Jawfane is a Nashville post-hardcore/metalcore band formed in 2021 who blend raw vocals, heavy guitars, melodic synths and powerful rhythms. The current lineup — Cory Pack, Chase Schumann, Jesse Marquez, and AJ Chacon – focuses on collaborative vocals and a sharp sound. Their debut EP, Me And All My Demons was released in 2025 via Exitus Stratagem Records and captures the themes of emotional survival with layered, melodic heaviness

Jawfane drummer AJ joins us for a why I love on Dance Gavin Dance…

WHAT TO SAY!?

There’s a lot I can say about this band. They never cease to amaze me with their energetic style and creative melodies. I got into them pretty late in their discography (just before the Afterburner album came out) thanks to an old roommate and I’ve been thanking him ever since. The stellar blend of clean and dirty vocals along with the instrumentals is what makes me an instant fan. My roommate and I have been to one show that they headlined and words can’t describe the way it felt. I didn’t know you could bring out a wall of death to a Dance Gavin Dance song.

Music that would have you moshing at one point and grooving the next. Their latest album Pantheon really resonates with me from top to bottom. Songs like A Shoulder To Cry On, The Stickler, Trap Door, and Yikes! especially stand out for me due to the intensity and dynamic changes. The finale, Descend To Chaos, is probably my favorite of the album. It perfectly fits the role of tying the album together and makes it hit like a freight train. Pantheon has been on repeat in my car since the day of release and probably will continue that way. Definitely a great inspiration.

STEMS OF IDEAS

I would love to make music that makes people feel the way this album made me feel. The power behind Jon Mess’s and Andrew Wells’s voices is insane to say the least and is one of my biggest influences for my sound as a vocalist. Dance Gavin Dance in general has a big influence in my own arsenal of playing and writing. This genre, I would say, is a direction of where most of my musical ideas stem from. I love the places this band has taken me over the years and I look forward to what they do next.

Thanks to AJ for the insight. Here’s Shapeshifter:

You can read more from our extensive archive of Why I Love pieces from a wide array of artists on an even wider array of subjects, here.

Jawfane: Website

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