Paleface Swiss has no intention of slowing down in 2026.
After a busy 2025, Marc “Zelli” Zellweger (vocals), Yannick Lehmann (guitar/vocals), Tommy Lee (bass), and Cassiano “Cassi” Toma (drums) are back with a bang with The Wilted EP.
An answering machine gives us a short but dramatic introduction before Zelli starts screaming to kick off WHITERING FLOWER, followed by a simple but motivating rhythm that quickly makes us want to fight anyone who comes within range, but the clear vocals add an even more intense touch to the choruses. The contrast between the different parts is striking, but chaos ensues during the half-virulent, half-heartbreaking mosh part before the final, then LET ME SLEEP plunges us back into this hell of violent but anguished screams before the arrival of the groovy rhythm. The video clip adds a claustrophobic dimension to the already suffocating riffs, particularly on the frenetic finale, which hands over to INSTRUMENT OF WAR and its syncopated rhythm between Nu Metal and Deathcore, where the vocal parts follow on from each other and respond to each other almost constantly. The break takes us by surprise, contrasting with the choruses where clean vocals predominate, and then it’s with EVERYTHING IS FINE and its omnipresent sorrow that the EP comes to an end, mixing melancholy with a certain gentleness despite a certain communicative desperate energy that the band strikes almost harder than in the violent passages of the previous tracks.
While known for its striking force both on album and live, Paleface Swiss doesn’t hesitate to step out of its comfort zone on The Wilted EP and offer an intense final that matches its inherent violence. This EP is definitely one of the first slaps in the face of the year.
95/100
