{"id":691112,"date":"2026-03-04T13:52:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:52:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elgarajedefrank.es\/?p=691112"},"modified":"2026-03-04T13:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:58:13","slug":"struggler-zugzwang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elgarajedefrank.es\/en\/struggler-zugzwang\/","title":{"rendered":"Struggler &#8211; Zugzwang"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;\">In a time in which artists repeat their formulas to exhaustion, few bands manage to surprise you with their new works. And that\u2019s exactly what the Belgian band<strong> Struggler<\/strong> achieves with their new seven-track album\/EP entitled <em>Zugzwang<\/em>. While in the past they dazzled us with an abrasive style featuring piercing guitars and a hard rock approach, they now deliver softness and a more electronic sound. The band, led by Rene Hulsbosch, released their first single, titled &#8220;Wanted,&#8221; in 1980, and two years later, the cult album <em>It Was A Very Long Conversation But At the End We Didn&#8217;t Shake Hands<\/em>. After a hiatus, they returned with the abrasive <em>The Gap<\/em> in 2017, which was followed three years later by the highly recommended <em>Wilma Determined Protector<\/em>, and now, in 2026, the band has released <em>Zugzwang<\/em>. It\u2019s available on vinyl, and you can place your order directly with the band via their Facebook page.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><em>Zugzwang<\/em> is a term from chess that refers to the obligation to move, to the situation where any allowed move worsens your position. Thus, <strong>Struggler<\/strong> makes a move by releasing an EP that differs from all their previous work but shares the inherent darkness of the band. The album surprises right away with &#8220;XIV,&#8221; the opening track, featuring Rene whispering over a delicate background until the piano enters with great emotional effect. In contrast, &#8220;Summernight&#8221; seems to immerse us underwater in a more electronic, intense, and dark track, rich in atmosphere and highly addictive. &#8220;The Dead Flower&#8221; features a duet with a jazzy sound that reminds me of <strong>Matt Elliott<\/strong> or <strong>Tom Waits<\/strong>, complete with a tavern choir, accordion, and a relaxed rhythm. Alexandrina Alves collaborates, whom we got to know and see dance with the band at the last Sinner&#8217;s Day. &#8220;Last But Not Least&#8221; is a dark, terrifying piece; in less than three minutes, the band manages to create an unsettling atmosphere. It is the track most reminiscent of the old <strong>Struggler<\/strong>. &#8220;Hitch&#8221; continues with the same oppressive and dark feeling but with a more cinematic sound. &#8220;Zugzwang&#8221; is a more electronic track with screeching guitar. The album comes to an end with the cinematic electronic piece &#8220;Again,&#8221; with Rene repeating &#8220;tomorrow&#8221; as in the first track. An EP to savor over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a time in which artists repeat their formulas to exhaustion, few bands manage to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":690078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[391],"class_list":["post-691112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-post-punk-en"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Struggler - Zugzwang &#8212; El Garaje de Frank<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"&#8212; New Struggler EP.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/elgarajedefrank.es\/en\/struggler-zugzwang\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Struggler - Zugzwang &#8212; 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