Is it summer yet? A quick glance outside certainly suggests to the contrary, but we can't help but pine for sunny days as this summer stacks up with massive gigs from Black Sabbath, Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins, Cradle Of Filth and maybe even Slayer, not to mention the usual hectic schedule of summer festivals.
Festivals that will offer us a chance to discover brilliant new music, of course! Much as we did last month, we've got you covered when it comes to discovering new music, this month bringing you twinkling prog metal from Denmark's Danefae, crushing deathcore from Paleface Swiss, concept-driven metalcore from Texans Cantervice and rising UK alt metal stars Vower.
In our massive playlist below, you can listen to the latest releases from all of these bands and learn a little bit more about them by scrolling down. Happy listening - and have an excellent month!
Danefae
Danefae formed in 2019 at the Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium, a Danish music conservatory. But unlike their peers, who were inclined towards jazz and pop, they united over a love for prog metal and experimental sounds, drawing on the likes of Haken, Dream Theater and Tool.
Vocalist Anne Olesen’s Kate Bush/Björk sylph-like voice perfectly underpins the band’s blend of pastoral and ominous guitarwork, ethereal melody and disconcerting piano to create a dynamic, unsettling atmosphere. “I played a lot of classical piano as a kid,” Anne says. “It’s a way to keep my origin.”
Danefae’s 2022 debut album, Tro, blended folkish elements with prog to create compositions that were gorgeous and immersive, if only metal-adjacent at times. Their second album, Trøst (Danish for ‘comfort’), delves into prog metal in haunting, distinctly Scandinavian fashion.
“We composed a lot of the songs in a summer house deep in the woods in Jutland listening to Opeth’s Blackwater Park,” explains guitarist Anders Mogensen. “That very dark, Nordic vibe resonated.”
Although the band can speak English, they sing in Danish, Anne joking that early attempts at writing in English were “so bad I’ve been forbidden!” That doesn’t stop their music being devastating at times. Trøst centrepiece P.S. Far er død – translated as ‘P.S. Dad is dead’ – is a vivid, 12-minute journey through grief, written about the passing of Anne’s grandfather. ‘Men ingen krop kan vare evigt ved / Tynde arme slipper over tid,’ she sings. Translated into English, that’s ‘But no body can last forever / Thin arms let go over time.’
“The more ill you get and the less you eat, the weaker you get,” Anne recalls sadly. “The thin arms gave me a very bleak feeling.”
“The music gets sonically heavy, but also it’s meant to convey heavy feelings,” Anders says. “It really perpetuates that terrible feeling of not knowing your place in the world.” Brian Aberback
Trøst is out now.
Sounds Like: An otherworldly, prog-metal planet with ominous sonic vibrations
For Fans Of: Opeth, Haken, Myrkur
Listen To: P.S. Far er død
Cantervice
Part nu metal fantasy, part steely-eyed social commentary, Zero Hour is a warning, according to Cantervice’s Robert Matlock. The debut album from the Dallas, Texas band takes inspiration from dystopian cinema like Blade Runner, cutting it with the industrial might of Rammstein and the raw emotion of Linkin Park, all to explore a concept where the media is used to spread hate, divide and control. Sound familiar?
It’s a reflection of the world around us, but the project’s been a long time coming. Robert first began toying with the idea of Cantervice in 2015, after stints in local metalcore bands. It’s only when he met a producer who understood his vision (Evan McKeever) that things began falling into place. The creeping, menacing The Machine was released in 2022, with the crunching Void following shortly afterwards. “I didn’t think any of this stuff would actually resonate, it was just an outlet for how frustrated I was feeling,” Robert admits.
But both tracks racked up hundreds of thousands of streams, and Robert knew he had to finish the story with an album. The end result is a modern twist on 00s aggression, with moments of serenity, hope and beauty designed to offer a light in the dark. “With everything going on in the world right now, I wanted to put out some positivity,” he says.
Zero Hour’s sci-fi story is grounded in humanity, and there’s already talk of a second album that’ll delve deeper into the personal cost of dystopian living. “It’s nostalgic, because of who we’re inspired by, but people are turning to aggressive music and really starting to resonate with the themes we’re talking about,” says Robert of their success. “It’s all about making a difference. We want to weaponise curiosity.” Ali Shutler
Zero Hour is out now via Fixt.
Sounds Like: Dystopian cinema raging against the machine
For Fans Of: Bring Me The Horizon, Linkin Park, Spiritbox
Listen To: The Masquerade
Paleface Swiss
Paleface Swiss had one hell of a 2024. The band, who formed in Zurich, Switzerland in 2017, had already built a loyal following with two EPs (2018’s Chapter 1: From The Gallows and 2019’s Chapter 2: Witch King) and two albums (2020’s Chapter 3: The Last Selection and 2022’s Fear & Dagger), but things kicked off dramatically last year. Not only did they earn a rep for almost comically heavy breakdowns, but their chaotic, corrosive blend of deathcore, hardcore, nu metal and thrash, with maniacal vocals from Marc ‘Zelli’ Zellweger, won them comparisons to early Slipknot.
“It’s a huge honour, honestly,” says Marc. “We don’t want to copycat everything they’re doing, but if 30- to 40-year-old people are saying, ‘When I was young, the fucking Slipknot self-titled came out and now I feel the same [listening to Paleface Swiss] as I did back then', that’s unbelievable.”
The band only started playing gigs in 2022, but are already known for their out-of-control performances. Since they announced their UK tour for February/March, all of the venues have been upgraded due to demand, and it’s not hard to see why. Just check out a video of them orchestrating an obscene wall of death at last year’s Resurrection Festival, or whipping up crowds at Sick New World in Las Vegas. On their US headlining tour last year, there was no support band, just an extreme wrestling match… with Marc as referee.
“They slammed each other through the table, and I took away the shirt from the referee and pinned them down,” he says with glee. “The crowd went nuts.”
2025 is already shaping up to be another big one. The band just released their killer third album, Cursed, and will play the main stage at Bloodstock this summer. “Every show is about pushing to the limit, as if it’s a workout,” says Marc. “I think the people can feel that.” Dannii Leivers
Cursed is out now via Blood Blast. Paleface Swiss are on tour in the UK now and return to play Bloodstock Festival in August. For the full list of dates, visit their official website.
Sounds Like: The off-the-rails energy of vintage Slipknot with a modern twist
For Fans Of: Slipknot, Thrown, Malevolence
Listen To: Hatred
Vower
Vower's music can't be pigeonholed. The British five-piece – whose members formerly played in beloved cult bands Toska, Black Peaks and Palm Reader – write anthemic metal songs with an intellectual twist. Their choruses are moreish and their breakdowns beefy, yet they’re framed by intricate riffing and off-kilter drums.
“The phrase that we chucked around at the start was ‘big riffs, large hooks’,” laughs guitarist Rabea Massaad. “But also, I really, personally love pushing the boat out with instrumentation and arrangement.”
Vower started in 2021. Shortly after his prog trio Toska split, Rabea began jamming with drummer Liam Kearley, whose own band Black Peaks had just called it quits too. Guitarist Joe Gosney, also ex-Black Peaks, and bassist Rory McLean, Rabea’s friend of 15 years, soon joined. All they needed was a frontman.
“Joe was on tour with Palm Reader and mentioned in passing that we were looking for a singer,” remembers Rabea. “Josh [McKeown] raised his hand.”
It was fortuitous timing, as Palm Reader were on the cusp of breaking up as well. “From the outside, it does look like I sacked off Palm Reader for Vower,” Josh admits. “But me and my partner had just had a baby girl. That was the biggest contributor to Palm Reader ending.”
Given their pedigree, Vower’s debut single, Shroud, was met with curiosity and excitement on release in April 2024. That hype snowballed with EP Apricity’s arrival that July, alongside some summer festival slots, and the band went on to sell out their first headline shows at London’s The Dome and The Lower Third that December.
“It’s still blowing our minds, the response and the growth,” says Josh. “It doesn’t even feel like we’re at the crest of the wave! There’s still so many people discovering us on a daily basis, and it’s kind of jaw-dropping.” Matt Mills
Apricity is out now. Vower play ArcTanGent in August.
Sounds Like: Fiercely catchy metal songs, built off the back of experimental ideas
For Fans Of: Thrice, Black Peaks, Palm Reader
Listen To: Shroud
