Deafheaven Thread

[MikeH]

Big fan of Deafheaven. Saw them last month before they jumped on the BTBAM tour, so I got to watch them headline with only one band before them. They played Sunbather in its entirety (although out of order), and I think two songs off of Roads to Judah. Their energy was phenomenal and it wasn't a typical metal show experience. Very entrancing and almost hallucinogenic. 10/10 would see again.

 

[cwhitey2]

I was at that show in Syracuse!

Deafheaven is really *not* my cup of tea with Sunbather, although I felt Roads to Judah had a fantastic energy about it, despite being a bit saccharine.

The band really shines on their cover of Mogwai's "Punk Rock/Cody."

*ducks for cover*

That show was kick ass!

 

[Mwoit]

I've seen them twice in Glasgow. They are good.

The first time they were supporting Russian Circles. They had only released Roads To Judah at this point. The room was empty, aside from the band, the bar staff and about 10 folk including me. It was like a personal show and meeting the guys, grabbing a pint with George and thanking them was pretty cool.

The second time was their headline show for Sunbather (second UK tour). I ended up chatting to them backstage and hanging out. Good times.

My band actually supported them when Sunbather came out (first Uk tour) but at that point I was in middle of the exam period and only learnt two songs. Needless to say, I was gutted.

 

[HurrDurr]

All music is subjective. You either like it and get into it now, later, or never. I don't see the point in attributing their success to any one particular group of people, but they have definitely bridged the gap between a lot of other scenes and folks that might not have previously given extreme music a chance. I think it's wonderful, really. Not many bands come around that can do something like that and the fact the DFHVN have made numerous such bridges is an amazing accomplishment.

Honestly, It isn't unexpected. The music is great. If you're not into it, that's perfectly fine. That just means right now it isn't for you and it may never be. To me, it's immensely expressive. Both Roads to Judah and Sunbather have struck a chord in me on a deeper level than a lot of other albums I've come across. I feel they've got something real special going on with their sound. I don't know. To me there wasn't much to 'get' about this band. The moment I heard them it was like a sound I'd wanted to hear all along but couldn't find in anything else. It reminded me of when I first discovered Deftones.

 

[Ralyks]

Freakin' love Sunbather, and I'm normally not into this type of music at all. But damn if they don't make it work.

Sad I didn't get to see them on the BTBAM tour, but there will probably be oppourtunites soon too because... Well... How DID they get popular all of a sudden?

 

[Forkface]

I don't understand their massive sudden popularity or how they landed a spot ABOVE Intronaut on the BTBAM tour when Intronaut has more material and has been around longer. Granted, I don't really listen to either black metal or post rock but I don't get this band or why they're suddenly the hip band to name drop.

because this.

Best Albums of 2013 - Metacritic

tldr. Apparently it was the best reviewed album of 2013. Above Daft Punk, Kanye, Beyonce, etc. That has to count for something

 

[AdamMaz]

To me there wasn't much to 'get' about this band. The moment I heard them it was like a sound I'd wanted to hear all along but couldn't find in anything else.

 

[vilk]

I have listened to this Sunbather album and am TRYING to like it. But it just sounds like solid screamo shoegaze. Do I need sedatives to enjoy or am I just too metal for this.

Help me understand this band bros. I don't get the big wow factor here.

The reason I like it isn't for the melodies or the shoegazey progressions, but rather for the sort of wall of noise fluctuating amorphous reverb blob that is droney and mind numbing and aggressive at the same time, kinda like the band Weakling (though the approach is totally different). I'm all about the noiseyness of deafheaven.

I'm super pumped to see them on Osaka this May.

 

[Necris]

Too saccharine to enjoy.

 

[abandonist]

I really like Sunbather, but talking to Deafheaven fans is generally intolerable.

 

[HurrDurr]

Honestly, I find the growing hate for Deafheaven really obnoxious. To me it seems just as 'all-of-a-sudden' as their fame with little to no basis on why people don't like them aside from the usual weak arguments "oh, it's just hipster music and not real music". Normally, I mind my own bees and keep to myself, but some folks have an innate necessity to bash on them and their popularity. I don't really mind talking to anyone who's a big fan of or strongly against any band, because it's nice to see someone passionate about something, whether I like it and am not as serious about it or not. At this point, however, I genuinely believe it's more of a bandwagon to bash DFHVN than it is to like them and while I respect that, I'll admit I simply just don't get it. Then again, I've never fully understood why anyone would openly express a strong dislike for anything that's subjective, but we all have the right to do as such so I don't worry much past this point.

 

[kevdes93]

Band/albums great. theyre just the new band thats cool to not like because of their popularity

 

[Jazzamatazz]

Honestly I tried so hard to stay away from them for a while because of the massive surge in popularity. Huge mistake on my part and a lesson in "Just because it's popular doesn't mean it isn't good". When I finally gave "Sunbather" a spin I was blown away by Dream House. After that I was hooked. Seeing them live with Btbam and Intronaut really put the nail in the coffin. Intronaut came out and slayed and I thought everyone else would be hard pressed to beat that, until DH came out and stole the show. BTBAM really disappointed me, the sound was almost too tight and other than the drums I could barely distinguish any tone. When I saw them a few years back with AAL they were awesome but this time was a huge let down.

 

[Veldar]

Also i literally bought a POD to get their guitarists tone.

I thought they were shoegazey as in 20 pedals in front of each guitarist.

 

[DLG]

I don't get the hype. To me they sound like they took the most remedial ideas of post rock and black metal and just combined them.

I think Wolves in the Throne Room do introspective/shoegazey black metal a million times better than these guys.

Even Liturgy play better and more unique hipster black metal imo.

 

[elnyrb10]

new single

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I hate the vocals, but I like the softer more post rock sections/some of the pummeling black metal riffage. screechy black metal vocals should have died with euronymous

 

[gunch]

I mean they're living their best life I guess

 

[Demiurge]

Maybe it's just the youtube compression, but the woofiness of the drums drags the whole thing down. Pairing it with the washy, trebly guitars, it's like two diametrically opposed types of bad-on-purpose production competing for space. Pick one!

 

[vilk]

This reminds me of Drudkh a little at first. Only, I'm a huge Drudkh fan, so in a way I like it. Also I think dudeman is nailing his Eclipse/Anthems period Ihsahn vocals. Idk, it's obviously a tribute to oldskool black metal, but without the actual song content being in any way oldskool black metal, and especially after half way, which I think it's pretty interesting. Definitely nowhere near as emotionally heavy as anything off Sunbather, but honestly they set the bar too high.