Deafheaven

Formed in 2010, Deafheaven is a California collective known for a volatile sonic palette that bridges the aggression of black metal with the ethereal textures of shoegaze and post-rock.

Their breakthrough work, Sunbather, established a signature contrast between visceral screams and lush, melodic guitar work. Over time, the group has pushed their boundaries further, moving toward the glossier, atmospheric sounds found on Infinite Granite, where vocalist George Clarke shifted toward clean, sonorous singing. Whether deploying thunderous blast beats or crystalline, delay-heavy soundscapes, the band focuses on emotional vulnerability and tension and release. Their output often oscillates between the mean and the pretty, creating a cinematic experience that feels both apocalyptic and hopeful. By integrating the noise of metal with a pop-informed sensibility, they create an expansive, multifaceted sound that resists simple categorization.