Latterly, DEAFHEAVEN released ‘Sunbather’, a record which got criticized a lot, both negatively and positively. The band’s constant embrace of post-metal and post-hardcore music genre lead them to create a record which broke free of black- metal (or post-black) orientation. ‘Sunbather’ was shinier (both in the artwork as well as its music), fresher and influenced by post-hardcore sub-genres or shoegazing sub-genres. This year, the band returns with ‘New Bermuda’, stirring the band’s wheel once more, mixing genres and experimenting.
‘New Bermuda’ is a record that includes black- metal’s dynamic, harsh, hardcore vocals and post outbreaks. The last ones tend to include melodic parts, piano and dreamy guitars. There are many riffs included in those five songs which are part of ‘New Bermuda’, but in overall, the music of the record works as a beautifully chaotic pattern, on which the dynamic of the vocals unravel. The record may be pluralistic, but minimal as well, because it delivers only what is needed and no songs or no moments within ‘New Bermuda’ are considered as ‘fillers’.
‘Baby Blue’ as well as ‘Luna’ includes melodic break-downs, guitar solos which span music parts together and the outcome is as explosive as it may sound. ‘Gifts for the Earth’ follows the same discipline too. Nevertheless, everything seems to be as extreme as they may get. The band’s philosophy is underlined via the sweet darkness emitted by ‘New Bermuda’. Unlike ‘Sunbathing’, which was an one-dimensional and kind-of- monotonic record, this one blends together darkness and light, harshness and beauty.
Deafheaven’s music appeals both in post-metalheads as well as fans of black metal. This tradition does not alter in ‘New Bermuda’. The band’s vision seems to have potential and gives birth to great records, which renew our music and resurrect its significance. I would choose ‘New Bermuda’ along with the latest Mgla record as 2015’s best post-metal duo, because both records made the impossible; they tore apart the ground under my legs without the black metal’s ‘kvlt’ excesses.
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