Blackbraid – Blackbraid III album review

August is usually a relatively “dead” month in many aspects, including music. But the third album by BLACKBRAID, the music child of Sgah’gahsowáh (aka Jon Krieger), burst onto the global metal scene like a comet and is a strong contender for album of the year. It is certainly Sgah’gahsowáh’s most accomplished work, masterfully combining pure black metal with its more melodic and atmospheric aspects, as well as Native American folk elements (for fans of WAYFARER).

After the one-minute instrumental intro of “Dusk (Eulogy),” which sets the tone with acoustic guitars, the demolition begins with the amazing “Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of my Day.” It is certainly one of the most “in your face” songs on the album, without lacking in melody, but what stands out is the relentless and aggressive drumming. “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag” has a similar dynamic but here the creator displays his compositional talent with a relaxed and atmospheric introduction, building up to the song’s climax when the electric guitars and drums come in with a fury. After that, we come across the first full instrumental song titled “The Earth is Weeping,” in which, beyond the classical guitar, we hear various sounds from nature in the background, such as animals or a fire burning. It could easily be a theme song for the series “Yellowstone” (those of you who have seen it will immediately understand what I mean).

Next up is the mid-tempo “God Of Black Blood”, which features Sgah’gahsowáh’s clearly improved and highly haunting vocals, as well as Native American flute. The second instrumental track on the album, “Traversing The Forest Of Eternal Dusk,” alternates between electric and classical guitars and the flute, creating a unique atmosphere. The 9-minute epic that follows, entitled “Tears Of The Dawn,” starts off dynamically from the first second with the drums setting the tone and continues in the same manner. The last instrumental, “Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water,” is the shortest of all (with the exception of the intro) and serves as a bridge to the almost 10-minute “And He Became The Burning Stars…” which starts melodically and then accelerates after about 40 seconds for a dramatic and theatrical closing of BLACKBRAID’s third album. There is, of course, the cover of LORD BELIAL’s “Fleshbound,” but it doesn’t add anything to the overall dynamic of the album.

Overall, we are talking about a work of metal art that can be appreciated even by listeners who are not fans of typical Black Metal, as it also uses tools from other metal genres. Krieger does not stray from his usual path (there is no reason to, since that is what defines him), but he is constantly evolving, enriching his compositions, and growing rapidly.

Kostas Boudoukos

9/10

“Blackbraid III” Tracklist: