Between Riot and Sensitivity

Almost exactly eight years ago to the day, I saw Zeal & Ardor on stage for the first time in their history. 2017 was a long time ago, and yet it feels strange that the band initiated by Manuel Gagneux is approaching their 10th stage anniversary.

The story of their formation and meteoric rise is the stuff of legends and is often retold. But their sudden success also brought challenges. I remember numerous conversations and statements at the beginning that Zeal & Ardor would probably remain a flash in the pan with their sound concept. They were all proved wrong.

The Zurich club X-Tra is well filled when the Winterthur local heroes Hathors loudly open the evening. They plough through their setlist with a tangible passion, sometimes getting out of hand. It's a noisy, razor-sharp sound between punk, noise rock and psychedelic colour.

A glance around the room reveals that the audience has become more homogeneous after all. Zeal & Ardor have made a name for themselves in the metal scene, playing in front of tens of thousands of people at major festivals.

However, the year 2024 and the fourth album GREIF were a kind of turning point for the project, which previously depended on Gagneux's sole creativity. GREIF was created as a collaborative effort by the entire band and is more experimental than ever. This makes it less accessible than its self-titled predecessor. You have to give this album time. It took me dozens of attempts to warm to GREIF. And I arrived with a corresponding scepticism.

At the same time, I was hardly surprised. Of course, the new songs fit seamlessly into the sound universe, yet they gave the set a new quality. A freshness, an element of surprise. Sometimes it's thunder and hail black metal—maximum mayhem. Sometimes, there are thoughtful, almost delicate sounds, as with to my ilk.
These are extremes that should actually break each other apart. But some miracle substance holds them together, perhaps the sensitivity that is inherent even in the most brutal of their songs.

There is something primal about Zeal & Ardor. The sound, especially the influences of spirituals, gospel and blues, reaches deep into the soul. The audience was suitably frenetic and enraptured.

Despite their love of experimentation, contrasting poles and wild rides in all directions, Zeal & Ardor have rarely sounded so well-rounded and self-confident.