Manuel Gagneux, better known as gospel-metal alchemist Zeal & Ardor, recently sat down for a chat with The Guardian about his upcoming album Stranger Fruit, his Swiss-American upbringing, and more. At one point during the interview, the musician revealed the literal, painful truth regarding Zeal & Ardor's merch table: for the low, low price of zero dollars (plus ample pain tolerance), you can join the ranks of eight fans who've had Gagneux's merch guy brand the band's logo (which he designed himself) into their flesh by way of piping-hot iron right, right outside the venue — with no appointment necessary!
"It baffles me, also," Gagneux said of fans' choices to get branded, going on to admit that "the venues aren't too enthused about it." (We bet.) As far as health and safety protocols go, the musician noted that he makes a point to keep the iron sterile, and disinfects individuals after-the-fact. "The artist who actually forged the thing, He's also the merch guy, so he might be talking it up to people: Oh God, this is a lawsuit waiting to happen," he groaned.
When asked to explain the reasoning behind the ritual, Gagneux pointed to its relationship with slavery — a violent synonymity informing much of Zeal & Ardor's music. "The intent was that no one would ever do it, because that's the whole thing: you don't want this brand," he explained. "If you do, you're just an idiot who is following, not thinking for yourself." He concluded with a qualification, followed by a subtle warning: "If they want to underline my statement, that's fine with me. But eight people is enough. If they don't get the symbolism, let's not encourage them."
Zeal & Ardor's Stranger Fruit — the follow-up to last year's debut Devil Is Fine — hits shelves June 8th. Produced by Zebo Adam and mixed by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, the 16-track release it includes the previously-shared songs "Waste" and "Gravedigger's Chant."
Read our interview with Zeal & Ardor's Manuel Gagneux.
