ILLUMISHADE

Formed in Switzerland around Fabienne Erni and Jonas Wolf, also active with Eluveitie, Illumishade took shape in 2019 from a project conceived in a university setting before becoming a full-fledged band. The quintet develops a crossing between hard rock, heavy metal and melodic writing with cinematic accents, with a significant emphasis on contrasts between airy passages, upfront choruses and darker textures. Illumishade released its first album, Eclyptic: Wake of Shadows, in 2020, initially independently, then expanded its live exposure with European shows, notably in the Netherlands in 2023, before signing with Napalm Records the same year. Its second album, Another Side of You, is released in 2024. Illumishade’s music rests on Fabienne Erni’s clear singing voice, massive but legible guitars, atmospheric keyboards and a construction that borrows as much from modern rock as from melodic metal. In this frame, Illumishade alternates direct tracks and more narrative pieces, while keeping an accessible format that distinguishes the band from the folk metal approach associated with some of its members.