Tag Archives: adrian baxter

Album Review – Blackbraid / Blackbraid III (2025)

Posted on by
1

Behold the stunning next chapter in the musical and spiritual journey of the witch hawk of Black Metal hailing from the Adirondack Mountains.

A solo indigenous Black Metal project from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness, creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came, New York’s own Atmospheric Black Metal entity Blackbraid, the brainchild of the beyond talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Sgah’gahsowáh, is finally back with the highly anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2023 album Blackbraid II. Fully composed and performed by Sgah’gahsowáh, with drums, recording, mixing and mastering done by Neil Schneider (of the excellent bands Calling of Phasmic Presence, Diplegia, Telepathic Ceremony and Vintertodt), and displaying a stunning artwork with painting by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration and ilustration by Adrian Baxter, with visual development and graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions, the breathtaking Blackbraid III is another beast of an album by our witch hawk Jon Krieger, showcasing a huge step forward in his already beautiful career and, therefore, resulting in a must-listen for fans of contemporary Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal.

The acoustic, atmospheric intro Dusk (Eulogy) warms up our souls for the blackened feast titled Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death, with Sgah’gahsowáh powerfully declaiming the song’s dark and poetic words (“Awakened by a western wind / The blood of chaos seeps into dawn / A call to war in honor and death / The warrior’s fate to ride the storm / Ride”), always supported by Neil’s insane beats and fills. The Dying Death Of A Sacred Stag is another massive chant with pensive, introspective lyrics (“Upon a great throne of black mountains / Born in the heart of the storm / A keeper of shadow and twilight / A sentinel of lands long forlorn / Born within the eyes of the storm”) while our dauntless witch hawk keeps slashing his axe nonstop; and we’re then treated to the ethereal interlude The Earth Is Weeping before all hell breaks loose in God Of Black Blood, featuring a guest guitar solo by Randy Moore, a tribal, ruthless aria by Sgah’gahsowáh perfect for dancing and prancing around the fire like a true Native American.

It’s impressive how Sgah’gahsowáh can craft delicate yet obscure instrumental pieces like Traversing The Forest Of Eternal Dusk, setting the tone for the absolute demolishing Tears Of The Dawn, a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal with the pounding drums by Neil walking hand in hand with the visceral roars and scorching riffage by Sgah’gahsowáh. Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water, the last interlude of the album, once again sounds enfolding, melancholic and whimsical, soothing our heats and souls before we face the flawless And He Became The Burning Stars…, one of the best Blackbraid songs of all time, with all harsh vociferations, scathing riffs and blast beats flowing perfectly until the very last second, taking us on a way one journey into the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. And finally, we have Fleshbound, an amazing cover version for a classic by Lord Belial, from their 2005 album Nocturnal Beast (check out the original HERE), and Sgah’gahsowáh’s rendition is just as visceral, aggressive and detailed.

Ready to embark on a North American headlining tour this year with support from Lamp of Murmuur, Dödsrit, and Gudsforlad, Sgah’gahsowáh and his Blackbraid are poised to conquer the entire world of heavy music with the third chapter in his musical and spiritual journey, and not only you can find the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you should definitely purchase it from BandCamp or from the project’s official merch store in the United States or in the European Union. Don’t forget to also give Sgah’gahsowáh a shout on Instagram, and to stream all of his songs and albums on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming service. Because the witch hawk of Black Metal is back, sounding heavier and more epic than ever, with the first-class music found in his new album majestically echoing through the misty mountains.

Best moments of the album: Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death, God Of Black Blood, Tears Of The Dawn and And He Became The Burning Stars…

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dusk (Eulogy) 1:02
2. Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death 4:54
3. The Dying Death Of A Sacred Stag 7:44
4. The Earth Is Weeping 3:39
5. God Of Black Blood 5:52
6. Traversing The Forest Of Eternal Dusk 3:39
7. Tears Of The Dawn 9:18
8. Like Wind Through The Reeds Making Waves Like Water 2:49
9. And He Became The Burning Stars… 9:50
10. Fleshbound (Lord Belial cover) 4:03

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals, guitars, bass

Guest musicians
Neil Schneider – drums (session)
Randy Moore – lead guitars on “God of Black Blood”

Album Review – Blackbraid / Blackbraid II (2023)

Posted on by
3

The witch hawk Jon Krieger returns from the solitude of the Adirondack Mountains with his stunning sophomore album, an expansion of his own sound exploring his strong relationship with nature.

