Stranger Fruit

Manuel Gagneux’s latest provocative mix of black metal and black folk music of the South is an absurd union that offers moments of transcendence.

Zeal & Ardor forges an exhilarating new sound on second LP Stranger Fruit; Lykke Li turns inward on the hit-or-miss So Sad So Sexy; and bedroom pop gets a hi-fi makeover on Snail Mail’s full-length debut, Lush. These, plus Angélique Kidjo and Lily Allen in this week’s notable new releases.

The sophomore studio effort from the Swiss-American avant-garde metal ensemble led by Manuel Gagneux, Stranger Fruit delivers on the promise of Zeal & Ardor's 2016 debut via a vital amalgam of blues, black metal, and African American spirituals.

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if Deafheaven's cutting-edge black metal sound was mixed with 19th century African-American...

Elliot Leaver reviews the brand new album from Zeal & Ardor. Read on for his review of Stranger Fruit right here on Distorted Sound!

A Review of Stranger Fruit by Zeal and Ardor, available worldwide June 8th via MVKA.