# The Zealot Gene

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2022 studio album by Jethro Tull

The Zealot Gene Studio album by Jethro Tull Released 28 January 2022 Recorded March 2017–July 2021 Studio Modern World Studios, Tetbury, Gloucestershire Genre Folk progressive rock[1] Length 46:45 Label InsideOut Producer Ian Anderson Jethro Tull chronology The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003) The Zealot Gene (2022) RökFlöte (2023) Singles from The Zealot Gene "Shoshana Sleeping" Released: 5 November 2021 "Sad City Sisters" Released: 8 December 2021 "The Zealot Gene" Released: 12 January 2022

***The Zealot Gene*** is the twenty-second studio album by the British rock band [Jethro Tull](/source/Jethro_Tull_(band)), released on 28 January 2022 by [Inside Out Music](/source/Inside_Out_Music).[2][3] Nearly five years in production, it is their first studio album since *[The Jethro Tull Christmas Album](/source/The_Jethro_Tull_Christmas_Album)* (2003), and their first of all original material since *[J-Tull Dot Com](/source/J-Tull_Dot_Com)* (1999), marking the longest gap between the band's studio albums. It is also their first album since *[This Was](/source/This_Was)* (1968) to be made without guitarist [Martin Barre](/source/Martin_Barre).

The album entered the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart) at number 9, becoming Jethro Tull's first UK top ten album since 1972.

## Background

The album originated in January 2017, when composer, vocalist and flautist [Ian Anderson](/source/Ian_Anderson) started to write new songs and arrange the shape of the album. Early into the process, he decided that it was to be a Jethro Tull album because the line-up of the group at that time had become the longest lasting in its history, but had not been involved on a studio recording under its name.[4] It was a productive time, and seven tracks were recorded in March of that year. Further work on the album was put on hold in order for Anderson and the band to finish touring commitments in 2018 and 2019, and Anderson felt it would have been unfair to have the group back in the studio during the small amounts of down time.[4] Following the outbreak of the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic) and subsequent lockdowns, in early 2021 Anderson "gave up hope" and decided to put down his parts to the remaining five songs alone at his home studio.[4] These last five songs are acoustic based and without drums, partly because drummer [Scott Hammond](/source/Scott_Hammond_(musician)) was unable to record at home. The band recorded their individual parts in a similar manner, leaving Anderson to assemble the various tracks to form a complete song. By July 2021, the album was complete and delivered to Inside Out.[4]

*The Zealot Gene* is the first Jethro Tull studio album to feature an entirely new lineup (other than Anderson), with guitarist [Florian Opahle](/source/Florian_Opahle) (who left the band between its recording and release), bassist [David Goodier](/source/David_Goodier), keyboardist John O'Hara, and drummer Scott Hammond replacing four-fifths of *The Jethro Tull Christmas Album* lineup – [Martin Barre](/source/Martin_Barre), [Jonathan Noyce](/source/Jonathan_Noyce), [Andrew Giddings](/source/Andrew_Giddings) and [Doane Perry](/source/Doane_Perry) respectively. The new lineup is the same that performed on Anderson's most recent solo album, *[Homo Erraticus](/source/Homo_Erraticus)* (2014).[5] The album is the first since *[This Was](/source/This_Was)* (1968) not to involve Barre in any capacity, as he was not asked to return when Anderson reformed Jethro Tull.

## Songs

*The Zealot Gene* is not a [concept album](/source/Concept_album), but biblical references are made throughout and Anderson began writing each song with a passage from the Bible.[6] "Mrs. Tibbets" references the mother of [Paul Tibbets](/source/Paul_Tibbets), the pilot of the *[Enola Gay](/source/Enola_Gay)* who dropped the atomic bomb [Little Boy](/source/Little_Boy) on [Hiroshima](/source/Hiroshima) in 1945; the song's repeated reference to "Mrs. Tibbets's little boy" therefore has a dual meaning. The title track was inspired partly by the rise in right-wing populism "and how extremist views seem to spread more freely and everything gets more exaggerated – sometimes through news stories, and some from ferocious [tweets](/source/Twitter)."[6] Anderson said that "Mine Is the Mountain" is not a reflection of his own view, but rather about seeing God as a victim and the "desperation of man to create this figurehead, and in human form, because that’s the only way we can understand it."[6]

