If you don't already know Manuel Gagneux, keep this name in mind, he is the mentor of the Swiss band Zeal & Ardor, which has just released its third album of the same name.
Formed in 2013, the band mixes like few others an extensive variety of sounds as notoriously Black metal with Groove, Blues, Soul, Pop, Gospel, Country and many other styles, all done in a bold, unique and exquisite way. In fact, this formula was adopted at the very beginning of the project in their great debut " Devil os Fine" released in 2016 and in the second album the amazing Stranger Fruit from 2018.
It is important when listening to Zeal & Ardor to leave all your ties out, and open your horizons, this is not a black metal album it is much more than that, it is an album of powerful music, with a huge explosion of energy, that shocks right from the beginning of the album. Songs like Run, Death To The Holy, catapult us into an almost evangelical experience such is the visceral intensity of the songs. From there things only get better, Golden Liar, Bow, Church Burns just not to mention all are works of art in every way.
This third album is without a doubt the consolidation of Zeal & Ardor, closing this first trilogy in a unique and great way, we are in front of one of the most interesting bands of the scene and one of the best albums of 2022 without a doubt.
@zealandardor
