Blackbriar: Dutch Alternative Metal from Assen

Blackbriar is a Dutch alternative metal band from Assen. The group has put out three albums, four EPs, six singles, twelve official music videos, one official lyric video and four acoustic live videos. In October 2019 the band joined Epica as official support on the Design Your Universe 10th Anniversary Tour, and the following month it was invited to play the aftershow for Halestorm and In This Moment at the AFAS Live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

A contract with Nuclear Blast followed in November 2022. The debut album The Cause of Shipwreck arrived in April 2021 and drew positive reviews. Metal Hammer Germany likened singer Zora Cock's style to Kate Bush in "Wuthering Heights" and Amy Lee in "My Immortal".

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. Zora Cock has handled vocals since 2012, alongside drummer René Boxem and lead guitarist Bart Winters, both also from 2012.

Robin Koezen joined on rhythm guitar in 2016 and Ruben Wijga on keyboards in 2019. Earlier members were René Sempel on rhythm guitar (2012–2016), Frank Akkerman on bass (2012–2022) and Siebe Sol Sijpkens on bass (2022–2025, live 2021).

The studio albums are The Cause of Shipwreck (2021), A Dark Euphony (2023) and A Thousand Little Deaths (2025). The EPs are Fractured Fairytales (2017), We'd Rather Burn (2018), Our Mortal Remains (2019) and Our Long Cursed Sleep (2026).