Blackbraid – Blackbraid I
Blackbraid – Blackbraid I
Self-Released
Release Date: 26/08/22
Running Time: 36:29
Review By Laura Barnes
9/10
I was supposed to review this album in late August when it was initially released, and for once I am grateful for my poor time management skills. Perhaps this is somewhat elitist of me, but I believe that Black Metal is best enjoyed under the browning shroud of autumn. Winter, of course, would be far too on the nose, and summer practically demands that you blast butt rock in your backyard. Autumn is just right. And “Blackbraid I” is the perfect autumn album.
I don’t mean this in a purely aesthetic sense, either, but an emotional one. Just like autumn, “Blackbraid I” offers both frost and warmth. It provides reflection upon the past and dread and hope towards the future. On a lyrical level, this album pays keen attention to the vastness of nature. Blackbraid lead you through forests and fields and across water and sky. Of course, every seasoned Black Metal fan will know that the sublime and inescapable power of nature is one of the most significant themes of the genre (see: the infinite number of DSBM records with dead trees on the cover), but Blackbraid’s focus on the natural world extends beyond genre convention and becomes something that feels far more personal. As the guitars sweep you up in a tornado-like onslaught, third track ‘Sacandaga’ opens with:
‘Golden sunsets whisper
Pastel painted skies
Fading lights embrace
Hills of endless pine’.
Writing lyrics this beautiful and poetic requires more than just a quick glance out of your window – it demonstrates a lived experience of going outside and staring up at the dusk sky.
It comes as no surprise, then, that “Blackbraid I” was inspired by the mountainous Adirondack region, a place rich with Indigenous history. For Blackbraid’s frontman (or perhaps I should say ‘everythingman’ – it is a one-man project, after all) Sgah’gahsowáh, the history and experiences of Indigenous communities are an essential part of Blackbraid’s songwriting. On Bandcamp, they have listed themselves as Indigenous Black Metal. With this in mind, tracks like ‘Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil’ leave an emotive mark that will no doubt remain with you for some time. This is also where the album reaches its heaviest point as it delivers some good ol’ fashioned, meat-and-potatoes Black Metal that fits neatly in the space between my Wayfarer and Panopticon records.
Also worthy of mention here are the instrumental tracks. ‘As The Creek Flows Softly By’ and ‘Warm Wind Whispering Softly Through Hemlock At Dusk’ are perfect atmosphere setters. With some beautiful clean melodies, mournful riffs, and traditional flutes, these tracks provide a welcome respite from the otherwise mountain-heavy metal and makes your hair stand on end in the process. The result is an album that feels cohesive and finished. Despite its heaviness, “Blackbraid I” can easily be listened to in one sitting, which can be a rarity for albums of this nature. The fact that Blackbraid has managed to achieve this in a debut album is a testament to Sgah’gahsowáh’s songwriting precision.
These next few months are about to grow darker. Wetter. Colder. As you enjoy the last of the brightness that the cold sun throws your way, stick this album on. Perhaps it will make the transition that bit easier.
TRACKLISTING:
01. The River of Time Flows Through Me
02. As The Creek Flows Softly By
03. Sacandaga
04. Barefoot Ghost Dance on Bloodsoaked Soil
05. Warm Wind Whispering Softly Through Hemlock at Dusk
06. Prying Open The Jaws of Eternity
LINE-UP:
Sgah’gahsowáh – Everything
LINKS:
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