If you don't know Manuel Gagneux yet, keep this name in mind: he is the mentor of the Swiss band Zeal & Ardor, who have just released their third album of the same name.
Formed in 2013, the band mixes an extensive variety of sounds like 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 right from the start of the project on their great debut "Devil os Fine" released in 2016 and on their second album the incredible Stranger Fruit from 2018.
It's important when listening to Zeal & Ardor to let go of all your restraints and open your horizons. This isn't a black metal album, it's much more than that, it's an album of powerful music, with a huge explosion of energy that shocks you right from the start. Songs like Run, Death To the Holy, catapult us into an almost evangelical experience, such is the visceral intensity of the songs. From then on things only get better, Golden Liar, Bow, Church Burns just to name a few are works of art in every sense.
This third album is undoubtedly the consolidation of Zeal & Ardor, closing this first trilogy in a unique and great way, we are facing one of the most interesting bands on the scene and one of the best albums of 2022 without a doubt.
@zealandardor
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