I live under a rock. Clearly. Having spent 30 years on this planet, it was only at Desertfest that I heard Zeal & Ardor for the first time. That alone should be reason enough to fire me from this job—but here we are. Saturday’s headliner, on the biggest stage of the day at the Roundhouse, filled a massive 1.5-hour slot that closed out the evening. Those who wandered up to Chalk Farm weren’t disappointed. The band gave it their all—the final show of a long tour became a space for them to completely let go. There was no need to conserve energy, and that translated into an epic set that made everyone MOVE.
Earlier in the day, before their set, I chatted with some festivalgoers about Z&A and their lore. That conversation lifted the veil slightly on what was to come. Often described as avant-garde, they mix genres liberally, drawing heavily from a variety of influences. At its core, their sound fuses Black Metal with African-American spiritual traditions—think soul, folk, gospel, jazz, delta blues. Famously, this combination was suggested in a 4chan thread to frontman and originator Manuel Gagneux as a way to challenge and grow his creativity. Fast forward to Saturday night: Zeal & Ardor was what many had been waiting for. They unfolded and bloomed like beautiful flowers, showcasing their full range in what was easily the coolest 90 minutes Desertfest has offered in a long while. The whole Metaljunkbox festival crew was there to report.
The experience of a Zeal & Ardor show is quite unlike anything else you’ll find in the extreme metal world. Visually, the band have one of the most immersive and impactful light displays while audibly, the haunting lyrics completely transform the venue into a sacred ritual ground. Whether it was chaotic Götterdämmerung or the more formulaic yet haunting Blood In The River, Zeal & Ardor left a lasting impression on each and every person who witnessed this truly special performance to close out The Roundhouse stage at Desertfest. a truly breathtaking and spiritually fulfilling performance. Nick Davarias
I won’t lie to you—we all had fun. We weren’t just standing there taking notes, trying to analyze what we were hearing. WE LIVED, WE BREATHED, WE DANCED, WE HEADBANGED. To be completely truthful, we lost it and forgot we were even working. The set was flawless in execution, with sound dialed in to perfection. The shamanic, fever-inducing rhythms felt like a life-changing Ayahuasca retreat—transportive and transformative, breaking through the illusion of reality (whatever that even is). Their blend of sounds, enhanced by electronic and drum and bass elements, felt like a really good trip. No bad juju—just pure joy. The crowd’s reaction was all cheers, dancing, moshing, fists and horns raised high in the air. Let’s not forget—we all gathered to worship Satan at the end of the day (wink wink). The rhythms took hold of me and Rux; we danced so hard that people gave us space to whip our hair freely. Some even joined in—happy to be part of something larger than themselves or to ditch their tired friends who had nothing left in the tank.
That feeling when it’s 10:15pm, your knees are dead, you’re really ready to go home, but you decide to give the last headliner a chance and accidentally walk into the most instantly engrossing headbanging masterpiece of song writing and genre-blending on this side of the 21st century. Ruxandra Mindru
To untrained ears, Zeal & Ardor might sound like some kind of pop rock—it’s catchy as hell. But calling it that would be a sacrilege. The music they create is nuanced, complex, and intelligent. Take “Devil Is Fine,” from their set for example—an ode to the echoes of slavery, breaking the chains one note at a time through blues and gospel. Or “Ship on Fire,” which mixes distorted, chaotic Black Metal riffs with gospel chants in a way that feels slightly off-center but intentional. This isn’t music you worship—that’s discouraged. Instead, you absorb it, let it pour through the speakers, and react in whatever way feels right in the moment. For us, that meant the occult way—the summer solstice dancing, soul-liberating way.
You know it was a good show when you need paracetamol before bed. That’s where the bar was for me, Rux, and Nick. If it didn’t hit that level… did you even have fun?
