Anneke van Giersbergen, forever known as the former vocalist for melancholic metallers The Gathering and for her collaborations with the Devin Townsend Project and Arjen Lucassen (i.e. The Gentle Storm), formed VUUR in 2016, a new progressive metal band featuring renowned drummer Ed Warby (Gorefest, Ayreon) and some of the best heavy metal players in The Netherlands! The name VUUR – translated from Dutch as “fire”, which can also be interpreted to mean “passion” or “drive” – was chosen as a moniker to represent Anneke's metal side, with the idea that when fans buy a ticket with the VUUR name on it they will be getting her heavy progressive music, while an Anneke van Giersbergen show will be entirely different. “It's like I'm searching for contradictions,” Anneke says of splitting her focus in two. “I want the heavy to be really heavy, and the soft acoustic stuff that I can do can be almost silent and inward. I'm trying to find those outer limits. I'm still writing and collaborating with different people, so VUUR's style is still kind of different from The Gathering and The Gentle Storm. VUUR's music has the melancholy of The Gathering and certain elements from The Gentle Storm, but it's darker with fewer folk elements. It's still melodic and warm, but heavy.” Thus, “In This Moment We Are Free – Cities” features crushing riffs and impressive rhythm patterns whereas Anneke sends shivers down your spine with a truly intense vocal lines. So, make sure to check out Anneke’s ultimate heavy outlet.