Boezem (Prophecy Productions) is the debut from the Dutch quintet Vuur & Zijde. It is a moody display of blackened post-Punk, (post-Punk meets Black Metal to you and me), sung mostly in their mother tongue and in the little heard-of language Frisian.    

Meaning unloved in Dutch, the atmospheric “Onbemind” starts us off – its nonstop metal drumbeat and moody guitar work brings to mind Royal Thunder. Their post-Punk influences really cut through as well, especially in “Omheind” (fenced according to Google translate) – its pacey melancholia emphasized by the propulsive drumming, prominent bass, and Famke Canrinus’ smooth vocals. As the gloomy, alternative metal of “Zusterton” attests, you can hear a bit of Killing Joke in them. 

Vuur & Zijde create metal with a dark, emotive ambience that is all-encompassing. Although they do it too well as it is a bit one note at times – the slow and drawn out “Us” is too ponderous and sedate. Qualities that are also shared by the minimalist spoken word track “Kuier,” an overtly solemn number. The raucous “Nest,” with its purposeful bass, fuzzy guitars, and sharp drumbeat, undulates from quiet to loud and perks things up but the well-crafted atmosphere hangs rather heavy by the record’s end. 

There is no let up from sombreness and this takes its toll with “Naakt,” a swirling mass of buzzsaw chords, passionate vocals, and jangly guitar licks floating on top, closing the record in a similar vein. 

Mixing the heaviness of black metal with the guitar tone and mood of post-punk, Boezem is an intense display of blackened post-Punk whose unrelenting darkness eventually unbalances the album. 

Buy the album here:
https://vuurenzijde.bandcamp.com/album/vuur-zijde-impavida

7 / 10
THOMAS THROWER