Part of the growing indigenous Black Metal scene in the United States, Blackbraid is an Atmospheric Black Metal project from the solitude of the Adirondack Mountains, in New York, formed in 2022 by Native-American vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jon Krieger, known by his pseudonym Sgah’gahsowáh, a Mohawk name meaning “the witch hawk”. Inspired by giants the likes of Dissection, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Bathory and Mayhem, among others, Sgah’gahsowáh views Blackbraid as a project that can help listeners reconnect with nature and help him explore his own relationship with it, which can be experienced in his sophomore opus Blackbraid II. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Neil Schneider (Calling of Phasmic Presence, Diplegia, Vintertodt), who also plays drums in the entire album, and displaying a stylish artwork by Adrian Baxter, Blackbraid II is an expansion of the sound developed in the project’s debut album Blackbraid I, also incorporating more native instrumentation to the project’s already dense and multi-layered sound.

The fires of Black Metal are burning accompanied by the acoustic guitars by Sgah’gahsowáh in the intro Autumnal Hearts Ablaze, captivating our senses before we face the heavy and majestic The Spirit Returns, bringing to our ears an avalanche of intricate melodies, enraged vocals and scorching riffs carefully brought into being by our lone wolf while also presenting a fantastic balance between Atmospheric Black Metal and old school Black Metal. Then a wild howl kicks off over seven minutes of breathtaking metal music entitled The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand, with Neil crushing his drums like a beast, therefore offering Sgah’gahsowáh exactly what he needs to shine on vocals as well as on the guitars and bass. After such intense tune we’re treated to the whimsical, tribalistic interlude Spells of Moon and Earth, taking us on a journey to the Adirondack Mountains before Sgah’gahsowáh comes ripping in Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon, starting with some tribal beats and a sinister atmosphere, and sounding beyond perfect for headbanging together with Sgah’gahsowáh, who delivers some killer riffs and solos from his stringed axe until the very end.

A touch of melancholy and somber passages will darken your minds in the infernal Black Metal aria A Song of Death on Winds of Dawn, where Sgah’gahsowáh shows no mercy for our damned souls, blasting his guitars and bass in the most visceral way imaginable for over 11 stunning minutes. It’s then time for another introspective interlude by Sgah’gahsowáh titled Celestial Passage, once again bringing a doomed and melancholic ambience to the album and setting the tone for Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood, featuring a guest guitar solo by Randy Moore (Spiritworld), with Neil pounding his drums while at the same time Sgah’gahsowáh’s riffage sounds absolutely caustic and heavy, adding elements from classic Doom Metal to his already demonic sound. As the album progresses you can feel Sgah’gahsowáh investing into more Stygian sounds as if his mind and soul were consumed by darkness, which is absolutely clear in Sadness and the Passage of Time and Memory, an enfolding, multi-layered music journey showcasing his usual deep, demonic gnarls, before we face his personal tribute to the mighty Bathory with A Fine Day to Die (check out the original version HERE, from the 1988 masterpiece Blood Fire Death), just as intense and magic as the original, but of course with Sgah’gahsowáh adding his own twist to the overall result.

In summary, what Sgah’gahsowáh and his Blackbraid are doing not only for the Native-American Black Metal scene, but also to Black Metal as a whole, is beyond fantastic, and Blackbraid II, available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, will help him cement his name in the underground and get us all excited for the future of the project. Hence, don’t forget to start following Blackbraid on Instagram for news and tour dates (and believe me, Blackbraid’s live performances are absolutely stunning), to stream the project’s atmospheric and bold creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase a copy of the breathtaking Blackbraid II from the project’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon. And may the spirit of the witch hawk of Black Metal live forever and ever.

Best moments of the album: The Spirit Returns, The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand, A Song of Death on Winds of Dawn and Sadness and the Passage of Time and Memory.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Autumnal Hearts Ablaze 2:10
2. The Spirit Returns 4:37
3. The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand 7:34
4. Spells of Moon and Earth 2:24
5. Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon 13:30
6. A Song of Death on Winds of Dawn 11:04
7. Celestial Passage 2:24
8. Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood 6:59
9. Sadness and the Passage of Time and Memory 7:02
10. A Fine Day to Die (Bathory cover) 8:15

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals, guitars, bass

Guest musicians
Neil Schneider – drums (session)
Randy Moore – lead guitars on “Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood”

Album Review – Svartulven / Ruins of Desolation, Transcendence for the Other Side (2021)

Posted on by
Reply

Immerse yourself into the 40 minutes of Orthodox Black Metal split into seven obscure arias carefully crafted by an up-and-coming horde from the Hellenic Republic.

3.5rating

If you’re an admirer of the darkest side of extreme music it’s time for you to enjoy some Orthodox Black Metal made in Greece in the vein of Misotheist and Ascension, courtesy of an occult and mystic entity known as Svartulven armed with their debut opus entitled Ruins of Desolation, Transcendence for the Other Side. Mixed by Nikos Trialonis at Goblin’s Lair Studios in Greece, mastered by V.Santura at Woodshed Studio in Germany, and displaying a cryptic cover artwork by Adrian Baxter, the album brings forward 40 minutes of ass-kicking Black Metal split into seven obscure arias carefully crafted by this up-and-coming horde from the Hellenic Republic.

Arising from the depths of the underworld, this uncanny band comes ripping with their phantasmagorical sounds in Witness of Fire Beyond, with its venomous roars and strident riffs penetrating deep inside your psyche in a great display of sulfurous Black Metal, whereas Svartulven in Twilight begins in full force with its pounding drums hammering our cranial skulls mercilessly, also displaying an amazing fusion of visceral screams with some background vocalizations and, therefore, being highly recommended for fans of a more progressive and diverse style of Black Metal. And continuing their path of devastation, obscurity and evil, Svartulven deliver the straightforward extravaganza Therianthropic Metamorphosis, again presenting classic blast beats, Stygian guitars, low-tuned bass lines, and a crushing sense of despair that permeates the air until the very last second.

The Parable of Abel offers us all five minutes of sheer darkness in the form of old school Black Metal, or in other words, it’s another amazing example of what the band is capable of doing, with the song’s razor-edged riffs generating a pulverizing paradox with its groovy bass jabs. Back to a more classic sound, Herald of Eternal Damnation presents a mid-tempo start spearheaded by their always harsh vociferations that explodes into an avalanche of brutality and violence, resulting in a lecture in Black Metal by such talented Hellenic outfit. Their second to last onrush of extreme music comes in the form of Feast for the Black Earth, again showcasing a heavier-than-hell kitchen, a sinister atmosphere and sharp riffs for our total delight, before the band crushes us one last time with The Crystal Scythe of the Old, a beyond caustic composition where its wicked vocals and a disturbing ambience will haunt our damned souls until all fades into the unknown.

The gates to the Hellenic underworld are open thanks to Svartulven and their Ruins of Desolation, Transcendence for the Other Side, and in order to join them in their quest for extreme music you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and soon purchase a copy of their austere new album from Dark Terror Temple’s BandCamp page or webstore, proving you’re a true servant of darkness. Although the names of the musicians that are part of such distinguished horde are unknown, in the end that’s just a minor detail taking into account the high quality of the music found in their debut effort, and they can keep their identities as secret as they want as long as they keep delivering more of their incendiary Black Metal for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Svartulven in Twilight and Herald of Eternal Damnation.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Dark Terror Temple/The Chalice Prod

Track listing
1. Witness of Fire Beyond 7:01
2. Svartulven in Twilight 4:59
3. Therianthropic Metamorphosis 6:30
4. The Parable of Abel 5:15
5. Herald of Eternal Damnation 4:19
6. Feast for the Black Earth 4:35
7. The Crystal Scythe of the Old 6:01

Band members
*Information not available*

Album Review – Paradise Lost / Obsidian (2020)

Posted on by
2

The overlords of doom return with another majestic album, exploring the unknown and opening new horizons with their awe-inspiring music.

Still reigning supreme as the overlords of doom after over three decades on the road, Halifax, England-based Doom Metal act Paradise Lost never gets tired of stunning us all with their refined hybrid of old school Doom and Death Metal with 80’s and contemporary Gothic Metal and Rock, proving why they’ve maintained their relevance in the world of heavy music without disappointing their loyal fans not even once in their vast career. Now in 2020 it’s time for frontman Nick Holmes, guitarists Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, bassist Steve Edmondson and drummer Waltteri Väyrynen to darken the skies once again with Obsidian, their sixteenth studio album and the follow-up to their latest releases Medusa, from 2017, and The Plague Within, released in 2015. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Orgone Studios, with additional recordings done at Black Planet, and featuring a cryptic artwork by British artist Adrian Baxter, Obsidian might not be considered a classic yet like Gothic, Icon or Draconian Times, but I’m sure the album will reach its deserved cult status soon based on the amazing quality of the music found throughout its 47 astonishing minutes (plus the extra 10 minutes from the deluxe edition).

The gorgeous guest violin by Spanish musician Alicia Nurho adds a touch of finesse to the opening track Darker Thoughts, led by the always enfolding, deep vocals by Nick, sounding utterly grandiose, epic and doomed, and with Waltteri displaying all his refined skills behind his drum set. Then in Fall from Grace the band keeps slamming our heads mercilessly with their crushing riffage and damned beats, all led by Nick’s obscure roars while Steve makes the earth rumble with his bass (not to mention Greg’s hypnotizing solo), whereas Steve kicks off the 80’s-inspired dark tune titled Ghosts, enhanced by a brilliant performance by Nick with his Stygian vocals while his bandmates bring endless groove and electricity to the song from start to finish. And bringing forward contemplative lyrics that reek of modern-day poetry (“I’m tired of dreams, I’m tired of almost everything / Dreams deceive and living never lasts. / Too tired to sleep, denial of grief awakes my sins / Too weak to breathe, from living in deaths hands”), The Devil Embraced is another lesson in Gothic and Doom Metal spearheaded by Waltteri’s classic drums and the strident riffs by both Greg and Aaron.

Ominous sounds embellish the ambience in the also somber and heavy-as-hell Forsaken, where Nick is once again flawless on vocals supported by the slashing guitars by Greg and Aaron, while Steve and Waltteri sound absolutely thunderous with their respective instruments. After such dense tune, it’s time to bang our heads in darkness to the sound of Serenity, a hammering fusion of Doom and Death Metal tailored for admirers of the genre, also presenting some welcome breaks and variations, tons of progressiveness and the always macabre roars by Nick, followed by Ending Days, where Alicia returns with her gentle violin while the band gets back to a more serene and melancholic vibe, showcasing all their versatility and talent. Furthermore, the impact of the guitars and drums combined to the overall result is majestic, which can also be said about Hope Dies Young, featuring backing vocals by American singer Heather Mackintosh (Tapping the Vein), a very pleasant and enfolding sonority, and another round of their unique and stylish lyrics (“How could you know? / As pure as driven snow / Through a winter of descent / The splintered argument / Such a withering lament / Hopes will die young / Hopes will die young now”). The last song of the regular version of Obsidian, titled Ravenghast, brings to our ears a classic Paradise Lost sound, reminding me of some of their old school compositions from Draconian Times, with the level of heaviness and melancholy being beautifully insane while Waltteri blasts his drums in the best Doom Metal way possible and Nick fires his deep, demonic growls. If you decide to purchase the deluxe edition of Obsidian you’ll face the bonus tracks Hear the Night and Defiler, both very solid and classy Doom Metal compositions presenting all the elements we learned to love form the band’s distinguished music, making it totally worth the investment.

I guess I don’t need to ask you to take a good listen at Obsidian in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, especially if you’re a diehard fan of the band, and of course don’t forget to keep the fires of doom burning by purchasing your copy of the album by clicking HERE, and to follow Paradise Lost on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. If you search for the meaning of “obsidian” online, you’ll find out it’s a volcanic glass that’s supposed to be truth-enhancing, a strongly protective stone which forms a shield against negativity, blocking psychic attack and absorbing negative energies from the environment. Obsidian draws out mental stress and tension, stimulating growth on all levels, urging exploration of the unknown and opening new horizons. There couldn’t be a better representation of the new album by Paradise Lost, as their brand new opus is indeed a work-of-art perfect for heightening our senses and opening our minds and hearts for the glory of doom.

Best moments of the album: Darker Thoughts, Ghosts, Serenity and Ravenghast.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Darker Thoughts 5:46
2. Fall from Grace 5:42
3. Ghosts 4:35
4. The Devil Embraced 6:08
5. Forsaken 4:30
6. Serenity 4:46
7. Ending Days 4:36
8. Hope Dies Young 4:02
9. Ravenghast 5:30

Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
10. Hear the Night 5:34
11. Defiler 4:45

Band members
Nick Holmes – vocals
Greg Mackintosh – lead & rhythm guitar
Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitar
Steve Edmondson – bass
Waltteri Väyrynen – drums

Guest musicians
Alicia Nurho – violin on “Darker Thoughts” and “Ending Days”
Heather Mackintosh – backing vocals on “Hopes Die Young”