ZEAL & ARDOR PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S ENGINE ROOMS

★★★★☆ (4/5)

ZEAL & ADOR PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S ENGINE ROOMS
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

The rise of post-black metal mixed with a variety of genres has been monumental in the past years, particularly when the groups appear on stage wearing cloaks and hoodies. Filling up the Engine Rooms on a Sunday night seems therefore only obvious when a band like Zeal & Ardor is on the bill, supported by black-metallers Dom Zły.

Hailing from Poland, Dom Zły’s name translates to ‘bad house’ and is interestingly fronted by a female singer. Opening the night in almost pitch blackness, with a potent blend of hardcore punk, black metal riffs and high pitches screaming vocals, the raw and aggressive energy of the band on stage set an intense tone. The audience seemed to enjoy the set a lot, as their performance showcased their commitment to pushing musical boundaries and blending genres. Their setlist was short but each song lasted more than your average 3-minute catchy pieces, and by taking a look at their setlist they were all about the natural elements, such as river, wind and black birds.

Zeal & Ardor on the other hand had a very interesting set prepared for their audience. The Swiss collective led by Manual Gagneux created a genre-defying set that seamlessly fused avant-garde, black metal, blues, gospel and soul music with African-American spirituals. It is like watching a black metal folk choir singing live, with heavy riffs, intense drums, and multi-layered vocals to create a very unique sound that is difficult to put into words. Their well curated setlist created a very ambient and avant-garde atmosphere that -dare I say- mesmerised their crowd who were chanting and dancing along through the set.

There was a lot of enthusiasm as the set grew on, and the band barely engaged with their audience opting to ‘play more music instead of talk’. Tracks such as ‘Wake of a Nation’, ‘Graveyard’s Chant’, and ‘Blood in the River’ highlighted the band’s ability to intertwine soulful vocals with screams and atmospheric black metal riffs, while other songs such as ‘Row Row’, ‘Death to the Holy’ and ‘Devil is Fine’ showcased the band’s experimentation with genres that would not necessarily be associated with the rest of the sound, creating an audio-visual experience. To finish off their set, the band came back on stage for a powerful and energetic encore, playing ‘Built on Ashes’ and ‘I caught you’, which seemed to receive a very warm and enthusiastic response. It is safe to say that every time the band paused between songs, the audience was clapping – once again, quite an interesting response for a gig.

Looking ahead, Zeal & Ardor are set to perform on several notable festivals in 2025, headlining Desertfest at the Roundhouse in London, and scheduled to appear at RADAR Festival in Manchester and Rockwave Festival in Athens. With their unique fusion of genres, the band’s powerful performance deeply resonates and leaves an impression on everyone who watches them play, so I definitely recommend checking them out – you will not be disappointed.