Deafheaven

Ringarë – Under Pale Moon Review

Ringarë – Under Pale Moon Review

By Eldritch Elitist on March 23, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, International Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 49 comments

“This may be unthinkable for those who comment on every single black metal review about how they can’t get into the genre, but for me, black metal can be one of the most relaxing styles of music. Not all black metal, of course—trying to take a Sunday siesta with Imperialist blaring would be an impossible task. In the genre’s most atmospheric forms, however, the ambient-like stream of muffled tremolo riffs and blast beats can be utterly calming. Ringarë certainly falls within this realm, but with a twist: they build off the foundation of old school symphonic black metal, the sort pioneered by Limbonic Art and early Dimmu Borgir.” Icy fields of feelz.

Astronoid – Astronoid Review

Astronoid – Astronoid Review

By Mark Z. on January 31, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Blood Music, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Shoegaze, Progressive Metal, Shoegaze, 69 comments

“You wake up and everything seems better. The air is fresher, the sun is brighter, and you feel a sense of hope you haven’t felt in years. That’s what it was like listening to Astronoid’s 2016 debut Air for the first time. From out of nowhere, the Massachusetts quartet burst onto the scene with a style that hit the perfect sweet spot between fresh and familiar. Combining Deafheaven-esque music with airy, poppy singing, the band built off their experience in Vattnet Viskar to create something truly original, something that soared through a world of timeless innocence right onto my Album o’ the Decade shortlist.” Following a dream.

Beaten to Death – Agronomicon Review

Beaten to Death – Agronomicon Review

By Dr. Wvrm on December 18, 2018 in 2018, Grind, Mas-Kina Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, 51 comments

“The Norwegians’ 2015 masterclass Unplugged earned every bit of praise it received as it ruined thousands of scoliosis patients’ dreams of reaching the top shelf. I’ll say it up front: fourth record Agronomicon doesn’t top it, doesn’t even try. But don’t you dare to call it inferior; if anything, Agronomicon testifies to Beaten to Death’s staying power as a force in the grind scene.” The list beating goes on and on.

Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone Review

Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone Review

By Grymm on November 1, 2018 in Ambient Metal, Black Metal, French Metal, Norwegian Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 109 comments

“Back in 2016, Katherine Shepard, aka Norwegian/French multi-instrumentalist Sylvaine, dropped an impressive album of beautiful soundscapes in Wistful, taking the groundwork laid down by the likes of Alcest and branching out into greener, more ambient paths. In doing so, Sylvaine provided a soundtrack to some amazing memories, and when word dropped that she was working on a follow-up, to say that some of us were frothing at the bit to give it a listen would be a mild understatement.” Light in the darkness.

Lascar – Wildlife Review

Lascar – Wildlife Review

By Dear Hollow on October 28, 2018 in 2018, A Sad Sadness Song, Black Metal, Chilean Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 27 comments

“My relationship with Deafheaven is “it’s complicated” on Facebook. I don’t even know if that’s a thing anymore, but you see, I enjoyed 2015’s Sunbather for its heart wrenching combination of post-rock and black metal. However, what really grinds my gears is the carnage that the band left in their wake, as suddenly legions upon legions of fanboys, ripoffs and mimics started flooding the scene. Lascar, clearly one of these fanboys, is a one-man post-black act from Santiago, Chile, signed to Italy’s A Sad Sadness Song Records.” Sunbathing and trend aping.

Bosse-de-Nage – Further Still Review

Bosse-de-Nage – Further Still Review

By Dr. Wvrm on September 13, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-metal, Reviews, The Flenser, Post-Hardcore, 41 comments

“When Bosse-de-Nage’s All Fours released in 2015, my familiarity with post-metal started and ended with the clusterfuck that was Deafheaven’s Sunbather. All Fours, needless to say, caught me completely off guard. It was raw and intense, evocative without overacting, and certainly more committed to metal than the internet’s collective bitching led me to expect. Further Still has some big expectations to live up to.” Bosse or Bath.

Møl – Jord Review

Møl – Jord Review

By Mark Z. on April 28, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Danish Metal, Holy Roar Records, Reviews, Shoegaze, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 53 comments

“Maybe it’s just me, but shoegazey black metal just isn’t as exciting as it used to be. It’s easy to forget just how groundbreaking Alcest’s debut truly was, and though Deafheaven caught a lot of flack for their apparent Pitchfork pandering, I always found Sunbather to be a captivating, dreamy, and refreshingly honest record in a genre that’s far too often up its own ass with being ‘cvlt’ and ‘trve.’ But as happens, the style got saturated, the pioneers got mediocre, and these days the release of a new ‘blackgaze’ album generates about as much anticipation as getting a colonoscopy.” Pucker up, hipstercups!

Harakiri for the Sky – Arson Review

Harakiri for the Sky – Arson Review

By Mark Z. on February 13, 2018 in 2018, Art of Propaganda, Austrian Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

“If there’s a more promising band out there than Harakiri for the Sky, I don’t know of them. Formed in 2011, this Austrian duo first came to my attention with 2014’s Aokigahara, whose crisp, riffy take on post-black metal was a welcome change from the Alcesty haziness overflowing the genre. My love affair continued with 2016’s III: Trauma, a terrific album that narrowly missed a spot on my year-end list with its lush, gorgeous melodies. Since then Harakiri’s gifted songwriting and unique style have built a rabid fanbase (including both myself and Master of Muppets), making Arson one of my most anticipated records of the year.” Ooooo… the suspense! So much filthy click-bait. I wonder how this is going to end…