The meteoric rise of Sgah’gahsowáh and his one-man Black Metal project, Blackbraid, up through the ranks of the metal underground has been nothing short of astonishing. Following up on the success of his critically acclaimed 2025 release, Blackbraid III, and a subsequent first-ever headlining US tour, Sgah’gahsowáh wasted no time unleashing his latest Black Metal monstrosity upon the unsuspecting metal masses.

Affectionately dubbed “Blackbraid 3½” by fans, Nocturnal Womb is a three-song EP made up of two original tracks and an outstanding acoustic instrumental re-imagining of the Blackbraid I classic “Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil.” Forsaking his use of traditional Native American instrumentation and the nature-heavy sound bytes that characterized the first three Blackbraid albums, Sgah’gahsowáh adopts a more aggressive and uncompromising old-school Black Metal style on Nocturnal Womb, albeit with far better recording production and sound clarity than many of his contemporaries from across the pond.

The title track is a colossal bulldozer that comes crashing through the listener’s speakers following an eerie, almost latter-day Immolation-esque guitar intro. The blast-beat-driven intensity of “Nocturnal Womb” is precisely and deliberately balanced by chugging riffs very much in the vein of “God of Black Blood.” Some catchy guitar hooks and menacing leads keep the listener fully invested throughout the song’s eight-and-a-half-minute run time.

Perhaps even more intense is the following track, “Celestial Bloodlust,” which violently erupts like a seething volcano without any pretense of subtlety or civility. Rampaging guitar riffs and unrelenting drum work make “Celestial Bloodlust” a veritable firestorm of pure Black Metal savagery. And once again, the tortured, rage-fueled screams of Sgah’gahsowáh are the equal of, or better than, nearly anyone else working within the genre. It will be interesting to see if this track becomes a staple of the Blackbraid setlist moving forward.

Closing out Nocturnal Womb is the alternate version of “Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil,” which is both brilliantly conceived and precisely executed. The guitar tone on this acoustic masterpiece is rich and beautiful, making this version of the classic a captivating and welcome addition to the Blackbraid catalog.

Overall, Nocturnal Womb is an engrossing and exciting new chapter in the Blackbraid discography, one that fans of Blackbraid and Black Metal will doubtless enjoy for years to come. Once again, Sgah’gahsowáh has outdone himself, and I’m very much looking forward to what the future holds for him and Blackbraid. Nocturnal Womb was released on March 6, 2026 via the independent label Wolf Mountain Productions.