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Deafheavenare exhilarating and energizing, ferocious but divisive.
Pitchfork rated it8.9 and named it Best New Music.
The success elevated Deafheaven to new heights.
But it also distanced itself further from black metal’s die-hard fans.
George Clarke is a striking frontman with a natural stage presence; some might even call him handsome.
The band also eschews the traditional “corpse paint” makeup, defying black metal’s dress code.
No EPs, though their 2010 demo is worth tracking down).
However, if you have never heard the band before,Infinite Graniteis a bad place to start.
Howling vocals like a skeletal priestess summoning the end of all mankind?
Instead, George Clarke’s singing is not just clean, but pristine.
The songs are spacious.
Whereas the band once overloaded your senses with sheer might, here, they give you room to think.
Those harsher black elements aren’tcompletelygone.
They peek out once or twice onInfinite Granite.
This is a strangely sunny day for a black metal band, but not all that unusual.
Modern black metal bands are unafraid to experiment (see the quietness of Alcest’sShelteror the bluegrass on Panopticon’sKentucky).
So, best to come back to this later on.
The resulting work was good, but it’s slightly crunchy when compared to the band’s later work.
It’sa good first impression, but not the best.
It didnt go as smoothly as some of the other ones.
Next time, I guess."
Next time would beSunbather.
Deafheaven felt the pressure to follow up on their smash breakthrough.
3Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018)
Im reluctant to stay sad.
Daniel Tracy took over on drums in 2012.
Shiv Mehra joined in 2013, playing guitars, keys, and backing vocals.
The first album with this quartet wasOrdinary Corrupt Human Love, a watershed moment.
We got really recharged.
Kerry went through a huge creative burst.
Chelsea Wolfe appears on “Night People.”
Beautiful, atmospheric elements on the album hint at where the band would go next withInfinite Granite.
On that journey, the band achieved equilibrium with its seemingly incongruent elements.
These feel natural, thanks to the precedent set byOCHL.
“Magnolia” served as the lead single.
It’s a relentless assault of pure black metal carrying Clarke’s reflections of his uncle’s funeral.
Much of the album wrestles with modern masculinity.
The only thing preventing this album from being named Deafheaven’s best is time.
Perfection is a hard stop, the end of artistic growth.
By that definition,Sunbatherisn’ta perfect albumbut it’s very close.
The first 20 seconds of the album let you know the hype is real.
“Dream House” buzzes around your head like a siren alerting you that something big is coming.
Time will tell if another Deafheaven album eclipsesSunbather.
Until then, this shines on as their best.
