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Deafheaven – Sunbather

Deafheaven – Sunbather

Whenever I hear about black metal I have the urgency to run away screaming. Well not really, but it sure isn’t something I will voluntary listen to. So when Deafheaven released their debut record on Deathwish I didn’t feel the need to check it out. Some American kids playing black metal and releasing it on a hardcore label. Nah. Deafheaven however created kind of a following over the recent years and with Sunbather they made me curious enough to check them out after which they sank their teeth in my  neck and made me a disciple to their church of extreme melodic music.

Deafheaven is so much more than just two kids playing black metal. The band is the ultimate hybrid of shoegaze, instrumental and black metal. There’s more Mogwai and My Bloody Valentine going on on Sunbather than Norwegian metal. I guess this second full length is some sort of coming to terms for Deafheaven. The duo acknowledged the fact that they are far removed from Norwegian church burners and went all out in an opposite way. Hence the pink record cover, which probably would be reason enough to get you killed if you were a serious black metal band.

Sunbather to me is as much of a surprise and potential classic as was Title Fight’s Floral Green last year.

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7 comments

  1. Wim said on 2013-07-05

    awesome record indeed! I read this review by Geoff Rickly from thursday http://thetalkhouse.com/reviews/view/geoff-rickly-deafheaven
    and decided I should listen to this record… now I might even go and listen some real black metal! (something I never thought I would do)

  2. Guido said on 2013-07-05

    Oh, my secret love for black metal is satisfied with this album.

    I got this record for Up Magazine, it’s totally awesome, start to end. Check it out

  3. Niels said on 2013-07-05

    Great album, if it wouldn’t be for the new Nick Cave record, this could be my number one of the year.

  4. Maurice said on 2013-07-06

    Great, great album but duo/2 kids? I thought 5 guys are in the band, at least when you see them live.

  5. Guido said on 2013-07-08

    I am a bit curious though, why you mention Norwegian metal, since the USA has for about 10 years been at the forefront of black metal with bands like Leviathan, Liturgy and Wolves in the Throne room (in turn drawing influence from atmospheric bands from France and such)

    • Pim said on 2013-07-09

      Youthcrew kid reviewing a black metal records. That’s probably why 😉

      Skipped through the first song. Not my cup op tea.

    • Guido said on 2013-07-09

      first hit on ‘the googles’ has them explaining their influences. I wholeheartedly agree with the further review though.