## Release

The album entered the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart) at number 9, becoming Jethro Tull's first UK top ten album since *[Thick as a Brick](/source/Thick_as_a_Brick)* and the compilation *[Living in the Past](/source/Living_in_the_Past_(album))*, both from 1972.[7]

## Critical reception

Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating Metacritic 67/100[8] Review scores Source Rating American Songwriter [1] Classic Rock [9] Mojo [10] The Spill Magazine [11] Uncut 7/10[12]

At [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), which assigns a [normalised](/source/Standard_score) rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, *The Zealot Gene* received a [mean](/source/Weighted_arithmetic_mean) score of 67 based on 4 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[8]

Lee Zimmerman of *[American Songwriter](/source/American_Songwriter)* described *The Zealot Gene* as a "concept album in the vintage manner of *[Thick as a Brick](/source/Thick_as_a_Brick)*" with the "idyllic imagery of *[Songs From the Wood](/source/Songs_From_the_Wood)* and *[Heavy Horses](/source/Heavy_Horses)*". Zimmerman opined that the album is a "noteworthy effort and a well-executed return" for the band.[1] *[Mojo](/source/Mojo_(magazine))* writer John Bungey compared the album with Ian Anderson's 2014 solo album *[Homo Erraticus](/source/Homo_Erraticus)*, and praised that "here are 12 less erratic songs on diverse subjects". However, Bungey also pointed out that "the rockier tunes need louder guitars and it's the folkier moments with [mandolin](/source/Mandolin), [Irish whistle](/source/Tin_whistle) and [accordion](/source/Accordion) that shine brightest".[10] Hugh Fielder of *[Classic Rock](/source/Classic_Rock_(magazine))* described the album as "light, bright, tight and recognisably Tull, with plenty of room for [Anderson's] flute to fly". However, Fielder also stated that he missed [Martin Barre](/source/Martin_Barre)'s "heavy rock dynamics" and mentioned "Anderson's increasingly frail voice".[9]

## Track listing

All music and lyrics by [Ian Anderson](/source/Ian_Anderson).

No. Title Length 1. "Mrs. Tibbets" 5:53 2. "Jacob's Tales" 2:12 3. "Mine Is the Mountain" 5:40 4. "The Zealot Gene" 3:54 5. "Shoshana Sleeping" 3:40 6. "Sad City Sisters" 3:41 7. "Barren Beth, Wild Desert John" 3:38 8. "The Betrayal of Joshua Kynde" 4:05 9. "Where Did Saturday Go?" 3:52 10. "Three Loves, Three" 3:29 11. "In Brief Visitation" 3:01 12. "The Fisherman of Ephesus" 3:40 Total length: 46:45

## Personnel

**Jethro Tull**

- [Ian Anderson](/source/Ian_Anderson) – vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, whistle, harmonica

- [Florian Opahle](/source/Florian_Opahle) – electric guitar

- [David Goodier](/source/David_Goodier) – bass guitar

- John O'Hara – piano, keyboards, accordion, organ

- [Scott Hammond](/source/Scott_Hammond_(musician)) – drums

- [Joe Parrish](/source/Joe_Parrish) – guitar (track 11) [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

**Production**

- Ian Anderson – producer, stereo mixing, photography, artwork concept

- Michael Nyandoro – engineer

- Nick Watson – mastering

- [Jakko Jakszyk](/source/Jakko_Jakszyk) – 5.1 surround sound mixing

- James Anderson – photography

- Thomas Ewerhard – artwork design

- [Tim Bowness](/source/Tim_Bowness) – liner notes

- Mastering at Fluid Mastering

## Charts

Chart performance for The Zealot Gene Chart (2022) Peak position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] 5 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 26 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 34 Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[16] 56 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[17] 37 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 6 French Albums (SNEP)[19] 124 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] 4 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[21] 18 Italian Albums (FIMI)[22] 61 Polish Albums (ZPAV)[23] 34 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[24] 8 Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 5 Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[26] 20 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 22 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[29] 9 UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[30] 3 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[31] 37 US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[32] 10 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[33] 37

