Zeal Machine

 “We went from being a busking street band to finding ourselves quite prolific with our writing. We merge elements of punk and garage rock (amongst other genres) to present angular, yet catchy, alternative rock, plucked from the 90's with a 2020's twist!”

 

Up n’ Comin’ NI is happy to introduce this week’s artist Zeal Machine, a Belfast based 4-piece band, formed in 2022. 

 

“Music has been a part of all of our lives as individuals, and it's the shared love of some musical artists that have brought us together.” Collectively some of their major influences would include Fugazi, The Hives, H2O, The Clash, The Cure and Foo Fighters. “They are all bands that tap into different parts of us: the dub influence from Fugazi and The Clash, the catchy riffs of The Hives, the driving drums of H2O and the bittersweet melodies of The Cure. They all differ in terms of degrees of influence depending on the kind of song that we are trying to write.”

 

“Our name summarises us in the best way possible. We are a unit with great energy and enthusiasm, working towards our goal to create art and music that is meaningful and fulfilling to us. We are energetic, thoughtful, mischievous, passionate, and emotional in our music and our live performances.”

 

Zeal machine are all songwriters with varying levels of experience. They practice together once or twice a week, creating new ideas while trying to maintain their original sound. “A few songs we have plucked from random jam sessions with no real goal. We just record and build something around those ideas or sounds. We move fast with our decisions when it comes to songwriting, but we aren't afraid to review or revisit certain elements of a song or idea. We try to take some of those small creative sparks from a jam session as a band or by ourselves and turn it into musical flames.”

 

“We would firmly say that we are ‘Alternative Rock.’” Zeal Machine have so many influences that this term can’t and shouldn’t be narrowed down any further. In saying this, “We have messed around with a lot of ska, reggae and two-tone ideas before Chris joined. Since then, the band has taken on a life of its own, and no idea is off the table. We have smooth ballad like songs, straightforward punk bangers, noisy emotive grunge rock. We make it all work! We want to push ourselves to create new and interesting ideas with the limited tools that we have. With this, we can slip easily into any live line-up in Belfast or further afield playing with anyone from the punk bands in voodoo to the indie bands in USC.”

 

The band says, “We would absolutely be open to collaboration with anyone within the scene in NI! And not just musicians... we want artists, writers, photographers, film makers, anyone!” So if you’re interested in working with Zeal Machine, get in touch!

 

Deano [Guitarist/Vocalist] uses a lot of his own personal experiences when writing lyrics. “They're pretty direct but they are thought provoking. In fact, he has been brave enough to write about a variety of subject, from the death of a loved one to a defiant mantra of why Zeal Machine are the best.”

 

"The act who shows that there is nothing else they would rather do, is the act who ends up being remembered!" 

 

2023 was a great year for Zeal Machine with a huge increase in the amount of gigs they played. They are all hoping that 2024 will have the same impact. “We plan to record at the start of 2024 so we can get back on the road in the summer!”

 

The bands favourite gig was, “Without a doubt, our gig in the Sunflower with Black Lanterns and Sunwise. There were so many nerves as we booked the gig ourselves (no promotors to give us help to advertise) and we sold out! It was raucous, sloppy and sweaty but a gig that really showed us that people are here for us and do want to see us play. A real highlight for us for a long time I'm sure!”

 

So, what’s next for The Zeal Machine?

“2 planned EP's for 2024!” 

Make sure you follow them and keep up to date with all their songs, events and gigs: 

Spotify: Zeal Machine

YouTube: Zeal Machine

Instagram: zealmachinee