Zeal & Ardor live at Marble Factory on 19 March 2025
Posted on: 12 Mar 2025Swiss avant-garde metal band Zeal & Ardor will be headlining at Bristol's Marble Factory on Wednesday 19 March 2025.
ZEAL & ARDOR isn’t just a band; it’s a living and breathing entity. Like any other sentient being, it consumes, evolves, and transforms from one season to the next. It has only sharpened its claws, lengthened its teeth, and steeled its nerves over the years, growing more undeniable and unpredictable in the process.
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There is no one who sounds quite like Zeal and Ardor at the moment, and the touches of Swiss-American-African heritage they inject into their music is breathtaking and incredibly important in today's story-telling of other cultures, especially those being wiped from the history books. Couple that with avant-garde tendencies, spiritualistic and tribal instruments, plus their overarching black metal influence and choral choirs, and it'll be a night you won't be forgetting in a hurry.
UK Tour Dates:
Sun 16th March - SOUTHAMPTON Engine Rooms
Mon 17th Mar - GLASGOW The Garage
Wed 19th Mar - BRISTOL Marble Factory
Fri 21st Mar - DUBLIN The Academy
About Zeal & Ardor
Zeal & Ardor is a Swiss avant-garde metal band founded in 2013 by musician Manuel Gagneux. The project uniquely blends elements of black metal with African-American spirituals, creating a distinctive sound that challenges traditional genre boundaries.
Formation and Concept
The inception of Zeal & Ardor traces back to an experiment on the online platform 4chan, where Gagneux sought suggestions for two musical genres to fuse. Respondents proposed combining black metal with what was offensively termed "nigger music." Embracing this provocative challenge, Gagneux conceptualized a sound that imagines an alternate history where enslaved African Americans turned to Satanism instead of Christianity, merging the intensity of black metal with the soulful depth of spirituals.
Early Releases
In 2016, Gagneux independently released the debut album "Devil Is Fine," which he wrote and recorded entirely on his laptop using basic equipment. The album's lo-fi aesthetic and innovative genre fusion garnered attention, leading to a re-release by MVKA in 2017.
Transition to a Full Band and Subsequent Albums
To bring the project to live audiences, Gagneux expanded Zeal & Ardor into a full band in 2017, adding members Denis Wagner and Marc Obrist (backing vocals), Tiziano Volante (guitar), Mia Rafaela Dieu (bass), and Marco Von Allmen (drums). This lineup facilitated the release of "Stranger Fruit" in 2018, an album that retained the project's signature blend while exploring new musical territories.
In 2020, the band released the EP "Wake of a Nation," directly responding to contemporary social issues, including the murder of George Floyd. This work showcased Gagneux's engagement with current events through his unique musical lens.
Recent Developments
The self-titled album "Zeal & Ardor" was released in February 2022, further solidifying the band's place in the metal scene. The album was preceded by singles such as "Run," "Erase," "Bow," and "Götterdämmerung," each highlighting the band's evolving sound and thematic depth.
The band released their fourth album, the self-produced GREIF, on 23 August 2024. Rather than stagnating, basking in global acclaim garnered from three previous albums - Devil Is Fine [2017], Stranger Fruit [2018] and Zeal & Ardor [2022] - frontman Manuel opted to shake things up for GREIF. Instead of creatively flying solo again, this time he welcomed his bandmates into the studio, featuring three voices for the first time and emboldening the sound from every angle. As such, the musicians - Tiziano Volante [guitar], Marc Obrist [vocals], Denis Wagner [vocals], Lukas Kurmann [bass], and Marco Von Allmen [drums] - spread their wings alongside him.
Musical Style and Influences
Zeal & Ardor's music is characterized by a fusion of diverse genres, including black metal, blues, gospel, and soul. The band draws inspiration from a wide array of artists, ranging from black metal pioneers like Mayhem and Darkthrone to experimental musicians such as Wendy Carlos and Tom Waits. This eclecticism contributes to their distinctive and innovative sound.
Critical Reception
The band's work has been met with critical acclaim. "Stranger Fruit," for instance, received positive reviews for its bold genre fusion and thematic depth, with Loudwire describing it as "Album of the Year material."
Conclusion
Zeal & Ardor stands as a testament to the possibilities of genre fusion in modern music, challenging conventions and offering listeners a profound and innovative auditory experience.
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Bristol born and bred despite the name, Brendan has been working in the digital media sector for the last 15 years and advertising for the last 25 years. A wealth of knowledge about the city and more importantly at how to help businesses get as much online exposure as possible. Call Brendan on 07876 735153 or email Brendan@365bristol.com.
