Black metal has come a long way. The tinny keyboards have largely been replaced by guitars, and for the past few years experimentation within the genre has been blossoming. BlackBraid jumps in headfirst, with a 40+ minute EP that combines drones, doom, traditional death metal, black metal, Maidenesque use of 6/8 time and the ever-increasing sound of folk metal. Oh, and some of the loveliest lead guitar lines I've heard in ages.

BlackBraid BlackBraid I (self-released)

The members are Native American, which informs the lyrics and song titles. There are elements of traditional music here (in addition to the folk metal sounds), but they're simply part of the greater whole. This is an all-out anthemic metal assault, with lengthy songs that build and never even threaten to collapse under their own weight.

The wide array of sounds and ideas fit together seamlessly. The production sands down the metal edges just enough to lend a human feel to these storms of rage. Well, except for the two acoustic interludes, which are almost perfectly named (and are much more cohesive with the rest of the album than, say, "God Bless the Children of the Beast").

Okay, so that reference is totally out of left field. This EP is as well. The propulsive nature of the songs should attract plenty of folks who sneer at black metal (and judging by the early returns, that has indeed happened). BlackBraid is straining against the bounds of the envelope. I have a feeling the next we hear from this band will find it in a universe of its own. Shattering and invigorating.

Jon Worley