A chain clinked in the darkness of Brisbane’s The Brightside (28 February).
Red lights beamed from the floors, revealing the visage of Zeal & Ardor. Flanked by two singers was the Swiss-US band’s leader Manuel Gagneux, who scowled as he chanted hymns to Satan.
It was the final stop of their debut Australian tour, and the former church proved an appropriate venue for their black mass of blues and black metal.
Local musician Sam Haven’s opening set was beset with problems: overwhelming audience chatter, ska horns bleeding in from a nearby venue (Hot 8 Brass Band), and a missing drummer.
While the textures of the present bass, keys, and guitar hid the lack of drums, they were often overwhelmed by the intruding clamour. Sam overcame the distractions when he pressed his guitar pedals, building a wall of distorted drones that drowned out all sounds and attracted everyone’s attention.
An intricate drum pattern signalled the arrival of local instrumental prog-rockers Balloons Kill Babies.
Underneath Scott Davey’s heavy beats, Christian 'Twiggy' Carter picked a delicate melody while Karl O’Shea threw his head back as he shredded a bass groove. “This next song’s a bit instrumental,” Christian joked before their final song.
While lyrics were absent, their music – ranging from aggressive to rhythmic – spoke to the fans moshing in the front row.
The space filled with black-shirted fans by the time Zeal & Ardor appeared. With no room in the mosh pit, fans filled the balconies on both sides of the crowd. Some were pushed hard against the railings and nearly sent overboard when the beat of ‘Servants’ made those behind them stomp.
With the chorus came loud guitars and Manuel rasping “Servants! Join Us!”, to which those fearing being crushed summoned the strength to push back and rage.
Manuel kept conversation to a minimum, instead putting his vocal cords to work in his powerful singing. He chanted the verses of ‘Row Row’, joined by the low moans of his backing singers and a roomful of clapping. Drum kicks sped in, and under rapidly flashing lights Manuel growled he’d be “Slaves to none!”.
The descending madness of guitars faded away and Manuel sweetly crooned ‘You Ain’t Coming Back’. Black metal guitars roared again and a sweating Manuel became deranged; clenching his fist and hitting his guitar.
He yelped, squealed and screamed over the noise until his neck muscles bulged, and his guitarist and backing vocalists wildly thrashed.
“Should we go away and then come back for an encore,” asked Manuel, “or should we play some more f...ing music?”. Upon hearing the cheers for the latter option, Manuel shrugged his shoulders and the band continued.
Spirits were high when the clinking chain returned for ‘Devil Is Fine’. The crowd joined in with Manuel’s blues holler and sent shakes through the floor when they stomped hard to the beat. Fast guitar strums climbed and fists bearing horns rose in the air.
Zeal & Ardor put the devil in the audience and turned them into worshippers.
