ZUGZWANG’s debut album “Under the shade of the leaves” plots a journey through the bitterness of pain and isolation, while evoking apocalyptic visions and the loss for the sublime. It creates an uneasy yet cathartic feeling, between pleasure and trepidation. ZUGZWANG is a musical attempt to break the vicious circle of forced moves on the chessboard of life. As music paints a vivid picture of ideas, this album conjures a vision of pure will. Vrolok LaVey and Lorenzo Pinto hail from Florence, Italy and employ a wide range of both classical and electronic instruments. Their cinematic style of composition brings to mind a combination of Nick Cave and Ennio Morricone, arranged by Richard Wagner. ZUGZWANG bring a new and fresh approach to the Neofolk scene with great hymns and a powerful performance on the one hand, while on the other hand their intimacy is breathtaking, leaving behind a deep mark on the listeners consciousness.