ALBUM REVIEW: Starbound Stories – Marc Hudson

Twelve years ago, MARC HUDSON was confirmed as the new lead singer of British power metal heavyweights DRAGONFORCE. It breathed life into a band losing momentum and, despite line-up changes since, Hudson has remained as vocalist throughout the last decade and a bit. When the pandemic hit, he and keyboardist Shaz Dudhia began creating music that, as it developed, grew into Starbound Stories, Hudson‘s first body of solo work. With a core line-up completed by former POWER QUEST drummer Rich Smith and ex-DRAGONFORCE (and current KREATOR) bassist Frederic Leclercq, Starbound Stories is out now via Napalm Records.

From start to finish, Starbound Stories is a love letter from Hudson to the pop culture of – perhaps unsurprisingly – Japan. DRAGONFORCE have always enjoyed success in the Land of the Rising Sun thanks to their penchant for drawing inspiration from video games and their technical proficiency, while Hudson‘s own personal love for anime and all things Nintendo and Playstation seeps through at every opportunity. Hell, even the album artwork – a stunning piece of work from Shilin Huang –  could have come straight from the cover of any of the Final Fantasy games.

Musically, there are of course moments where it’s clear where Hudson has come from. Opening single Astralive might not have the complex solos from Herman Li or Sam Totman, but the soaring melodies and boisterous chorus are well known from DRAGONFORCE tunes and this gives those who will find Starbound Stories from the band – which, let’s be honest, will be a LOT of people – at least some familiarity. The same holds true for Freedom Heart, the main opening song after the introductory As The Twilight Meets The Sea – from Hudson‘s trademark scream to the double bass of Rich Smith, there’s a lot of DF tropes at play, although the harsh vocals from Ryoji Shinomoto of GYZE fame take things a little darker and away from the squeaky clean tones that many will be used to.

Away from what is known, Hudson has, naturally, stepped out into other areas, stylistically, which largely hit the mark. The Siren is much more jovial and bouncy, taking inspiration from J-pop and, whilst the guitars are still present and the track certainly has metal credentials, the writing in a major key makes the whole track more uplifting and colourful. Stars, which is the first of two ballads, is a wonderful ditty featuring violinist Mia Asano, who turns out a wonderful solo that matches well with the overall feel and more folk-like tone, and closing track One More Sight Of The Sun With You sees Hudson sing almost exclusively in Japanese and perform well in a language he’s largely unfamiliar with. It’s not always a home run, however; Swansong‘s ethereal, ambient-like middle-eight doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the song, leading to confusion as to its inclusion, while follow up Call Of The Martyrs, although more melodic and straightforward, doesn’t have the same bombastic impact despite the showcase of range.

Any artist deserves credit for taking a chance at bringing out an album under their own name, and MARC HUDSON is no different. Starbound Stories is a fun, solid first solo release that will leave many grinning from ear to ear and with boosted morale. Hopefully there’s another down the line somewhere, but if not, Hudson can pat himself on the back for a job well done.

Rating: 7/10

Starbound Stories is out now via Napalm Records.

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