“That’s an exaggeration,” says Ian Van Der Merwe, one half of Daisy Arson, when I bring up the fact that a collaboration with Red Helen this soon in their career feels like the passing of a torch.
It may be a mega glaze, but that takes nothing away from the fact that the Pretoria unit have been seriously impressive since their debut in 2025. They’ve managed to create something interesting with each release, proving that local metal can look different. Now, they’re back with “Parasite”, a new single produced by Erik Gerber and featuring Red Helen vocalist Brandon Pratt, accompanied by a music video made by the band.
The collaboration came about when Gerber approached Daisy Arson vocalist Kayleigh Smith. “Erik first approached me to do a song when I first transitioned into metal. It took some time, but here we are.” The song was sparked by a conversation Smith had with her husband around the time the Epstein Files were released. “The song is commentary on how the elite will use other people to get ahead. It isn’t human behaviour, it’s very parasitic.”
“Parasite” takes that idea beyond the individual, looking instead at a system in which the powerful exploit those beneath them to get what they want, seemingly unbound by the rules or consequences that govern everyone else. Smith’s harsh vocals have also continued to develop since the band’s first single, “D.O.A.” Here, her delivery is more assured, while Pratt provides an effective contrast. Their different approaches to harsh vocals give the song a sense of movement, filling the space where some might expect a traditional chorus. The result is a track that leaves an impression long after it ends.
The accompanying video was made by Smith with help from her husband Estian Smith of local band No Closure, as well as Marco du Plooy, Mo Gangat and Nicole Hamman. “We wanted to make a really cool music video. I am fortunate to have the expertise and people to help me.”
It tells the story of a woman being abducted and married off to a devilish creature in bunny ears, turning the marriage into a visual representation of the prey-and-predator dynamic at the heart of the song. The bride becomes the prey; the creature, the predator claiming her. The bunny ears also nod back to Smith’s first video, “Hate You (Congratulations)”, which the band is recreating.
There’s a clear ambition behind both the music and the visuals. Daisy Arson aren’t only interested in establishing themselves locally; they’re already thinking beyond South Africa. “We want everything we put out to be really good. The ceiling isn’t just in South Africa, it’s beyond that, and so we’re striving to work at a high bar.”
“Parasite” suggests that the band are steadily figuring out what that looks like for them, with the music and visual work becoming increasingly assured. More importantly, it shows what can happen when a young band gives itself room to collaborate, experiment and make something bigger than the sum of its parts.
Photographs by Chani Kim.
