Blackbriar is an
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With r ...
band from
Assen
Assen () is a municipality and a city in the northeastern Netherlands, and is the capital (politics), capital of the province of Drenthe. It received City rights in the Netherlands, city rights in 1809. Assen is known for TT Circuit Assen, the ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. They have released two albums, four EPs, six singles, ten official music videos, one official lyric video and four acoustic live videos.
In October 2019, Blackbriar joined
Epica
Epica or EPICA may refer to:
* Epica (band), a Dutch symphonic metal band
* ''Epica'' (Kamelot album), 2003
* ''Epica'' (Audiomachine album), 2012
* The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA)
* The Epica Awards (International Adver ...
as official support during their Design Your Universe 10th Anniversary Tour.
In November 2019, Blackbriar was invited to play the aftershow for
Halestorm
Halestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, her drummer brother Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith.
The group's self-titled debut album was re ...
and
In This Moment
In This Moment is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed by singer Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth in 2005. They found drummer Jeff Fabb and started the band as Dying Star. Unhappy with their musical direction, they ...
at the
AFAS Live
AFAS Live (formerly known as the Heineken Music Hall) is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands, near the Johan Cruyff Arena. The big hall, named "Black Box" has a capacity of 6,000 and is 3000 m2; a smaller hall for after parties (Beat Box) ...
in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The band signed a contract with
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...
in November 2022.
The band shot the music video for
Dianne van Giersbergen
Dianne van Giersbergen (born 3 June 1985) is a Dutch spinto soprano singer. She is the founder and frontwoman of the progressive metal band Ex Libris,Erwin Van Dijk, Sept. 2012, Ex LibrisInterview : Dianne van Giersbergen – Ex Libris (2010) ...
's first solo single "After the Storm", which was released on 14 February 2023.
Reception
The band's debut album ''The Cause of Shipwreck'' was released in April 2021 and received positive reviews. ''
Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
'' Germany compared singer Zora Cock's style to
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights (song), Wuthering Heights", ...
in "
Wuthering Heights
''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...
" and
Amy Lee
Amy Lynn Hartzler (; born December 13, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, and lead songwriter of the rock band Evanescence. Alongside her contributions with the band, Lee has also particip ...
in "
My Immortal
"My Immortal" is a song by American rock band Evanescence from their debut studio album, ''Fallen'' (2003). It was released by Wind-up Records on December 8, 2003, as the third single from the album. An alternative version appears on the band's ...
". The Finnish ''Tuonela Magazine'' wrote that the band distinguished itself by mixing "a healthy dose of Gothic imagery into their brand of symphonic metal" and called ''The Cause of Shipwreck'' "an album that not only significantly expands their sound but also solidifies it". Fellow rock musician
Liselotte Hegt wrote that "Zora is almost like a siren, luring you into dark romantic scenarios, twisted fairy tales and ghostlike sceneries", and found that the orchestral elements on the album were present but not overpowering.
Band members
;Current line-up
*
Zora Cock – vocals (2012–present)
*René Boxem – drums (2012–present)
*Bart Winters – lead guitar (2012–present)
*Robin Koezen – rhythm guitar (2016–present)
*Ruben Wijga – keyboards (2019–present)
*Siebe Sol Sijpkens – bass (2022–present, live 2021)
;Previous members
*René Sempel – rhythm guitar (2012-2016)
*Frank Akkerman – bass (2012-2022)
Timeline
Discography
;Singles
*"Ready to Kill"
(May 5, 2014)
*"Until Eternity"
(September 26, 2015)
*"Preserved Roses"
(May 3, 2017)
*"Until Eternity" (Orchestral Version)
(December 14, 2018)
*"Snow White and Rose Red" (feat. Ulli Perhonen)
(May 29, 2019)
*"Mortal Remains"
(November 21, 2019)
*"The Séance"
(February 19, 2021)
*"Deadly Diminuendo"
(March 19, 2021)
*"Selkie"
(April 10, 2021)
*"Walking Over My Grave"
(April 23, 2021)
*"Fairy of the Bog"
(December 10, 2021)
*"Crimson Faces"
(November 17, 2022)
*"My Soul's Demise"
(April 28, 2023)
*"Cicada"
(June 21, 2023)
*"Forever and a Day"
(September 15, 2023)
*"Spirit of Forgetfulness"
(September 29, 2023)
;EPs
*''Fractured Fairytales''
(May 2017)
*''We'd Rather Burn''
(October 2018)
*''Our Mortal Remains''
(December 2019)
;Albums
*''The Cause of Shipwreck''
(April 2021)
*''A Dark Euphony''
(2023)
Videography
*"Ready to Kill" Directed by Michel Berendsen
*"Until Eternity" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"I'd Rather Burn" Directed by Blackbriar
*"Arms of the Ocean" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"Snow White and Rose Red"
*"Mortal Remains"
*"Beautiful Delirium"
*"The Séance" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"Selkie"
*"Walking Over My Grave" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"Weakness and Lust" Directed by Blackbriar
*"You're Haunting Me"
*"Fairy of the Bog" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"Crimson Faces" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"My Soul's Demise" Directed by Joshua Maldonado
*"Cicada" Directed by Blackbriar
*"Spirit of Forgetfulness" Directed by blksm media
References
External links
*
Blackbriar's Instagram*{{YouTube, u=blackbriarmusic
Alternative metal musical groups
Dutch gothic metal musical groups
Dutch gothic rock groups
Dutch musical quintets
Dutch musical sextets
Dutch symphonic metal musical groups
Female-fronted musical groups
Musical groups from Drenthe
People from Assen