Album Assessment: PALEFACE SWISS Cursed
Paleface Swiss grows an increasing number of highly effective with every passing yr however 2025 will undoubtedly carry nice success for this Swiss powerhouse. I’d guess cash {that a} horror film will use first observe “Un Pobra Nino Murio” (translation: “A Poor Little one Died”) as their trailer background music. A half-dead physique dragging itself alongside, haunting church synth growing in quantity and bass rattling till the bloody particulars of its destiny are in full focus, the watcher’s eyes glued to the display screen as frontman Marc “Zelli” Zellweger‘s guttural vocals spin round in a twister of bleakness. It is among the most unnerving, unsettling tracks, not to mention album introduction, that I’ve ever digested. The 2022 album Worry and Dagger featured an introduction appropriate for a Noticed film, however this one is pure atmospheric TERROR.
I used to be already so pumped for this file, as Paleface has change into one in every of my favourite deathcore bands, consistently pumping out music and collaborations whereas hopping on tour runs to grace America with their vigorous efficiency. Once I final noticed them at Milwaukee Steel Fest in Might, the band performed one of the vital energetic and thrilling units of the weekend, seamlessly working by means of technical difficulties and delivering goofy quips in between songs.
Irrespective of how heavy this band will get, one in every of my favourite issues about them is their dedication to holding metallic enjoyable. Innumerable bands take themselves so significantly, they suffocate with their heads up their very own asses. Paleface could not be extra reverse of that with Zelli‘s traditional scream-giggles, Swiss-cheese jokes and smiles. Persistently taking part in with intriguing mixtures of vocal distortions and blast beats, we have watched the wildly distinctive vocal fashion of Zelli rework into what I am now listening to on new 2025 file Cursed and his growth is really one thing to behold.
After the horror present (a constructive word coming from myself) of the primary observe, second observe “Hatred” quickly exhibits off among the greatest blast beats I’ve heard from Cassi so far, with guitarist Yannick Lehmann and bassist Tommy Lee every showcasing their very own skills to create a setting of continuous deathcore destruction. We get the aforementioned scream giggle from Zelli and it’s obviously apparent that his vocal capabilities have crossed a brand new threshold as he shows malicious growling screams. The third and fourth tracks “…and with hope you may be damned” and “Do not You Ever Cease” go in a bass-forward nu-metal route that I am not completely shocked to listen to, since Zelli‘s vocal fashion is harking back to rap/rock however they each nonetheless really feel they belong within the album even when they are not my favourite.
Midway by means of we get “Sufficient” and instantly, I’ve had sufficient. I needed to pause this observe to mourn what the deathcore masterpiece I assumed this file was going to be. I do know I will be lumped in with the “haters” they’re addressing in these lyrics however I am prepared to take that threat. I am disenchanted within the 8th-grade stage lyrics with a one dimensional, Soundcloud-esque beat behind them as a result of I’ve heard what this band is able to. I respect their expertise however I want this one would have stayed within the drafts as a result of it ruins your entire album’s movement instantly in the course of it. Generally the easiest way to beat the haters, is to disregard them and simply be higher.
After “Sufficient”, we get “Youth Decay” by which we get early 2000s rock clear vocals (uncertain of who they’re popping out of) for the primary minute, damaged up by the traditional Paleface sound, earlier than violently launching an Avenged Sevenfold sounding riff. I am undecided if the earlier observe simply left a foul style in my mouth however I am having an extremely arduous time digging these regardless of being obsessive about this band for the final three years.
“My Blood On Your Fingers” is one other horror-sounding observe and I am relieved to listen to that there’s extra of this disturbing vibe and I want it was longer than 1:40. Zelli provides the scream of the fucking century, his throat rattling as if we’re listening to him choke on his personal blood. “Love Burns” is difficult to pin down genre-wise between traditional rock-sounding guitar items, background shouts, screaming and chugging guitars. “River Of Sorrows” undoubtedly conveys a unhappiness inside the lyrics and cleans, earlier than breaking into extra rap after which again into screaming. I actually just like the tune beginning at 3:30 the place the guitars choose up the gloom and unhappiness, carrying listeners down the river.
Total, I feel this was a artistic miss by Paleface Swiss. The file would have benefitted from a extra cohesive construction and settlement upon one or two genres to deal with as an alternative of making an attempt to dip their toes right into a thousand completely different components with out taking the time to determine learn how to correctly match them collectively.
