Paleface Swiss is set to release their third full-length album, Cursed, on the 3rd of January and I can confidently say that the band is setting the bar high for the rest of the year. This shouldn't come as a surprise to any fan in the heavy music scene as Paleface Swiss has been conquering ever since Chapter 1: From the Gallows was released back in 2018.
Trying to find the right words to describe this band seems like next to impossible. Similar to the rise of Knocked Loose, Paleface Swiss has been constantly skyrocketing while only getting heavier. Plus, it seems like every band that has a feature from vocalist Marc "Zelli" Zellweger has that release push the boundaries of collaborations and heavy. Paleface Swiss has almost perfected the art of making something that is true to the genre while adding in a zest of freshness that makes each and every track stand out as a possibility of a being a fan favorite. It must be that Swiss magic! Speaking of that Swiss magic, when talking about the new release, Zelli mentions:
This record is for sure our most personal one so far. We've always written about topics like mental health, but we’ve usually written about people who are really close to us. On this record there wasn’t really much space for stories from other people. Between the time when we released "Fear & Dagger "and writing this record, there were periods when this is how we all felt. I’d say 80% of these two years were filled with so much happiness and joy, which I’m really thankful for, but the few dark days that we had ARE this record.
I forgot where I saw it, but I recall someone mentioning how Paleface Swiss can be described as the current embodiment of Slipknot's Iowa album from 2001. While that is a hot take, I couldn't agree more, especially after getting the chance to listen to the album all the way through. The band does nothing but lay it all out on the table for fans to consume in the most vulnerable way. If I had to pick my top three without giving anything away, it would have to be:
- "Hatred" because it is one of the best mosh songs ever.
- "Enough" because it is such a refreshing sound to hear in the genre while effortlessly blending experimental elements and that true Paleface Swiss sound.
- "River Of Sorrows" because it is easily the heaviest song on the record in terms of lyrics and emotions (think back to Chelsea Grin's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" from the Evolve EP).
While I can go on and on about Paleface Swiss and do a deep dive into each of the phenomenal nine tracks on Cursed, I don't want to ruin a first listen for fans. So just wait patiently for January 3rd!
Paleface Swiss has set aside the first four months of the year for The Cursed Tour which will decimate Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Tickets are available here.
