Cvlt recently had the pleasure of sitting down to interview a rising star in the northern sky repping Indigenous black metal just the way we like it — raw, hard, and entrancing. Blackbraid ticks every box of the dark music lineage and has composed, released, and promoted lightning fast, leaving fans with many questions as to how he got his start and exactly where he’s going next.
What inspired you to compose black metal as opposed to other genres?
Blackbraid deals with concepts like nature and sadness; it is raw, powerful metal inspired by the mountains, so black metal just seems like the perfect fit for the music. I can’t imagine these songs being anything else.
Native black metal has been around for a couple decades now but seems to be reaching its apex. Do you think this is a sign of the times?
You could say that. There’s a lot of factors, I think it is largely due to how easy it is to create music as a solo artist or at home now, without having to rent a studio or own an excessive amount of equipment. Technology has made it pretty easy to produce an album from home these days and has enabled a lot of us with the ability to make music who may not have been able to do afford to do it ten or fifteen years ago.
When composing a song, do you begin with a music, a feeling, or a lyrical idea?
I suppose all three. I jump around and don’t really have a set formula for writing songs. I more often than not will start with guitars or just a general feeling, but sometimes I find myself starting with lyrics or flute, etc. so I guess its very situational. Although, the majority of my songs I do start by writing the guitars and the melodies pretty early on.
What part do you think music plays as a tool for decolonization?
I think music can be a powerful weapon no matter how it is used. Obviously, I would like to see strides towards decolonization made, but when it comes to Blackbraid, the project is largely just an outlet for my own emotions and is not politically oriented whatsoever.
To what do you attribute your early success?
Honestly, I just really love these songs and am pretty proud of them, so when the album was finished I shared it with a lot of people hoping they would feel the same. I never expected the project to gain this much momentum in such a short amount of time, it’s been pretty surreal. I really can’t stress how grateful I am for what an amazing reception the album has received so far.
Should we expect extensive touring in 2023?
Maybe not extensive, but you can definitely expect some touring, yes.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
Just that I am beyond grateful for all the support I have received so far and that I hope everyone truly enjoys the first album!
Grab all the music and merch here and make sure to follow this enigma as he grows and expresses.
