Dutch blackened post-punk quintet Vuur & Zijde (Fire & Silk) has revealed the first single, "Zusterzon" (Sistersun), from its debut full-length, Boezem (Bosom), scheduled for release on 12 July via Prophecy Productions.

Vuur & Zijde's guitarist and keyboarder Nicky writes: "Perpetual images dance like a dervish above the clouds, set to driving drums and lilting guitars. A sudden quickening of bonded hearts - moving out of the gloom into radiant hope - soaring towards rays of brilliant fellowship".

Boezem revolves around themes of conditional and unconditional love - and the difference between them - the liberation of intimacy and motherhood. The album politely abstains from going through the motions of tedious heavy metal clichés.

It might help that although the Dutch have deep roots in black metal and have been or still are members of such established bands as Laster, Nusquama, Silver Knife, Grey Aura, Witte Wieven, and Terzij De Horde, they have stylistically shifted from their 2020 split-album with Impavida in the meantime. The growth from a trio to a five-piece formation has brought a wider range of influences and ideas. The changes are subtle but enough to locate a part of their sound in the evolving and exciting realms of post-black metal.

The black side of the music is mainly expressed through whirling drum attacks and buzzing guitar riffs. Yet there is a second strong pillar on which Boezem rests, as bands that started as post-punk acts and developed into more dreamy, meditative sounds, such as Cocteau Twins and even Dead Can Dance, are also named as a source of inspiration. And for the record, at least Killing Joke made the topic acceptable in the post-punk scene with its classic "Love Like Blood". Synthesizer sounds and the beautiful voice of singer Famke naturally contribute to that side of Vuur & Zijde.

The vocalist is also responsible for various lyrics in Frysk (Frisian). The Frisian name and language go back to a North Sea Germanic tribe and survived through the Middle Ages. Today, the Frisian is spoken only in a few Dutch and German areas along the coast up to the Danish border. The other lyrics are in Dutch.

With Boezem, Vuur & Zijde achieved a perfect balance: the aggressive side with elements of black metal transformed into post-black metal contrasts with the light side of shoegaze, post-punk, and wave. Both are entwined in an endless dance that creates fascinating new music, which is at the same beautiful and yet full of thorns - just like a black rose. Link