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This weekend is significant. It’s a celebration and acknowledgement of the people and their contributions that are the bedrock of our nation.<\/p>\n
I’m speaking, of course, about Indigenous Peoples Day and Native Americans.<\/p>\n
The contributions of the Indigenous peoples of America encompass a wide range of artistic formats these days. In the literary world, authors Louise Erdrich and Stephen Graham Jones are bestselling novelists; Erdrich is considered one of America’s finest authors and Jones is a leader in modern horror fiction. In the realm of television, Sterlin Harjo’s recently concluded series “Reservation Dogs” was a masterpiece of short-form storytelling and his new Ethan Hawke-led caper series “The Lowdown” premiered to rave reviews. Meanwhile, AMC’s moody reservation noir “Dark Winds” has provided a starring platform for acclaimed character actor Zahn McClarnon.<\/p>\n
In music, Native Americans are at the forefront of an unlikely genre: black metal. In fact, a recent show at Empire Live served to showcase one such act. On Sept. 28, the Albany venue featured a headlining set from Blackbraid, the stage name of rising metal star and\u00a0Adirondacks resident\u00a0Sgah’gahsow\u00e1h, with support from prolific West Coast outfit Lamp of Murmuur, led by the mysterious M.<\/p>\n
Since starting as a studio project in 2020,\u00a0Blackbraid has essentially been a solo endeavor, with Sgah’gahsow\u00e1h performing all of the music himself. And much like Blackbraid, the studio incarnation of Lamp of Murmuur is, basically, one person:\u00a0M. For their live shows on the current tour\u00a0– Blackbraid’s first-ever national headlining effort\u00a0– the two utilized the same supporting band.<\/p>\n
Watching this shared services agreement play out was fascinating, serving to highlight not only each performer’s distinct musicianship but also the diversity of the black metal form.<\/p>\n
Lamp of Murmuur was a trip, with a dramatic stage presence. The group was decked out in black-and-white face paint\u00a0– think “The Crow”\u00a0– clad in long cloaks. The 40-minute set was one of my favorite performances of the year and hit on the sort of themes a mainstream audience might expect to hear in black metal, name-dropping Satan along with plenty of talk of demonic convergence and witchcraft.<\/p>\n
In contrast,\u00a0Blackbraid’s on-stage dramatism was of a vastly different, more physical variety. The Sacandaga-area resident performed bare-chested with face and body paint that drew inspiration from Indigenous culture rather than black mass rituals. He stalked across the stage, wielding his\u00a0mic stand like a weapon and, at\u00a0times, thrusting it above his head or pointing it toward the 700 people in attendance.<\/p>\n