Zeal & Ardor – Zeal & Ardor

 

 

Zeal & Ardor – Zeal & Ardor
MVKA – 2022
Metal, Soul, Roots, Black, Avant-garde
Rated: ***

As we mentioned when we mentioned his earlier Stranger Fruit album; it was that album and the 2018 show at the Graspop Festival that completely won me over for Zeal & Ardor. The Swiss avant-garde metal outfit lead by Manuel Gagneux is back with a new self-titled album filled with more magnificent songs that play pied piper to soul, gospel and roots music; luring it across a destitute landscape of metal, black, death and more extreme heaviness. Sure, the surprise effect that was part of the earlier releases might be wearing off; but in its stead come moments of modesty and even grander gestures. There is nothing on this new release that cannot stand proudly besides the Stranger Fruit album; in fact the production might even be better, yet the amount of tracks that truly stand out and stay with you are not as abundant as on the earlier album. Perhaps the amount of hyper jumps between genres that was present on that first Devil Is Fine album has returned a bit and might be too much for someone, a few or at least me…

(Written by JK)

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