ALBUM REVIEW: Blackbraid II – Blackbraid
Since emerging last year, BLACKBRAID have been one of the most intriguing names to take the black metal world by storm. The project, helmed by Sgah’gahsowáh, is spear-heading the growing indigenous black metal scene in the US and the fusion of traditional Native American instrumentation with conventional Scandinavian black metal is a match made in heaven. After Blackbraid I announced the project to the world with a tremendous bang, sophomore offering Blackbraid II is one of the best extreme metal records you will hear this year.
If last year’s debut served as an appetiser into the musical palette of the project, then Blackbraid II is the main course as Sgah’gahsowáh takes a bigger stride towards achieving his artistic vision. Intertwining the ferocity and cacophonous noise of black metal with traditional instrumentation of his Native American culture, Blackbraid II is jam-packed full of epic moments and solemn reflection, all whilst feeling incredibly authentic from start to finish. Native Americans have a bloodied history and not once does the record sound gimmicky or shoe-horned in for the sake of it. And it benefits greatly as a result.
Following an instrumental opener in the form of Autumnal Hearts Ablaze, which sets a solemn tone, BLACKBRAID roar into life through The Spirit Returns as Sgah’gahsowáh conjures an aural maelstrom of tremolo riffing and hallowed shrieks whilst a consistent barrage of blast beats from Neil Schneider keeps the pace thundering forward. It’s a jaw-dropping opening salvo and on that instantly ensnares your attention.
From there, the album continues to amaze and awe and it quickly becomes clear that BLACKBRAID is a truly special band for extreme music. The Wolf That Guides The Hunters Hand ebbs and flows from melodic-tinged black metal riffage to absolute bedlam where the intensity of the soundscape would sit comfortably on a DISSECTION record; traditional flutes and acoustic guitar passages in Spells Of Moon And Earth provide a brief moment of reflection and respite before Moss Covered Bones On The Altar Of The Moon arrives and floors you.
Arguably one of the standout tracks on the entire record, Moss Covered Bones On The Altar Of The Moon is the perfect snapshot into the artistic vision of Sgah’gahsowáh. Across nearly 14 epic minutes, AGALLOCH-esque riffs bend and entice as they pull you in, Sgah’gahsowáh‘s vocals croon and snarl as they compliment the instrumentation, and the traditional Native American flutes blends into the sound ever so well thanks to an impeccable production job where not one ounce of the atmosphere is lost. It’s a masterclass in how to write a phenomenal black metal song and is one of the album’s many many highlights.
With Blackbraid II‘s runtime being just over an hour, there’s always the risk that the latter stages of the album will dwindle but that is not the case here. There’s enough brilliance and captivating moments woven into the material to keep your attention held. A Song Of Death On The Winds Of Dawn kicks off the second half with a bombastic barrage of blast beats and high-tempo riffing before subsiding into a solemn and reflective folk melody where the Native American flute can really shine, and the amplified crescendo is absolutely epic. Then there’s Twilight Hymn Of Ancient Blood. Here, Sgah’gahsowáh explores more doom metal territory in the track’s opening sprawl as the focus moves towards a suffocating atmosphere, before dropping a blinder and unleashing a wicked passage of riffage and shredding soloing pulled straight from the glory days of traditional heavy metal. It’s simply astonishing and is yet another highlight on this incredible album.
If Blackbraid I was A New Hope then Blackbraid II is The Empire Strikes Back. Improving on every aspect of last year’s excellent debut, this new album from one of black metal’s brightest new stars is an absolute masterpiece. The atmosphere is never shattered, the mix is delicately poised to allow every component of the sound to stand out and there are countless moments that will leave your jaw planted on the floor. Make no mistake, this is one of the finest albums to grace black metal in years and you just get the feeling there is still more to come from this truly special band.
Rating: 10/10
Blackbraid II is set for release on July 7th via self-release.
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