DragonForce have hit the accelerator again, announcing Alissa White-Gluz as their new vocalist, and for the first time in the band’s history, a frontwoman.
It’s a move that doesn’t just tweak the formula, it rewires it, the power metal mainstays are launching this new chapter alongside the 20th anniversary of ‘Inhuman Rampage’, the 2006 record that sent ‘Through the Fire and Flames’ into metal folklore and living rooms via Guitar Hero III.
A new voice at full speed
Herman Li didn’t downplay the shift:
“Alissa joining the band is an expansion of everything we’ve done up to this point,” he said.
“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.”
White-Gluz stepping in isn’t a gamble, her résumé stretches from Arch Enemy to Kamelot, with a reputation built on switching between melodic control and full-throttle aggression without blinking.
Alissa steps into the fire
For her part, White-Gluz is leaning into the challenge:
“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 colours 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.”
More than an anniversary
The band will debut this lineup live across US festival stages this month, kicking off a wider rollout that includes extensive touring plans and a tenth studio album in the works.
Tying it to ‘Inhuman Rampage’ feels deliberate, that record cracked DragonForce open to a global audience, sitting 23 weeks on the Billboard 200 and pushing their hyper speed sound into the mainstream.
Now, they’re not just revisiting it, they’re rebuilding around it.
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