According to Blabbermouth, DRAGONFORCE have announced a temporary change to their vocal line-up, with singer Marc Hudson stepping away from recording and live performances due to an ongoing issue with tinnitus.
Hudson will remain involved with the band behind the scenes, but will not participate in DRAGONFORCE’s upcoming album or touring activities during 2026 and 2027. Taking over male vocal duties will be Alessio Garavello, a longtime associate of the band and Hudson’s former vocal coach. Garavello previously performed as a substitute for Hudson during DRAGONFORCE’s activities in 2016 and 2023.
Garavello will perform alongside frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz, formerly of ARCH ENEMY, whose addition to DRAGONFORCE was announced in May 2026. The band’s forthcoming album will consequently adopt a dual-vocal format, with new material scheduled to begin arriving next week.
DRAGONFORCE announced the change on Saturday, September 19, explaining that Hudson’s decision was prompted by his ongoing tinnitus condition. According to the band’s statement, he will continue working with DRAGONFORCE’s management on projects that are expected to be revealed later this year.
Guitarist Herman Li emphasised that Hudson’s hearing health was the primary consideration behind the decision, noting that the singer has been an integral part of DRAGONFORCE for the past fifteen years. Li added that Hudson will remain involved with the band while taking on a different role, and expressed his hope for his recovery.
Sam Totman also commented on Garavello’s return, explaining that his previous relationship with the band and his work with Hudson made him a natural choice for the position. Totman highlighted Garavello’s own vocal character and said that his contribution to the new material had already generated considerable enthusiasm within the band.
The line-up change comes ahead of DRAGONFORCE’s biggest North American tour in more than 20 years. The 22-date run will take place throughout November and December, with ENSIFERUM and RHAPSODY OF FIRE providing support.
The tour will begin at The Observatory in San Diego on Friday, November 13, before continuing across North America. Scheduled venues include Palladium Times Square in New York City, the Riviera Theatre in Chicago and the Wiltern in Los Angeles, among others.
DRAGONFORCE previously previewed their upcoming live campaign with appearances at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple in May 2026. Those performances were described as “riotously received” by Metal Hammer and “epic” by Metal Injection.
The latest developments mark another chapter in the career of the band, who were founded in 1999 and are based between Los Angeles and London. Widely associated with the development of extreme power metal, DRAGONFORCE have built an international audience through their high-energy compositions and technically demanding musicianship.
Their breakthrough album, “Inhuman Rampage”, and particularly the song “Through The Fire And Flames”, became defining parts of the band’s history. The latter also gained significant recognition through its inclusion as the notoriously difficult final song in “Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock”.
Since then, the Grammy-nominated band have expanded their presence well beyond the traditional metal audience. Their music has appeared in “Despicable Me 4”, “Fortnite Festival”, “Brawl Stars” and “Asphalt Legends”, while the band have featured on the covers of numerous magazines and shared stages with acts including IRON MAIDEN, Ozzy Osbourne, SLIPKNOT and METALLICA.
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