Jon Krieger aka 'Sgah’gahsowáh' of Blackbraid

Wolf Mountain Productions

The output of remarkble extreme music in this decade has been considerable, and one extreme metal band that’s been atop nearly every metal fan’s list is Blackbraid. Blackbraid is a solo project started by Jon Krieger, aka Sgah’gahsowáh, that merges black metal instrumentation with native american folk music and indigienous themes. Ever since the 2022 debut LP Blackbraid I, the experimental project has continued to garner more attention with each subsequent release. 2025 marked the project’s third album Blackbraid III, which is easily Blackbraid’s most versatile and well-rounded record to date.

With all the hype surrounding Blackbraid and as a fan of their tightly produced LPs, I ventured out to catch them live on their current EU/UK tour in Dublin, Ireland.

There’s a unchained aspect to black metal in a live setting, and it especially comes across with Blackbraid. The variety of intricate and pummeling grooves the band traverses through in their often 7 minute plus songs might otherwise come across as overstimulating, but the way in which Blackbraid present each brutal blast-beat section and anthemic guitar hook would always warrant the exhilarated crowd response.

Presentation is often a very important aspect many extreme bands overlook, not in a visual sense but rather a sonic. This is especially important for a band like Braidbraid which doesn’t write typical song structures with hooky choruses or vocals. Rather, Blackbraid relies on a plethora engaging riffs and rhythmic motifs that dynamically change and reintroduce themselves throughout each composition. However, it’s the manner in which Blackbraid were able to consistently present each crucial rhythm change or epic guitar moment that kept their live performance so exciting to watch.

Admittedly, it’s hard to remember many of the names of Blackbraid’s songs, as the song titles are often just as lengthy as the arrangements. However, the band certainly made a point to deliver a robust setlist with songs from all three self-titled LPs. Given how each of these albums progressively expand on the musical concepts of the previous, it felt easy to follow when the band was playing something off their debut LP versus their more technically and musically diverse 2025 record, Blackbraid III. While it was one of the main singles from the last album, seeing “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag” live easily cemented it as a new personal favorite.

For a band that’s well within the black metal genre, Blackbraid doesn’t have many gimmicks in their live performance outside of their unique leathery costumes and heavy use of fog. Blackbraid vocalist and leadsongwriter Sgah’gahsowáh doesn’t speak a word to the crowd throughout the entire set. No “thanks,” “goodnight” or “how are we feeling tonight?!, and of course no encore. Sgah’gahsowáh and company cut the gimmicks of traditional rock and metal performance and deliver a thunderous, dynamic, and surprisingly emotionally charged 70+ minute set.