$95.99
Single 180g LP on opaque blood red & rust vinyl with marbled swirls of earth. Packaged in a deluxe, matte finish, gatefold featuring artwork by Adrian Baxter & historical photograph by Edward S Curtis paired with a single page insert.
This first US-made repress aims to preserve the beauty of the original “Blackbraid I” vinyl while bringing some subtle updates to the vinyl disc color variant & adding spot-varnish detail to the gatefold cover.
Blackbraid — Blackbraid I (2022) — Review
Blackbraid’s debut isn’t trying to reinvent black metal so much as reclaim its sense of place—that feeling that the music is coming from a real landscape, not just a rehearsal room or a moodboard. Blackbraid I hits fast, melodic, and wind-burned: traditional second-wave blast and tremolo energy, but with a strong outdoors/folk spirit running underneath it, like the riffs are riding thermals over pine and water rather than skulking through a dungeon. The result is both immediate and weirdly uplifting for something this harsh.
How it sounds (the quick feel)
Melodic, propulsive black metal with a lot of forward motion—more “ride” than “crawl.” (Even critics who aren’t usually sentimental about the genre call out how hooky and fast-moving it is.)
A smart use of contrast: surges of blasting aggression, then these airy, reflective passages that feel like you’ve stepped onto a ridge line and the whole view opens up.
The production (on most versions) keeps the riffs clear enough that the melodies actually land, without sanding off the bite.
Standout moments
“The River of Time Flows Through Me” kicks the door in and immediately explains the hype: big, surging melody lines with that “keep charging” momentum.
“Sacandaga” is where the record’s reflective side really shows—mournful and spacious, like a slow pan across cold water.
“Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil” tends to be the emotional centerpiece for a lot of listeners/reviewers: heavy, dramatic, and memorable in a way that sticks after the record ends.
“Prying Open the Jaws of Eternity” (the long closer) is the “journey track”—it stretches out and lets the album feel bigger than its runtime.
Why it works
Blackbraid I succeeds because it feels purposeful. The melodies aren’t just decoration; they’re carrying the story. The pacing is tight (only six tracks, ~36 minutes on streaming listings), so it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it has that rare quality where the “pretty” parts don’t defang the aggression—they sharpen it.
If you like your black metal melodic but still feral—think the lane where atmosphere and speed meet—this one’s an essential.
Please note that each LP is unique. Color & marbling will vary.
