Review by Hugh Spence for MPM
On the evening of April 12th, the Limelight 2 in Belfast became a convergence point for three distinct flavors of black metal. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of excitement, as the room filled with a heartening mix of metalheads both old and young, and I found myself bumping into plenty of good friends before the first note was even struck.
Before the carnage began, the primary topic of conversation was undoubtedly Blackbraid. Emerging from the Adirondack Mountains of New York in 2022, Blackbraid is the brainchild of Sgah’gahsowáh (Jon Krieger). In a genre often criticized for looking backward, Sgah’gahsowáh injected a fresh, vital perspective by centering the project on the indigenous history and natural landscapes of North America.
The rise was meteoric; fueled by the underground success of Blackbraid I and its follow-up, the project bypassed the usual “club circuit” grind to become a global headliner in just a few short years. By blending traditional Native American instrumentation—like the wooden flute—with the raw aggression of second-wave black metal, Blackbraid has proven that there is still plenty of room for innovation within the shadows.
The evening began promptly at 7:30 PM with Spain’s “Noctem”. At the start of their set, the crowd was admittedly quite small, but as the band unleashed their assault, the room began to swell with curious onlookers and early arrivals.
They opened with the searing intensity of “The Black Consecration”, which immediately established a high bar for technicality. This was followed by the rhythmic pummelling of “The Submission Discipline”, a track that seemed to physically push the growing audience back.
As they moved into “THE PALE MOON RITE”, the atmosphere grew thicker, the band’s blackened death metal roots showing through their visceral stage presence.
“We Are Omega” kept the momentum at a fever pitch, with blast beats that rattled the Limelight’s rafters. By the time they reached “Let That Is Dead Sleep Forever”, the floor was significantly more crowded, and the audience was fully locked in. They closed their set with the relentless “A Cruce Salus”, leaving a much larger crowd than they started with thoroughly battered and ready for more.
This marked my 8th time seeing Winterfylleth live, and my excitement hasn’t waned once over the years. I always look forward to their performances because they are consistently phenomenal, and tonight was another fantastic entry in their storied career, even with Blackbraid as headliners I think its safe to say Winterfylleth stole the show.
As the house lights dimmed, the stage was bathed in a deep, haunting blue light, filling the room with an icy atmosphere as the intro “First Light” drifted across the PA.
They exploded into “Heroes of a Hundred Fields” from their latest masterpiece “The Unyielding Season”, a track that felt as grand and sweeping as the landscapes they sing about.
The transition into “The Reckoning Dawn” was seamless, showcasing their ability to balance melody with sheer aggression. “To the Edge of Tyranny” brought a sharper, more biting edge to the set, followed by the evocative and layered “Echoes in the After”, also from 2026’s “The Unyielding Season”, I can not say enough good things about this album, from the first listen it absolutely blew me away. The newer material from “The Unyielding Season” held up brilliantly against the classics, while “Upon This Shore” drove forward with a relentless raw energy.
They moved into the fan-favorite “A Valley Thick With Oaks”, which remains one of the most poignant moments in their live arsenal, before finally closing with the powerful, elemental force of “Whisper of the Elements”. This set is a set of 2 halves, the first half consisting of their newer materiel from “The Unyielding Season” and 2024’s “The Imperious Horizon” and the second half consisting of a mix of classics, the set works so well together as I Love Winterfylleths old and new material, this performance was probably the quickest hour of my life. I’ve seen Winterfyellth at big festivals and small clubs and seeing them in such an intimate venue remains a privilege.
As a fan of Blackbraid since their first album, I had high expectations for my first time seeing them live. Musically, they were nothing short of spectacular. The performance was ushered in by the haunting intro “Celestial Bloodlust”, which set a primal, ritualistic tone. They tore into “Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of My Death”, and the power of the live sound was immediate and immense. “The Spirit Returns” followed, blending that signature Adirondack atmosphere with biting riffs.
The set continued with the fierce “The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand” and the flowing, melancholic textures of “The River of Time Flows Through Me”. A major highlight was “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag”, which felt heavy with emotion. This led into the cultural heart of the set, “Twilight Hymn of Ancient Blood”, where the traditional elements truly shone. After the brief, beautiful respite of “As the Creek Flows Softly By”, they ramped up for the finale with the raw power of “Sacandaga” and the crushing, definitive closer “Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil”, although they opened this song with Jon playing the large wooden flute suspiciously well.
However, the night wasn’t without its hurdles. Between every single song, there was a minute of dead silence as the band members appeared to be meticulously tuning their instruments. Furthermore, there was no talking or crowd interaction from the band whatsoever. While this stoicism added to the serious “ritual” vibe, the long silences between tracks did occasionally stall the energy in the room. That minor gripe aside, the musical execution was flawless, and it was a triumphant Belfast debut for the band, I hope they return soon.
Photography by David Stewart for MPM
