearance at the Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio.

DRAGONFORCE's appearance at Welcome To Rockville kicked off the band's celebration of the twentieth anniversary of "Inhuman Rampage". As the 2006 album that birthed the platinum-selling global phenomenon of "Through The Fire And Flames", which spent 23 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold, "Inhuman Rampage" introduced the band and their music to tens of millions of new fans and counting.

When Alissa's addition to DRAGONFORCE was first announced on May 6, DRAGONFORCE co-founder and lead guitarist Herman Li said in a statement: "Alissa joining the band is an expansion of everything we've done up to this point. Twenty years is a long time to do anything, let alone survive the music industry and still be so inspired to continue doing what we love. Together we will honor what made 'Inhuman Rampage' matter, while showing people exactly where we're going next. Having Alissa in the room changes everything. She doesn't just sing, she makes all aspects of our music better. And she sounds incredible live! I can't wait for the fans to see her and hear what we have been working on."

Through her work with everyone from THE AGONIST to KAMELOT, ARCH ENEMY and her newly launched BLUE MEDUSA, Alissa has become an icon synonymous with strength, independence, versatility and creative fearlessness, representing a new standard for women at the highest levels of heavy music. Over two decades spent on the stage, blending ferocious and melodic theatricality with lyrical themes of philosophy, psychology, ethics and the human experience, she has built a history spanning 15-plus hours of recorded music, 60-plus music videos, 40-plus collaborations and 2,000-plus concerts across a myriad of subgenres.

On her new partnership with DRAGONFORCE, and pairing her vocal prowess with the band's time-warping precision and live show spectacle, Alissa said: "I am beyond excited to be bringing such iconic music to life with these amazingly skilled musicians in such a fun and inspiring environment. It feels great to showcase all the colors of my voice and utilize all my singing styles in technically challenging, deeply energizing, highly addictive songs. I am so thankful for the amazing support I have been lucky enough to receive from the metal world over this wild career I've built; I want to keep pushing my boundaries and delivering exceptional music and live experiences to the fans that I cherish so much."

Founded in 1999 and based between Los Angeles and London, DRAGONFORCE have rewritten the rules of heavy metal, while redefining the possibilities of their respective instruments. Since the release of "Inhuman Rampage" and its signature anthem "Through The Fire And Flames" — the notoriously unbeatable final boss of "Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock" — the Grammy-nominated band have continued to blow the minds of musicians and gamers everywhere. They have been heard in "Despicable Me 4", "Fortnite Festival", "Brawl Stars", "Asphalt Legends" and beyond, and seen on the covers of dozens of magazines. They have played for millions of fans and shared stages with IRON MAIDEN, Ozzy Osbourne, SLIPKNOT, METALLICA and many more, but one thing has always been certain: the fastest band in the world will not slow down.

DRAGONFORCE 2026 is:

Herman Li - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam Totman - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Alissa White-Gluz - Lead Vocals
Marc Hudson - Lead Vocals
Alicia Vigil - Bass
Gee Anzalone - Drums