It’s more like pineapple-on-pizza metal… we shouldn’t connect with certain kinds of metal fans, but they still appreciate us. Could we call it ‘Thinking-man’s pineapple pizza?’ Is that a valid compromise? It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but some people will still agree that it’s a pizza even though there’s a little forbidden fruit on there
Manuel Gagneux after being asked by Kerrang! if Zeal and Ardor made ‘Thinking-Man’s Metal’
I know what you’re thinking: yes, Kerrang! is still going and yes that’s the typeface they’re going with for the logo now. In this piece I shall argue that Zeal and Ardor should not be blamed for either of those things.
But are Zeal and Ardor still going?? They first emerged as truly one of the most innovative and experimental voices in music with their 2016 ‘Devil is Fine’ EP, but struggled to truly satisfactorily translate that zest and imagination (that ardour or that zeal, if you will if you will if you will) over to their (still fantastic) debut album proper in 2018. The ‘band’ (still essentially just the brainchild of the sole mad professor Manuel Gagneux at this point) were apparently ready to call it quits after that debut, obviously deciding that elevator pitch of black metal mixed with slave songs had reached its natural conclusion. However, the ‘band’ were compelled to make a comment on the George Floyd horrors of 2020 with the astonishingly powerful ‘Wake of a Nation’ EP. However, once again, when they attempted to match the vigour and the intensity they had captured on an extended play across a whole album, their feet were caught underneath their legs again. 2022’s self-titled second album was good. Really good, even. Like, 46nd best album of the year? That’s not nothin’. That was only one place behind ‘Midnights’ by Taylor Swift, so… y’know… But I start to lose interest when bands regress to merely making good albums. You know how many artists make good albums?? This list goes into the hundreds if I don’t discipline myself!* I want my artists to be special, I want them to be outrageous and I want them to know exactly who they are and what they’re doing! On their second album proper, Z&A didn’t seem to know what exactly they were for. They were no longer the band that made metal negro spirituals, so were they just… a really good metal band now…? Gross…
(*admittedly, the 117th best album that year was a Damian Lazarus turgefest that I slagged off to such an extent that he had a moan on Twitter! What’s more smalltime: this recording artist getting so butthurt by a nobody with (at the time) nine Twitter followers correctly pointing out that their latest record sucked that they directly whinge at them, or the nobody himself getting so annoyed that they never reviewed any of the artist’s garbage records again? I’ll let you decide. Number four in 2009, Damian Lazarus!!)
Unfortunately, on ‘Greif’ (sic! It’s German or some shit! Though you will never get me to admit how often I misspelled it in my Alan Sparhawk review) it’s clear that Z&A still don’t have a clear idea what they’re supposed to be doing or what they fundamentally are. However, on their third album, the confusion and genre discomfiture somehow combines to create an exceptional album.
‘Greif’ is not electronic enough to be an electronica album, but electronics play such a central part you’ll constantly be questioning that classification. Importantly, it absolutely not metal enough to be a metal album, although the metal sensibilities are always present to make each failed attempt at whatever genre fascinating. The two bands that most come to mind are Queens of the Stoneage – an influence that Gagneux has recognised – and, bizarrely, mid career U2. The swamp rock stoning on QOTSA is evident on many tracks, although The Queens never experimented quite this much with synthetic sounds. And the U2 comparisons come when you consider quite what a stadium sized bop this whole record is, and a lot of the track’s synth backed arena rock with impassioned vocals are, as the kids say, ‘Achtung Baby Coded’.
It’s all over the place, I’m not entirely sure what the guiding philosophy is, and it’s probably by far and away the band’s least cohesive record. And yet it has reawakened my love of the band. ‘Greif’ has reminded me that Z&A are an act unafraid to take risks, to play with their own sound, to reach for the stars even while they drunkenly bounce off the walls of a dark alleyway lost on their way to a home they’re not 100% sure exists. And, most importantly, the stone cold gilded gold quality of the songwriting always wins you over. When the songs are as good as are you the only one now, Fend You Off, Disease (OK, basically a QOTSA federal lawsuit waiting to happen, but still amazing), Hide in Shade or to my ilk then, fuck it, you can get away with a lot of failed genre hopping. The songs are this good? Fuck it, do what you want with them, you’ve given yourself a lot of wriggle room.
I have always believed that one day Z&A will come out with an historically good album, one that redefines genres on a similar level to Sepultura’s ‘Roots’. ‘Greif’ is absolutely not that album. But it’s at least reaffirmed my belief.
Same time 2026, lads?
Yeah, I know, I said this in 2022 as well. But when I got to commemorating the Gold Star Artist Hall of Fame, I suddenly got very strict and declared that actually Z&A only had two full studio albums, so didn’t actually qualify: “so they’re another victim of my anal ways. Many people in my life have been victim to my anal ways”. Well, you’re in now, boys!!
Album Title as AI Image
Holy fuck, the robots so get Z&A…
Necessary Evil 
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