ZEAL & ARDOR
Release New Album
‘STRANGER FRUIT’
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“Extraordinary and brilliant” – The Guardian
“One of the most uniquely daring and wholly affecting albums of 2018 so far” – Rock Sound
“A remarkable album. Listen to this, please. You may love it or hate it, but give it a go” – Powerplay
“Sheer musical brilliance” – Metal Hammer
“…this is just f#cking superb!” – Heavy Magazine
“… On Zeal & Ardor’s latest album Stranger Fruit, Manuel Gagneux has made his prayers to Satan loud enough to shake the heavens” – Hysteriamag.com
“With ‘Stranger Fruit’, Zeal & Ardor are unlike any other band making waves through black metal, blues and other underground music circles of late. With this sublime second LP, they’ve summoned up a magical, morose, macabre and, for the most part, a masterful sound – a stunning sequel in every sense. This is undeniably Zeal & Ardor proving to the world that they weren’t just some flash-in-the-pan act back in 2016, but rather, something truly special to behold.” – Kill Your Stereo
“Sixteen breathtaking tracks that will render the listener speechless as they’re swept into the artful experience crafted by blistering riffs, impossibly fast beats, and the commanding and compassionate voice of Manuel Gagneux.” – Depth Magazine
“One of the most musically remarkable albums of this year.” – Loud Magazine
“It is heavier, fuller, darker, more haunting.” – Metal Obsession
“This record has so much heart and soul that you feel like you are sharing in Manuel Gagneux’s pain, sorrow and anger that he expresses in his voice.” – Everblack Media
“With ‘Stranger Fruit’, Zeal & Ardor continue to create artistic music which throws all categorisation right out of the window. Manuel Gagneux has a whole new sense of purpose as he takes the listener on a much more heavier and darker journey than ever before.” – Metal Wani
“Keep your attention to top 10 Album Of The Year lists come December 2018 – January 2019, because this one is going to be a reoccurring staple of 2018.” – Insert Review Here
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Following the release of three singles from the album: Gravedigger’s Chant, Waste & Built On Ashes, Zeal & Ardor release their highly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed debut album Devil Is Fine.
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The diverse yet cohesive nature of the sixteen tracks on Stranger Fruit is designed to encourage the listener to dig a little deeper and find their own meaning in its words. These songs are deliberately intended to play off each other both lyrically and musically. While the record seethes with justifiable rage, its wider-reaching aim is to unify and inspire action, not to divide and create inertia. Superficially, the album tells isolated stories, but there are references to the Goetia, Yoruba, and obscure occult literature and history.
Mixing blues, gospel, and soul with harsher music has opened up a world of possibilities for Gagneux. Previously creating as a one man solo effort, the immense interest and critical acclaim Zeal & Ardor attracted upon release of debut album Devil Is Fine, has led to the project becoming a fully fledged, internationally-touring band. After months hidden away, crafting the new songs for Stranger Fruit, Gagneux entered the studio with producer Zebo Adam and mixer Kurt Ballou (Converge, Kvelertak, Nails). While the finished sound is larger and heavier, it is still unmistakably Zeal & Ardor.
Stranger Fruit is available on multiple formats, including CD, cassette, vinyl, and digital download/stream. For vinyl fans, there’s a 2LP 180g gatefold vinyl or a 2LP limited deluxe 180g triple gatefold purple vinyl.
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BUY STRANGER FRUIT HERE
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It’s a busy month for Zeal & Ardor. The band are preparing for a series of live shows (including a London headline show & a slot at Download Festival).
Zeal & Ardor is the one-man brainchild of Manuel Gagneux, a Swiss-American formerly based in New York City. His approach draws on an alternate history and stems from two thoughts: Christianity was imposed upon American slaves, just as it was imposed in Norway, and black metal in the ’90s grew as a rebellion to monotheism. What would have happened if American slaves had rebelled in the same way? Or put bluntly: What would satanic spirituals sound like? First album Devil Is Fine was released globally in February 2017. Zeal & Ardor have been generating significant buzz ever since, with accolades piling up from both musical peers and international media, including Noisey, Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Kerrang!, The Guardian, The Independent, Metal Hammer, Upset, Brooklyn Vegan, and many more.
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STRANGER FRUIT TRACK LISTING:
01. Intro
02. Gravedigger’s Chant
03. Servants
04. Don’t You Dare
05. Fire Of Motion
06. The Hermit
07. Row Row
08. Ship On Fire
09. Waste
10. You Ain’t Coming Back
11. The Fool
12. We Can’t Be Found
13. Stranger Fruit
14. Solve
15. Coagula
16. Built On Ashes
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