Zeal & Ardor announce new album ‘GREIF’
ZEAL & ARDOR have announced a new album!
Titled GREIF, the upcoming album from the Swiss avant-garde metal band is the follow-up to 2022’s self-titled album, and is scheduled to be released in August this year.
The title, GREIF, is inspired by an annual tradition in band leader Manuel Gagneux’s hometown of Basel, Switzerland. A mythical hybrid creature parades through the streets for the children in symbolism of Basel’s working people balking at the oppressive elite on its other side. “The GREIF is a lion, a snake, and a bird,” he notes. “During the parade, he turns his backside to the aristocrats and sticks it to the man. It reflects where we are.”
For the new album, Manuel opted to shake things up for GREIF. Instead of creatively flying solo again, this time he welcomed his bandmates into the studio. As such, the musicians – Tiziano Volante [guitars], Marc Obrist [vocals], Denis Wagner [vocals], Lukas Kurmann [bass], and Marco Von Allmen [drums] – spread their wings alongside him.
“We’ve really evolved into a tight-knit unit,” adds Marc. “Before ZEAL & ARDOR, we were basically strangers, but we’re like a little family now. Each member brings his own unique flavor to the mix, and we all try to make Manuel’s songs better in our own way. The most interesting part for me was the new approach of how we work together in the studio.”
Decamping to Marc’s studio Hutch Sounds in Switzerland, the record came to life in just five months. The frontman excitedly leveraged the talents of his cohorts, featuring three voices for the first time and emboldening the sound from every angle. “I wanted to expand upon what we had and introduce new colors,” Manuel goes on. “There are angry and accusatory moments, but there’s also some solace and happiness. I’m widening the palette of colors we have to paint with. These are avenues we haven’t tried.”
“We invite listeners to hear the full spectrum of the different sides and sounds that make ZEAL & ARDOR,” Tiziano leaves off. “There are some gorgeous moments, but it packs in a lot of intensity and charm. In Manuel’s songwriting and the process with every member, there’s a certain intentionality as well as an element of randomness and accident. I can’t wait to see people’s reactions.”
Alongside the announcement of the new album, ZEAL & ARDOR have released a new song from the upcoming new album; to my ilk. Speaking about the new song, Gagneux notes, “it has another level of emotion, and it came out just the way I imagined.”
Listen to to my ilk here:
Also, you can view both the track list and artwork for the upcoming new album below:
Track List:
- the Bird, the Lion, and the Wildkin
- Fend You Off
- Kilonova
- are you the only one now?
- Go home my friend
- Clawing out
- Disease
- 369
- Thrill
- une ville vide
- Sugarcoat
- Solace
- Hide in Shade
- to my ilk
To support the upcoming album, ZEAL & ARDOR are gearing up for some extensive touring, which includes headline dates, festival performances, and several shows as special guests alongside experimental folk outfit HEILUNG. They return to the UK for one headline show at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on September 22nd. Tickets are on sale now for all dates except the headline shows in London, Copenhagen, Linz, and Milan which go on sale this Friday, April 26th and can be purchased here.
Tour dates are as follows:
06.06.2024 PL – Mystic Festival
08.06.2024 SE – Sweden Rock Festival
22.06.2024 FR – Rock in Bourlon
23.06.2024 DE – Full Force Festival
26.06.2024 LV – Riga, Melna Piektdiena
27.06.2024 EE – Talinn, Tapper
28.06.2024 FI – Tuska Festival
20.07.2024 DE – Baden im Blut Festival
10.08.2024 FR – Festival 666
16.08.2024 DE – Reload Festival
28.08.2024 DK – Copenhagen, Amager Bio
29.08.2024 DE – Hamburg, Edel Optics Arena*
31.08.2024 DE – Berlin, Zitadelle*
03.09.2024 DE – Stuttgart, Beethoven Saal*
05.09.2024 DE – Nurnberg, Kia Metropol Arena
07.09.2024 CZ – Trutnov, Boijste Amphitheater*
09.09.2024 HU – Budapest. Barba Negra Openair*
11.09.2024 AT – Vienna, Arena*
12.09.2024 AT – Linz, Posthof
13.09.2024 DE – Munich, Zenith*
15.09.2024 BE – Antwerpen, Lotto Arena*
17.09.2024 FR – Paris, Zenith*
19.09.2024 DE – Cologne, Palladium*
21.09.2024 NL – Amsterdam, AFAS Live* (sold out)
22.09.2024 UK – London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
04.10.2024 IT – Milan, Santeria
05.10.2024 CH – Lucerne, Metal Storm Festival
12.10.2024 NL – Nijmegen, Soulcrusher Festival
*supporting HEILUNG
GREIF is set for release on August 23rd via self-release. Pre-orders will be available soon.
For more information on ZEAL & ARDOR like their official page on Facebook.
