American black metal outfit Blackbraid arrive in Manchester with hometown heroes, Winterfylleth. It’s sold out, it’s Friday night…the perfect melting pot.

All live photography by Miley Stevens (unless noted). You can find more of Miley’s brilliant work, here.

NOCTEM

Noctem are a blackened death metal force hailing from Valencia, Spain. Since 2001, they’ve been channeling pure extremity through blistering riffs and relentless percussion. With a discography soaked in darkness and occult themes, they’ve carved out a fearsome reputation across Europe’s underground metal circuit.

With Rebellion absolutely choc-a-block early doors, Noctem have a great crowd to play through. Decked out in the traditional black metal garb; corpse paint and spiked wrists; and on a stage adorned with upturned crucifixes, Noctem spend 35 minutes or so, blasting the crowd into life.

Beleth prowls the stage, goading the crowd at the front. Some of the sound at the start is a little muddy but the Iberians have enthusiasm in spades. The Submission Discipline is a highlight as the sound slowly levels out and starts to become clearer. Throughout, the crowd are warmed and when Noctem reach their closing song, A Cruce Salus, they leave the stage to a hail of horns being thrown up by the crowd. Job done.

WINTERFYLLETH

This is a home game for Winterfylleth. Whilst some of the members might come from a little further than Manchester, this is the place they call their base. Their new album, The Unyielding Season, is a quite phenomenal record (our review here) that will be bothering plenty of end of year lists. There is an excitement in the crowd who are ready to hear new cuts from the album.

First Light plays the band on stage as they enter one by one, arms aloft towards the sold out crowd. They head straight into Heroes Of A Hundred Fields; the lead single from The Unyielding Season. It is a statement song; the feeling in the air is one of pure elation. Evidently, the crowd is full of lifelong fans, friends and family. It is a pleasure to be a part of such crowds. The Reckoning Dawn is a modern day epic with its Iron Maiden style twin guitars from Russell Dobson and Chris Naughton.

That friends and families atmosphere is backed by a surprise appearance from Nick Wallwork; the bands long time bass player who moved on from the band in 2025. He takes lead vocals on To The Edge Of Tyranny; a blistering heads down assault that has smiles plastered across every face onstage and in the crowd. Wallwork revels as the front man and the way everyone embraces on stage at the end of the song shows the very real kinship amongst these men.

THE UNYIELDING SEASON

‘We have a new album out,’ says Chris Naughton as Winterfylleth launch into a trio of new songs. A little over a week old, Echoes In The After, the title track, and Upon This Shore sound truly resplendent live. In contrast to the sound for Noctem, Winterfylleth have their mix locked in. Their trademark soaring sound scrapes the skies and plunders valleys showing just how great a band they are. It is hot in many senses of the word inside Manchester Rebellion, with the black metal heroes being the main combustible element. Simon Lucas and Mark Doyle propel the bands sound on drums and bass respectively, but Mark Deeks adds a huge amount of depth through his keys and vocals. The new set of songs are certainly some of the best they have written.

A PROUD SPIRIT REMAINS

A Valley Thick With Oaks takes us back 16 years to The Mercian Sphere. It is one of those songs that has been largely an ever present in the stunning Winterfylleth repertoire. When the closing vocal refrain of “A proud spirit remains / In the heart of every Englishman” hits, it is hard not to beam with a real sense of pride knowing this band belongs to the United Kingdom.

In Manchester, every single person is enraptured by the band, before they effectively blow the roof off with a triumphant closer of Whisper Of The Elements. Many bands might leave a hometown show until the end of their tour. Not Winterfylleth. If anything, this show, at the start of their run, will give great impetus for all their forthcoming shows on this particular tour. This performance is one that will live long in the annals for the band.

BLACKBRAID

Blackbraid is the raw, untamed spirit of American black metal, forged in the wilderness of upstate New York. The one-man force behind the project, known only as Sgah’gahsowáh, channels the fury of nature and the weight of Indigenous heritage into a sonic mix of furious riffs and primal screams. Since 2021, Blackbraid has carved a path distinct from the genre’s European roots, weaving traditional black metal with haunting melodies and themes of land, loss, and resistance.

With indigenous markings across their persons, and various pieces of paraphernalia adorning the stage, Blackbraid enter to bellowing and shrieking, creating a slightly unhinged atmosphere. This crowd need no help on such a night, such is what has gone before. Noctem and Winterfylleth both have their own distinct black metal style; the dynamic change is clear to see. This is true of Blackbraid too. It is another different take on the genre.

Celestial Bloodlust opens the American’s set. It is a new cut that has seen the light of day as part of the recent Nocturnal Womb EP. It is a bludgeoning start before Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of My Death follows from Blackbraid III; their latest LP.

THE SPIRIT RETURNS

With three full length albums under their belt, Blackbraid dig into every release tonight. The Spirit Remains into The Wolf That Guides The Hunters Hand is brilliant one-two volley from Blackbraid II. Throughout each and every song, the band thrash around the stage; none more so than band leader, Sgah’gahsowáh (meaning the witch hawk). It is Sgah’gahsowáh’s energy that helps enhance a spirit that is already palpable from the previous bands.

What sets Blackbraid apart from the previous bands on the bill is the use of more explicit and massively emphatic guitar solos. It offers another sonic dimension to the genre that runs through the evening. Twilight Hymn Of Ancient Blood takes the band towards more native sounds as Sgah’gahsowáh picks up the native American flute. The calming sounds of As The Creek Flows Softly By are topped with wonderful flute playing. It’s a moment of repose before the band smash all serenity with Sacandaga.

To close, Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil offers one final salvo of molten fury from Blackbraid. The trio of songs from Blackbraid I that close the show are truly spectacular. Sgah’gahsowáh hops off the low stage at to join the vociferous masses in the crowd to help top off a stupendously good night of extreme metal. This is a tour not to miss.

The tour continues through to April 15th in London; you can get tickets here.

Blackbraid: Website

Winterfylleth: Bandcamp

Noctem: Facebook

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