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-American_Songwriter_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-American_Songwriter_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-American_Songwriter_1-2) Zimmerman, Lee (28 January 2022). ["Review: A Zealot Through and Through"](https://americansongwriter.com/a-zealot-through-and-through/). *[American Songwriter](/source/American_Songwriter)*. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Pre-order the New Jethro Tull album "The Zealot Gene""](https://jethrotull.com/pre-order-jethro-tulls-new-album-the-zealot-gene/) (Press release). [Jethro Tull](/source/Jethro_Tull_(band)). Retrieved 15 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Ewing, Jerry (13 July 2021). ["Jethro Tull to Release New Album The Zealot Gene in Early 2022"](https://www.loudersound.com/news/jethro-tull-to-release-new-album-the-zealot-gene-in-early-2022). *Louder*. Retrieved 26 January 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CL22_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CL22_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CL22_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-CL22_4-3) Graff, Gary (26 January 2022). ["Jethro Tull celebrates release of 'The Zealot Gene,' first album of new material in more than 20 years"](https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/01/jethro-tull-celebrates-release-of-the-zealot-gene-first-new-release-in-almost-20-years.html). Cleveland.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Medina, Scott (11 January 2022). ["Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene (Album Review)"](https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/jethro-tull-the-zealot-gene/). Retrieved 11 July 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LS220130_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LS220130_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-LS220130_6-2) Sharp, Johnny (30 January 2022). ["The making of Jethro Tull's The Zealot Gene"](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-making-of-jethro-tulls-the-zealot-gene). Loudersound. Retrieved 31 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Ewing, Jerry (4 February 2022). ["Jethro Tull land first Top Ten album in 50 years with The Zealot Gene"](https://www.loudersound.com/news/jethro-tull-land-first-top-ten-album-in-50-years-with-the-zealot-gene). Loudersound. Retrieved 7 February 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Metacritic_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Metacritic_8-1) ["The Zealot Gene by Jethro Tull Reviews and Tracks"](https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-zealot-gene/jethro-tull). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Classic_Rock_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Classic_Rock_9-1) Fielder, Hugh (28 January 2022). ["Jethro Tull: The Zealot Gene album review"](https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-zealot-gene-is-light-bright-tight-and-recognisably-jethro-tull). *[Classic Rock](/source/Classic_Rock_(magazine))*. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mojo_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mojo_10-1) Bungey, John (March 2022). "Ian Anderson's first record since his solo *Homo Erraticus* in 2014". *[Mojo](/source/Mojo_(magazine))*. No. 340. p. 83.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Spill_11-0)** [Badgley, Aaron](/source/Aaron_Badgley) (2 February 2022). ["SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JETHRO TULL – THE ZEALOT GENE"](https://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-review-jethro-tull-the-zealot-gene/). *The Spill Magazine*. Retrieved 5 March 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Uncut_12-0)** Staunton, Terry (February 2022). "Familiar folk prog but with a biblical tent". *[Uncut](/source/Uncut_(magazine))*. No. 297. p. 31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Austria_Jethro_Tull_13-0)** "[Austriancharts.at – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Flanders_Jethro_Tull_14-0)** "[Ultratop.be – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Wallonia_Jethro_Tull_15-0)** "[Ultratop.be – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Czech_16-0)** "[ČNS IFPI – CZ Albums – Top 100 – 5. týden 2022](https://ifpicr.cz/hitparada/14?weekId=2755)" (in Czech). [ČNS IFPI](/source/International_Federation_of_the_Phonographic_Industry). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Netherlands_Jethro_Tull_17-0)** "[Dutchcharts.nl – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Finland_Jethro_Tull_18-0)** "[Jethro Tull: The Zealot Gene](https://www.ifpi.fi/lista/artistit/jethro-tull/albumi/the-zealot-gene)" (in Finnish). [Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland](/source/Musiikkituottajat_%E2%80%93_IFPI_Finland). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_France_Jethro_Tull_19-0)** "[Lescharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Germany_Jethro_Tull_20-0)** "[Offiziellecharts.de – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-488660)" (in German). [GfK Entertainment charts](/source/GfK_Entertainment_charts). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Hungary_21-0)** "[Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2022. 5. hét](https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista/2022/5)" (in Hungarian). [MAHASZ](/source/Association_of_Hungarian_Record_Companies). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Italy_Jethro_Tull_22-0)** "[Italiancharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Poland_23-0)** "[Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart](http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=1417&lang=en)". [OLiS](/source/Polish_music_charts). [Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry](/source/Polish_Society_of_the_Phonographic_Industry). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Portugal_Jethro_Tull_24-0)** "[Portuguesecharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://portuguesecharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Scotland_25-0)** "[Official Scottish Albums Chart on 4/2/2022 – Top 100](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20220204/40/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Spain_Jethro_Tull_26-0)** "[Spanishcharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Sweden_Jethro_Tull_27-0)** "[Swedishcharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_Switzerland_Jethro_Tull_28-0)** "[Swisscharts.com – Jethro Tull – The Zealot Gene](http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jethro+Tull&titel=The+Zealot+Gene&cat=a)". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_UK2_29-0)** "[Official Albums Chart on 4/2/2022 – Top 100](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20220204/7502/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_UKRock_30-0)** "[Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart on 4/2/2022 – Top 40](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/20220204/112/)". [Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company). Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_BillboardIndependent_Jethro_Tull_31-0)** "[Jethro Tull Chart History (Independent Albums)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/Jethro-Tull/chart-history/IND)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_BillboardAlbumSales_Jethro_Tull_32-0)** "[Jethro Tull Chart History (Top Album Sales)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/Jethro-Tull/chart-history/TSL)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ac_BillboardRock_Jethro_Tull_33-0)** "[Jethro Tull Chart History (Top Rock Albums)](https://www.billboard.com/artist/Jethro-Tull/chart-history/RCK)". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

v t e Jethro Tull Ian Anderson David Goodier John O'Hara Scott Hammond Jack Clark Mick Abrahams Clive Bunker Glenn Cornick Tony Iommi Martin Barre John Evan Jeffrey Hammond Barriemore Barlow John Glascock Dee Palmer Dave Pegg Mark Craney Eddie Jobson Gerry Conway Peter-John Vettese Paul Burgess Doane Perry Don Airey Maartin Allcock Andrew Giddings Dave Mattacks Jonathan Noyce Florian Opahle Joe Parrish Studio albums This Was Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Thick as a Brick A Passion Play War Child Minstrel in the Gallery Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die! Songs from the Wood Heavy Horses Stormwatch A The Broadsword and the Beast Under Wraps Crest of a Knave Rock Island Catfish Rising Roots to Branches J-Tull Dot Com The Jethro Tull Christmas Album The Zealot Gene RökFlöte Curious Ruminant Live albums Bursting Out Live at Hammersmith '84 A Little Light Music Jethro Tull in Concert Living with the Past Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Aqualung Live Live at Montreux 2003 Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at Carnegie Hall 1970 Compilations Living in the Past M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II Original Masters 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights Nightcap The Best of Jethro Tull – The Anniversary Collection Through the Years The Very Best Of The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull The Essential 50 for 50 Boxed sets 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Box Set Videos Slipstream 20 Years of Jethro Tull 25th Anniversary Video Living with the Past A New Day Yesterday Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Live at Montreux 2003 Jack in the Green Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 Live at AVO Session Basel Around the World Live Songs "Sunshine Day" "A Song for Jeffrey" "Love Story" "Living in the Past" "Bourée" "Sweet Dream" "The Witch's Promise" "Teacher" "Aqualung" "Cross-Eyed Mary" "Mother Goose" "Hymn 43" "Locomotive Breath" "Life Is a Long Song" "Bungle in the Jungle" "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die" "The Whistler" "Songs from the Wood" "Heavy Horses" "Dun Ringill" Related Discography Members A Billion Hands Concert The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus A Classic Case Thick as a Brick 2 Jethro Tull – The String Quartets Category

Authority control databases MusicBrainz release group

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Zealot Gene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zealot_Gene) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zealot_Gene?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.