REVIEW

Debut album from Dutch post-punk / post–black metal band Vuur & Zijde.

The name Vuur & Zijde translates to “Fire and Silk” in Dutch, a fitting contrast for a band that thrives on tension and transformation. The project is centered around members of prominent Dutch black metal acts such as Laster, Nusquama, and Terzij de Horde, signaling serious pedigree from the outset.

Their sound collides abrasive post-punk rhythms with the ferocity of black metal, while vocalist Famke weaves in haunting melodies sung in Dutch and Frisian. Her voice dances eerily above the chaos, lending the music a ritualistic and almost hypnotic quality. It’s intense, unconventional, and unapologetically strange—exactly the kind of left-field release you’d expect from a Prophecy Productions signing.

Moments of folk-inflected vocals and dreamy arpeggios hint at influences like Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins, which the band themselves have cited. Given that both of those acts emerged from post-punk roots before evolving into something far more mystical, it’s fascinating to imagine where Vuur & Zijde might head next.

One final note: despite the shared name, this band has no connection to Vuur, the former project of Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering).