See the gallery of images from the band’s West Coast album release celebration as they prepare to join Wolves In the Throne Room and Gaerea next month.
Marking the final West coast appearance on the year for indigenous black metal powerhouse, Blackbraid, L.A.’s alt culture hub 1720 along with Nothing Less Booking & Night of the Palemoon welcomed the band for a special engagement, heavy with significance and showmanship.
Since his arrival with the release of last year’s hailed self-titled effort, Blackbraid, the solo project spear headed by extreme musician Sgah’gahsowá has maintained a skyrocketing trajectory. The indigenous take on black metal was derived from the wilderness of the Adirondack mountains, underscoring an intrinsic link between the environment and atmospheric art that courses through the compositions and narrative of Blackbraid.
The August tour stop, in addition to being the exclusive West Coast date for the remainder of the year for the band, also served as the album release show, celebrating the recent arrival of Blackbraid II, a full length effort already being hailed as potential album of the year candidate.
Following a triumphant spring trek on the mammoth Decibel Magazine Tour along with Dark Funeral, Cattle Decapitation and 200 Stab Wounds, in addition to the band’s own headlining dates – Blackbraid had generated substantial buzz leading into the arrival of their highly anticipated sophomore album. Reaffirming the hype, Blackbraid II more than delivered on the expectations, solidifying Blackbraid as an auspicious glimpse of the future of black metal.
Commanding a capacity crowd in Los Angeles, Blackbraid unloaded selections from both albums in what felt like the arrival of the genre’s next flagbearer. Led by Sgah’gahsowá, frontman and architect of the project, the evening translated as equal parts performance and ritual, conveying the mystique that makes black metal so distinct and consuming.
Blackbraid asserts a unique reverence in their brand of musical extremity, simultaneously firing fans into a frenzy and captivating the crowd in a way that compels them to pay attention. An impressive feat to see in a live setting.
Somewhere between a show and a ceremony, the night undoubtedly belonged to the enigmatic force birthed in the Adirondack wilderness and arguably ushered in a new era in modern black metal. Adding to the spectacle of the evening, Mäleficentt performed their frosty Night of Eternal Darkness it its entirety, with ghastly newcomers Gudsforladt, made a lasting impression with their live debut.
Blackbraid’s West Coast album release party was pure black metal revelry. See the full gallery of images from Maurice Nunez below.
Be sure to catch Blackbraid on tour supporting black metal mystics, Wolves in the Throne Room, along with Gaerea and Hoaxed on the Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge tour set to begin next month.
See a list of dates and cities below.
Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge North America’ Tour with Wolves In the Throne Room,
Blackbraid, Gaerea and Hoaxed
09/29 St Louis, MO @ Red Flag
09/30 Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/01 St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall
10/03 Detroit, MI @ El Club
10/04 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
10/25 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount
10/26 Boston, MA @ Big Night Live
10/27 Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
10/28 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch
10/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
10/10 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
10/11 Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
10/12 Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819
10/13 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
10/15 Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
10/17 Dallas, TX @ Echo Lounge & Music Hall
10/18 Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live
10/20 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
10/21 Tucson, AZ @ Encore
10/23 Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
10/24 Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
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