[REVIEW] BLACKBRAID - Blackbraid I [2022] Neuropa Records

 

Band: BLACKBRAID | Location: ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, NY | Release: BLACKBRAID I

Year: 2022 | Label: NEUROPA RECORDS | Genre: ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL |
Reviewer: LUKE HAYHURST

The Adirondack Mountains, New York. A beautiful, wild and expansive part of the world, and the home to Sgah'gahsowáh; the man behind the music of BlackBraid. This is a project that purports to blend Atmospheric Black Metal with Native American influences, Paganism and Indigenous American mythology.

Opening track 'The River of Time Flows Through Me' however, is a pure Scandinavian Black Worship, at least in a musical sense as the lyrics speak of being watched by, called by and guided by a wolf spirit deep in the darkness of a hemlock forest. Going back to the actual sound of the opening track, I wasn't expecting to be met with soaring bombastic guitar leads straight from the Fjords of Norway, nor traditional Black Metal vocal work. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent constructed opener, played with confidence and style, but with so much emphasis put into the Native American background and influences of BlackBraid, I was expecting to hear something different from Darkthrone influenced rhythms. 

If melodic interlude 'As the Creek Flows Softly By' is meant to signify a deep rooted Indigenous influence, it fails to impact simply because I've heard similar sounding passages by bands like Agalloch, Altar of Grief or even Woods of Ypres. Even the lyrics for the most part could be talking about trekking through Scandinavian mountains in winter.

My problem with this album isn't the quality of musicianship or the creativity in the song-writing. Taken on it's own without any hype, promo material or knowing anything about the man making the album, this is a superb album to listen, although pretty unoriginal. It flows sublimely, it is rich in melodic texture and ferociously heavy in places when the need arises. My issue is that BlackBraid plays on its Native American heritage in order to draw people in, but then doesn't really deliver anything any different to myriad other Black Metal bands. That doesn't sit well, and anyone who takes fifty promotions promotional shots of themselves for one album whilst hamming up the Native Indian trope should call themselves Dances with Cameras! 

https://blackbraid.bandcamp.com/