London based metal superstars DRAGONFORCE have revealed details of their forthcoming new album. Entitled “The Power Within”, the ten track monster is the bands fifth studio album, and first with new singer Marc Hudson in the fold.

DragonForce guitarist Herman Li said,

“The last two years have been the most fun we ever had making an album. Through writing, jamming and touring together, we have built this incredible energy and it has been fully captured on the new album.

This time around we’ve really brought our metal side to the surface and made some of the best music of our career. From the fastest song we’ve ever recorded to the slower songs, and some things you would never expect from us, this is by far the most diverse DragonForce album yet.”

“The Power Within” will be released on April 15th 2012 via the band’s own Electric Generation Recordings, distributed by Essential Music (UK), Roadrunner Records (North America), 3Wise (Australia) and JVC Victor (Japan).

Li added, “This is an exciting new era for DragonForce with Marc joining the band, so we figured this was an ideal time to take full control of our own destiny and establish our own record label for Europe. It’s all hands on deck running it, but a great buzz!”

The full tracklisting is as follows:

THE POWER WITHIN

1. Holding On
2. Fallen World
3. Cry Thunder
4. Give Me the Night
5. Wings of Liberty
6. Seasons
7. Heart of the Storm
8. Die By the Sword
9. Last Man Stands
10. Seasons (Acoustic Version)

There will also be a Digital & Vinyl Version featuring Bonus Tracks “Cry Thunder (Live Rehearsal)”, “Heart of the Storm (Alternative Chorus Version)” and “Avant La Tempête (Instrumental)”, plus an exclusive box set featuring:

CD Version
Access Code for Bonus Material plus
DragonForce Flag,
DF Flashlight/Bottle Opener,
Set of 6 DF Beer Mats featuring band cartoons by Frederic Leclercq.

UK based metal heroes DRAGONFORCE have announced that their long
search for a new vocalist is finally over. After entries from
thousands of hopefuls across the globe, the band welcomes 23 year old
Marc Hudson to the band to fill the boots left by ZP Theart, who
parted ways with the band in March of last year.

“I’m really excited about being a part of the DragonForce family.”
Says Marc. “It’s always been my dream to dedicate my life to making
music. I’m going to bring all the power and emotion I can to the
songs, and help make the killer new record the fans have been waiting
for!”

Born in Oxford England, Marc was picked from the thousands of
applications via a number of impressive video auditions and live
performances, which left the rest of the band in no doubt that they’d
found their man. Since the age of 16, Marc has been building his vocal
skills gigging with bands in the UK underground scene, developing a
powerful style with influences which include Bruce Dickinson, Michael
Kiske and Sebastian Bach. Says founding member and guitarist Herman
Li:

“After almost a year of searching around the globe, it’s great to be
able to finally tell our fans the good news. Marc’s expressive and
melodic vocals are sounding phenomenal on the new songs, adding
another dimension to the DragonForce sound that I am sure all the fans
will love.”

The band has been working on a new album since early 2010, recording
in various studios in California, London and the South of France. The
follow up to 2008’s hugely successful “Ultra Beatdown” album will be
highly anticipated, with top 10 and top 20 chart positions all over
the world and a Grammy Nomination in the United States setting the
precedent. With Marc brought into the fold, the band is enjoying an
injection of enthusiasm and hunger that sees DRAGONFORCE prepared to
return more focused and determined than ever before.

“Everyone in the band is extremely excited about how the new material
is shaping up.” continues Herman. “We haven’t felt this kind of energy
in the band for a long time. We can’t wait to unleash the next
DragonForce album later this year.”

The new album is expected to hit the shelves in September, with a full
world tour to follow.

Check out the video clip of Marc Hudson’s Audition Demos at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mLf2...

DragonForce will make their long awaited return on the live stage as special guests of Iron Maiden at the Belfast Odyssey Arena on Wednesday August 3rd and also the London O2 Arena on Friday 5th August 2011.

The UK shows will be the culmination of Iron Maiden’s The Final Frontier World Tour. The first leg of the 2011 tour started last week in Moscow and sees the band travelling “Around The World In 66 Days”, a 50 thousand mile odyssey aboard Ed Force One, their specially customized Boeing 757, piloted by airline captain and lead singer Bruce Dickinson. The plane will carry band, crew and many tons of equipment across 5 continents to thirteen countries, visiting 26 cities for 29 shows. After the Round The World dates, the tour continues into Europe before returning to the UK in July for an extensive 10 city arena tour covering the length and breadth of the UK. By the time The Final Frontier World Tour finishes in London at the O2 in early August, Maiden will have played 101 shows, in 40 countries, to over 2 million fans since the Tour began in June 2010.

The Final Frontier World Tour is in conjunction with the band’s 15th studio album released in August 2010 which went straight to #1 in the album charts in 28 countries worldwide. This week the band received a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the song El Dorado, from The Final Frontier album.

DragonForce’s Herman Li comments

“We are so excited to be playing with the greatest heavy metal band of all time again! We had some of the best times of our careers touring with Maiden back in 2005. Iron Maiden have inspired us tremendously throughout the years and we can’t wait to get back on stage to support them in Belfast on August 3rd and for their hometown show on August 5th. Here we go, Up the Irons!”

See the full press release at www.ironmaiden.com

Tickets for the UK shows are on sale now and are available from www.livenation.co.uk

Tickets for the Belfast show available from www.ticketmaster.ie