Zeal & Ardor - Devil Is Fine
Zeal & Ardor debut sees a remarkably well executed mix of styles
As a modern day metal fan it is easy to assume that every kind of fusion metal genre has already been done and that the genre is only so far away from stagnating. Every now and then, however, a wholly original artist comes along to show this for the naive line of thinking it is, and for early 2017, Zeal & Ardor are that artist. Mixing up a variety of styles that have not been mixed in such a way previously, Manuel Gagneux’s solo project incorporates menacing black metal, African American slave music and electronica.
Throughout, the Swiss multi-instrumentalist mixes and blends these styles in varying degrees but refrains from allowing them to become too heavy-handed and jarring. On ‘Come On Down’, tremolo guitar-work and black metal shrieks channel the intensity of extreme metal, but a ruthlessly catchy blues element can also be found here. Elsewhere, ‘Children’s Summon’ is introduced with melodeath riffs and black metal yells, but backing chants mean it also channels the Satan-adoring tones of Ghost, and ‘What Is A Killer Like You Gonna Do Here?’ holds funky bass, rockabilly riffs and a sinister atmosphere that raises goosebumps whilst also evoking sing-alongs.
Devil Is Fine is, most notably, a tantalising start for Zeal & Ardor, but one that fills just 25 minutes for a concept that seems so epic. The album is the definition of short and sweet, but promises huge things for the future of the project. Manuel proves himself a talented songwriter and musician, one with a wide musical taste that allows him to seamlessly blend seemingly unaffiliated genres in a way that’s sure to alienate metal purists, but for those that give its infectious tunes and evil-sounding metal elements time to grow on them, a thrilling and utterly original release awaits.
8.5/10
