Single Slam – Waste by Zeal and Ardor (Stranger Fruit)

Zeal and Ardor’s new album, Stranger Fruit, is due out on the 8th of June and the second single from it has just dropped. Following hot on the heels of Gravedigger’s Chant comes the new song, Waste.

Zeal and Ardor have pretty much taken the world by storm so to say the new album is eagerly anticipated is a huge understatement. Their debut, Devil is Fine, is special in parts though has missteps on it. It contains some amazing tracks though with Come On Down being the real stand out. Because of the missteps though (namely Sacrilegium) there was some concern about what direction Zeal and Ardor would take with their next release. Thankfully, the first single Gravedigger’s Chant, put those fears to bed. Where Sacrilegium leans heavily towards electronica, Gravedigger’s Chant shows this band are fully rooted in Black Metal and Waste rams that home beyond doubt.

Since starting as the solo project of Manuel Gagneux, Zeal have grown into a full band and have toured extensively receiving rave reviews along the way including from us here at GBHBL. You can read about that show here.

Waste is just under 3 minutes and 20 seconds long and is probably the purest black metal track they have released so far. All while keeping that familiar ominous tone running through the tracks veins. A heavily distorted guitar starts the track off. It continues in a wavy, hypnotic pattern before Manuel comes in with some soulful singing over the top. What comes next is unexpected though as the vocals change dramatically.

With a crash of instruments, the song speeds up and the vocals turn to straight up black metal roars and screeches. A dark and broody guitar tone sit underneath crashing drums and ripping vocals. An atmospheric guitar melody permeates the darkness before a guttural scream leads us back into the black metal mayhem. The chorus is sung soulfully over the blackened sounds with some strong backing before chaos ensues again.

Waste is excitingly chaotic. A really strong black metal song that keeps a little of the ominous chain gang feeling we know and love from previous songs. The heavily distorted instruments worm their way into your mind. This the Zeal and Ardor song the mosh pit has been waiting for.

Waste is available to stream in all the usual places now, like Apple Music and Spotify. You can also grab the single, and more from the links below. Head over to the Zeal and Ardor website to preorder a copy of Stranger Fruit here. Keep up to date with new music and other information from the band at their Bandcamp page, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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