Album Review: Blackbraid II
Blackbraid - Blackbraid II
BlackBraid emerges once again with a long-awaited offering, "Blackbraid II," forging an unyielding path within the realms of melodic black metal. Drawing from the foundations of his debut opus, Blackbraid I, the enigmatic force behind the sound, Sgah'gahsowáh, weaves a mesmerising tapestry of Native American-inspired black metal, entwined with sweeping melodies and unrelenting songcraft.
"Blackbraid II" stands as a grand feast, an abundant creation meticulously crafted to immerse listeners in its enthralling sonic depths. With each track, BlackBraid delves further into the essence of his sound, bestowing upon us a more refined and potent offering that echoes his growth and maturity. Nothing hit quite as hard as that first wolf howl on “The Wolf That Guides The Hunters Hands”, not to mention the epic shredding on the same track.
"Spells of Moon & Earth" took a more acoustic approach accompanied by a flute. It soothed my blackened spirit for a while and made me feel as though I was back in the Canadian wilderness beneath a full moon, surrounded by the creatures of the night. An excellent intermission before the drums of "The Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon" sucked me into head banging. The riff on this track was reminiscent of the first album, "Blackbraid I" and definitely crushes with its more ferocious pace. If you're a blast beats freak, though, the intro of "A Song of Death on the Wings of Dawn" will rip you a new asshole! The vocals especially hit the highest of highs, where it comes close to beserker-like rage.
But this most epic of albums continues to intrigue as from the depths of the blood-soaked hell of "A Song of Death on the Wings of Dawn" comes a more sombre and calming track "Celestial Passage" which merges a trifecta of musical characteristics into a more elemental tone. Highly recommend this for meditating before crushing some skulls! Needless to say, this is a highly ambitious album for Sgah'gahsowáh as it delves into both the familiar and new tones and rhythmic inspiration. There are even points of death and thrash in this eclectic soup of excellence!
A testament to his prowess, BlackBraid masterfully infuses black metal with an awe-inspiring atmosphere that reverberates with the weight of Native American history. The songs emanate raw intensity and unwavering passion, eschewing clichés and superficiality. Sgah'gahsowáh's command over the material is evident, captivating listeners with galloping rhythms, intricate structures, and meticulously constructed compositions. You can hear the improvement in this album, although his last one was already so fucking tasty you knew he would offer us something even better for the follow-up album!
The album's production artfully illuminates the instrumentation, allowing each element to breathe and meld into the expansive sonic landscape while adding subtle embellishments that enhance the all-encompassing experience. You can hear the echos of his ancestor's power through his rough vocals. This time around, though, we got way more power grunts! Something this Slavic demon loves! UGH!
This is one album I would highly recommend to any Citadelian daring to embark upon an album that will crush your skull like a gunstock club of vegence! Hails Sgah'gahsowáh, and as our Native brethren in Canada say: “SKODEN! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS ALBUM IS DEADLY!”
Written by: Chort the Crop Investor
“Hi, I’m Chort I infest crops and listen to Black Metal. I’ve currently invested most of my life savings into tracking down the REAL Nattramn and telling him how much I love his voice.”
