Sunday 26 May 2013

Deafheaven - Sunbather Review

Deafheaven - Sunbather [Blackgaze] [Black Metal + Shoegaze]



The blackgaze genre was started by French one-man band Alcest. Since his debut, Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde, many acts have tried to pin down the genre, with the raw, primal emotion of black metal and the psychedelic, ultrasweet melodies of shoegaze. Deafheaven's debut, Roads To Judah, in 2011, wasn't groundbreaking. It was just four songs long and showcased dynamics and fusion ideas already demonstrated by Alcest, but with an added punk vibe that didn't come across as convincing across a mere four songs.




Two years later, we are presented with Sunbather, an album that completely obliterates the debut album with far superior songs (seven songs now) and a more convincing approach to the music. Its timing could also be only too welcome, coming in the wake of the absolute downer, Les Voyages De L'Âme, Alcest's overly self-indulgent album last year that signalled the end of the blackgaze movement. This album is rife with blastbeats, blood-curdling screams, and a fantastic sense of melody. The punk elements are more pronounced than ever, and the huge contrast of the wretched vocals against a gorgeous, beautiful shoegaze music is surprisingly emotive and thrilling.

The album's opening songs, 'Dreamhouse' and the aptly titled ambient instrumental that follows, 'Irresistible' are worth the weight of the album alone. The former has a fantastic chord progression that is at once bittersweet, an ambiguous combination of various emotions that made me fall in love with the genre. The song is also well-written in that it commands your attention even though its a verse-chorus that's repeated twice over the span of eleven minutes. The tempo is pleasant enough for a casual listen but George Clarke's vocals are intense and violent. This may upset fans who were initiated by Neige's soulful clean singing in Alcest, but this gives Deafheaven a very important sonic dynamic and identity. Some of you may find the music too pretty to even have vocals, but this is a subjective issue.

The album incorporates a lot of sounds from various genres whilst retaining the core sound of its predecessor. The title track, for instance, features post-rock atmosphere in its chorus and this eases the tension created by numerous blastbeats weaved into the song. This seamless pacing between dreamy warm chords and monstrously fast, heavy sections is a feat, the two forms of music stand side by side without contradicting each other. Elsewhere, 'Vertigo' starts off with a slow, post-metal guitar solo that relies on space and introversion before effectively bursting into a black metal frenzy. The transition was unpredictable and the song is one of the definite highlights of the album.

New drummer Daniel Tracy is a very strong addition to the group's sound. His blastbeats are ferocious, but his contribution to the shoegaze sections by guitarist Kerry McCoy and bassist Derek Prine are lucid and sensible, especially on 'Vertigo' and the title track. The band works with fantastic synergy, and this adds to the sense of passion that is abundant on the album. The closing ambiance of 'Windows' and the the warmth of 'The Pecan Tree' also form a sense of fulfillment by closing the circle that began the album with dark tones to a happy, euphoric end, or at least some juxtaposition of emotions.

All in all, I have no complains for Sunbather at all. It is an essential listen, it is a severely needed release after the decline of blackgaze, and it is dripping with passion. The musicians themselves are soaking in their music, unlike the commercial albums that have been spreading like a plague this year. With such a rich sound and approach, Deafheaven may not be your cup of tea, but it's damn well one of the best releases this year with respect to its genre.

★★★★★ Excellent - Undisputed classic for critical listening

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