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Progressive metal band
Vuur was formed in 2016 by
Anneke van Giersbergen, former singer of pioneering Dutch alternative metallers
the Gathering. After leaving
the Gathering in 2007,
van Giersbergen formed a solo project,
Agua de Annique, with which she took a softer pop/rock direction. Over the course of the next decade, she released three albums under this name and two under her given name, and collaborated on a great number of other releases by the likes of
Devin Townsend,
Within Temptation, and
Anathema's
Danny Cavanagh. In 2014 she joined the one-off project
the Gentle Storm, created by prog metal supremo
Arjen Lucassen. The experience of performing the album live reminded her how much she liked heavy music, and she decided to form a new metal band which she would make her main focus, while reserving her given name for acoustic projects. Recruiting most of
the Gentle Storm -- guitarists Jord Otto and Ferry Duijsens, bassist Johan van Stratum, and drummer
Ed Warby -- she formed
Vuur ("Fire") and the band set about writing and recording their debut album. Released by Inside Out in October 2017,
In This Moment We Are Free: Cities was a powerful debut of thunderously heavy, melodic progressive metal. ~ John D. Buchanan