Former ARCH ENEMY vocalist Alissa White-Gluz has officially joined DRAGONFORCE as a full member, the band confirmed this week. The Canadian singer, who parted ways with ARCH ENEMY in 2024 after a decade fronting the Swedish melodic death metal giants, has found a new home with the British power/speed metal juggernauts.
The move was anything but sudden. White-Gluz and DRAGONFORCE first collaborated in 2025 on an alternate version of the fan-favorite anthem "Burning Heart." The chemistry was immediate and undeniable.
"It's now or never. Let's just do it. Let's just jump into this," White-Gluz recalled of the pivotal moment. "We listened back and we were, like, 'Ooh, okay. We're really on to something here.'"
The backdrop to the announcement carries a sobering note. Longtime DRAGONFORCE frontman Marc Hudson has been battling significant hearing loss and tinnitus — conditions that have seriously limited his ability to perform live. White-Gluz spoke warmly about Hudson and remains in regular contact, expressing genuine hope for his full recovery.
To mark the new era, DRAGONFORCE have unveiled their largest North American tour in over two decades. The 22-city run, spanning November and December 2026, celebrates the 20th anniversary of the landmark album "Inhuman Rampage." The trek features support from Finnish folk metal legends ENSIFERUM and Italian symphonic power metal titans RHAPSODY OF FIRE — making for one of the most stacked support bills of the year.
White-Gluz spoke enthusiastically about tackling DRAGONFORCE's most technically demanding material live, singling out "Through The Fire And Flames" and "Storming The Burning Fields" as highlights she's particularly eager to unleash on audiences.
On the recording front, the band is already working on a follow-up to their 2024 album "Warp Speed Warriors," though details remain firmly under wraps. Whatever comes next, the combination of White-Gluz's dynamic range — from crystalline clean vocals to ferocious screams — with DRAGONFORCE's hyperkinetic twin-guitar assault promises to be one of the more compelling partnerships in modern heavy metal.
The metal community has responded with near-universal excitement. This pairing makes creative sense on every level, and the coming months will show just how potent it truly is.