Deafheaven - Infinite Granite ALBUM REVIEW
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For those that don’t know, Deafheaven is a San Francisco post-punk group that have been praised for their work in the black metal genre. Their second album, Sunbather, isn’t only one of the most critically acclaimed black metal albums of the 2010s; it’s also typically revered as a favorite in the genre as a whole. They did that for a couple other albums, but like most bands, they gotta do something to keep themselves in the conversations, right? Well, they certainly did that. For their newest album, Infinite Granite, they mostly avoid black metal and move into a more shoegaze and dream-pop genre. It’s quite interesting and it’s been dividing their fanbase in a way that hasn’t happened in a while. So, where do I land on this? Let’s find out.
So, let me get out of the way that Deafheaven is a divisive band in general. They really don’t fit in either the black metal or the shoegaze genre, and whatever you want from them is what you’d consider to be a good album from the group. Although, what’s been turning long-time fans away was that this is a complete opposite in sound. This is the most light they’ve ever been when it comes to the sound and the black metal fan in me is admittedly disappointed, but the more casual ‘rock’ fan in me absolutely adores this. There are still heavier moments like the end of “Great Mass of Color” and a good chunk of “Mombasa,” but that’s where it really ends for that. What I can appreciate about this the most is that this new, lighter sound doesn’t sacrifice the intensity from those heavy moments. Vocalist George Clarke is much more subdued here, almost like he’s in an emo band, and while it may not be his best fit, it fits this new sound. His writing seems almost poetic in a way here and it’s quite interesting to see how he fits in this sound palette.
There’s a reason why some people are calling this their best album and their worst album, and I can understand both, but to me, Deafheaven might have their best album here. I’m fully aware that I’m in the minority on this, but Infinite Granite might just be up there as one of my favorite modern rock albums. It’s a pretty wild take, I know, but George Clarke’s vocals and writing just fit so unexpectedly with a lighter, less ‘black metal’ sound. It also happens that the rest of the band perform this new sound very well.
10/10
Listen here
YouTube Music
Infinite Granite is a Sargent House release.
For those that don’t know, Deafheaven is a San Francisco post-punk group that have been praised for their work in the black metal genre. Their second album, Sunbather, isn’t only one of the most critically acclaimed black metal albums of the 2010s; it’s also typically revered as a favorite in the genre as a whole. They did that for a couple other albums, but like most bands, they gotta do something to keep themselves in the conversations, right? Well, they certainly did that. For their newest album, Infinite Granite, they mostly avoid black metal and move into a more shoegaze and dream-pop genre. It’s quite interesting and it’s been dividing their fanbase in a way that hasn’t happened in a while. So, where do I land on this? Let’s find out.
So, let me get out of the way that Deafheaven is a divisive band in general. They really don’t fit in either the black metal or the shoegaze genre, and whatever you want from them is what you’d consider to be a good album from the group. Although, what’s been turning long-time fans away was that this is a complete opposite in sound. This is the most light they’ve ever been when it comes to the sound and the black metal fan in me is admittedly disappointed, but the more casual ‘rock’ fan in me absolutely adores this. There are still heavier moments like the end of “Great Mass of Color” and a good chunk of “Mombasa,” but that’s where it really ends for that. What I can appreciate about this the most is that this new, lighter sound doesn’t sacrifice the intensity from those heavy moments. Vocalist George Clarke is much more subdued here, almost like he’s in an emo band, and while it may not be his best fit, it fits this new sound. His writing seems almost poetic in a way here and it’s quite interesting to see how he fits in this sound palette.
There’s a reason why some people are calling this their best album and their worst album, and I can understand both, but to me, Deafheaven might have their best album here. I’m fully aware that I’m in the minority on this, but Infinite Granite might just be up there as one of my favorite modern rock albums. It’s a pretty wild take, I know, but George Clarke’s vocals and writing just fit so unexpectedly with a lighter, less ‘black metal’ sound. It also happens that the rest of the band perform this new sound very well.
10/10
Listen here
YouTube Music
Infinite Granite is a Sargent House release.
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