Zeal & Ardor Unveil Grace with The Blues in New Single ‘to my ilk'

“For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop.” – Abel Meeropol and Billie Holiday, ‘Strange Fruit’ 1939.

“From crown to the root, this tree won’t fall.” – Manuel Gagneux, Zeal & Ardor, ‘Stranger Fruit’, Stranger Fruit 2018.

Although the two lyrical expressions quoted above have a time difference of nearly 70 years, they are extraordinarily connected.

The controversial yet remarkable song ‘Strange Fruit’ (and re-imagination of the original) from the infamous American jazz and swing music singer Billie Holiday became her most successful single going on to sell one million copies, even though the label at the time declined to release it (Commodore Records handled its publication). The song was also refused radio play in the South also, due to its topical nature as a protest anthem against the lynching of African American men. Nevertheless, the anthem’s success has been monumental; this includes winning numerous awards such as Time Magazine’s best song of the century in 1999.

It has immeasurable impact.

Manuel Gagneux feels this impact. In his sophomore and critically acclaimed LP as Zeal & Ardor, he mirrored and re-interpreted these lyrics encompassing an exceptional empowerment. He superbly added further intensity to this “impact”, and it was recognised and adored worldwide.

Manuel’s unique fusion of traditional blues, “slave music”, rhythm and blues, neo-soul and extreme black metal is incredibly compelling. Supposedly the band’s creation came from the question: “What if American slaves had embraced Satan instead of Jesus?” And truthfully, this does excellently encapsulate Zeal & Ardor. Only days ago, Z&A unleashed their new single ‘to my ilk’ and revealed the electrifying details of their fourth full-length GREIF to be released August 23rd, 2024.

The song does not incorporate the sensational synthesis of all the above listed genres; astonishingly it is a striking “skin and bones” soulful composition that refrains from escalating in intensity, but it is undoubtedly dazzling. The track is related in sound to ‘Vigil’, the opening soul styled piano-driven track from the sextet’s EP Wake Of A Nation released in 2020, this collection was crafted in response to the unjust murder of George Floyd. However, ‘to my ilk’ steers away from the political; it virtually acts like a supernatural and spiritual journey guided by simplistic strings, handclaps, and boot-taps with invigorating hypnotic vocal harmonising. It is transformative in the sense that the spectators may feel like they have undergone time travel, it has that impact.

As Mr Gagneux tenderly voices in the chorus: “Only when thе day come, you can sail away,” this is exactly what the two-and-a-half-minutes achieves. The day has come, and we do sail away with this Kaleo meets Liv.e inspired delicacy. Astoundingly, this single is the new full-length’s closing track and within its “less is more” exquisiteness, it has immeasurable impact.

Words by Will Oakeshott @TeenWolfWill

Pre-order GREIF here

Stream ‘to my ilk‘ here

Zeal & Ardor – GRIEF tracklisting

1. the Bird, the Lion, and the Wildkin
2. Fend You Off
3. Kilonova
4. are you the only one now?
5. Go home my friend
6. Clawing out
7. Disease
8. 369
9. Thrill
10. une ville vide
11. Sugarcoat
12. Solace
13. Hide in Shade
14. to my ilk