Zeal & Ardor + Gaerea + Zetra @ Le Studio TD▪

Montreal’s Le Studio TD was packed to the rafters on this crisp November evening—a human sardine can of metalheads, goths, and curious onlookers united in anticipation for Zeal & Ardor. And while the evening started with a hiccup (more on that shortly), the eventual payoff was as satisfying as a perfectly executed breakdown.

First, the confession: I missed Zetra. Yes, the synth-laden, genre-melding British duo I’d been eagerly awaiting for months were already offstage by the time I arrived. A miscommunication about set times turned my dreams of gothic shoegaze bliss into a case of FOMO-induced melancholy. Rumour has it, they brought their signature visual flair and atmospheric grooves to an already receptive crowd. Next time, Zetra—save me a spot in the front row.

When I finally squeezed into the venue, Gaerea had already taken command of the stage. The Portuguese black metal band doesn’t waste time with pleasantries. They’re here to pummel. I caught the tail end of their set—two or three songs, but who’s counting when the double kick drums are rattling your ribcage? Draped in their eerie black hoods, Gaerea unleashed a wall of sound that felt like a sonic exorcism. The crowd, fully immersed in the intensity of the performance, threw themselves into the mosh pit with focused energy. Even in my brief encounter with their set, it was clear why they’ve become a rising force in the black metal scene.

By the time Zeal & Ardor took the stage, the room had transformed into a sweat-soaked haven of anticipation. Frontman Manuel Gagneux seemed genuinely taken aback by the sheer enthusiasm of the Montreal crowd.

Opening with the haunting whistling of “The Bird, the Lion and the Wildkin,” the band set the tone for what would be an eclectic journey through their discography. Zeal & Ardor’s strength lies in their ability to fuse seemingly disparate genres—blues, black metal, soul—into a sound that’s both cohesive and exhilarating. It’s like someone invited Robert Johnson to a Scandinavian forest and handed him a distortion pedal.

The set leaned heavily on their self-titled 2022 album, with a sprinkling of tracks from their latest release, GREIF. “Götterdämmerung” and “Run” sparked the night’s most frenzied mosh pits, the crowd roaring along not just in English but also in German and Latin—a testament to the band’s cultural fluidity and the dedication of their fans.

“Gravedigger’s Chant” offered a brief respite, its gospel-inflected tones wrapping the audience in an eerie embrace before the fury returned with “Tuskegee.” Here, Gagneux’s raw, guttural screams carried the weight of the song’s heavy subject matter, a harrowing commentary on historical racial injustice. The live rendition heightened the rage and sorrow embedded in the track—a standout moment that left the crowd in awe.

The three vocalists showcased their impressive interplay throughout the night. Nowhere was this more evident than during “Blood in the River,” where their call-and-response dynamic turned the audience into an unofficial choir. Chanting “The riverbed will run red” a dozen times alongside 700 other voices felt less like a concert and more like a cathartic release.

And then came “Golden Liar,” a slower, more introspective piece bathed in amber lights. It was the eye of the storm, a moment of calm that allowed the crowd to catch their breath before diving headfirst into the next sonic onslaught.

As the evening drew to a close, the band unleashed their pièce de résistance, “Death to the Holy,” a track so heavy it could double as an earthquake simulation. The crowd responded with a fervour that bordered on religious ecstasy—an irony not lost on anyone familiar with the song’s themes.

But Zeal & Ardor weren’t done. For the encore, they dipped into their arsenal for one last “angry song” from GREIF, a fitting finale to a night that was equal parts thought-provoking and ferocious. Even after 20 songs, the crowd still chanted for more, clinging to the hope of just one extra track.

Zeal & Ardor may have started as a one-man project in Gagneux’s head, but live, they’re a full-band juggernaut. Their ability to seamlessly blend blistering heaviness with soulful, almost spiritual melodies sets them apart in a genre often dominated by uniformity. The band’s daring approach to tackling political and social themes only adds to their impact, making them not just a great live act but an important one.

In the end, this was a night of discovery, even if I didn’t catch the entire lineup. Gaerea proved they’re a force to be reckoned with, and Zeal & Ardor reminded us all why they’re one of the most exciting acts in modern metal. And Zetra? I’ll see you next time—front and centre, and right on time.