Image from: http://www.stereogum.com/1359131/stream-deafheaven-sunbather/album-stream/
Deafheaven’s Sunbather
(Deathwish Inc.) is a few weeks old now, but I have received a number of
recommendations concerning the album, so I figured I would give it a
review. Deafheaven is a San
Francisco-based group that has grown from a two-piece outfit to a band of five
since its inception in 2010. As
the band’s sophomore release, Sunbather
takes a more experimental route than its predecessor. In doing so, it lives up to the positive reports I’ve heard. That said, the album is not without its
controversy. I have seen much
debate and discussion online dealing with the categorization of this
album. Is it black metal? Is it glorified shoegazing? Does it deserve to be called
either? I’ll briefly give my take
on this issue, if only to give a sense of what the album has in store for the
listener. With its screamed
vocals, blast beats, and fast, distorted guitar work, Sunbather certainly resembles black metal, but it departs from the
traditional form of the genre by dropping its sinister tone (for the most
part). In addition, Sunbather often produces the
wall-of-sound effect that shoegazing is known for, but its approach is more
intense than that of traditional shoegazing. Ultimately, the classification of the album depends on
perspective. If you view genre as
a static entity that assumes a rigid set of rules and standards upon its
creation, then this album likely won’t fit your definition of black metal (or
shoegazing). But if you view genre
as an organic entity that can change and develop over time, then you could view
this album as a branch of black metal or shoegazing (or a fusion of both). Either way you look at it, Sunbather is an amazing album that rocks
from start to finish.
Now
let’s discuss the album proper. Sunbather is an artistically ambitious
release. For starters, the album
is emotionally complex. Distorted
passages with an uplifting tone are juxtaposed alongside clean-plucked segments
that carry a heavier, sullen mood.
Through deft manipulations of melody, the band at once invokes feelings
of alienation and triumph, melancholy and resolve, desperation and
ascension. The songs also seem to
follow a certain pattern. The odd
numbered tracks consist primarily of muffled, high-pitched wails, dense,
distorted strumming and tremulous blast beats. However, they also include clean segments that help to build
tension and emphasize the brutal passages through contrast. Alternatively, the even numbered tracks
defy conventional song structure and seem to focus more on sonic themes. They contain elements such as clean,
layered guitar work, ominous bass sounds, piano highlights and spoken word
samples. These even numbered
tracks seem to provide space for reflection, allowing the listener to process the
emotions unleashed in the odd numbered tracks. They offer the listener an emotional denouement of
sorts. The conclusion of
“Irresistible” even lends the listener about 20 seconds of minimal sound for quiet
contemplation.
The
album is also highly atmospheric and evocative. For me, the song “Vertigo” is the highlight of the release,
and it serves as a good example of Sunbather’s
atmospheric suggestions. Opening
with creepy, dissonant plucking and heavy bass, the track feels like a slow
plummet into a deep, dark cistern.
As the song starts in earnest, the dance of the lead guitar over thick
rhythm work evokes the racing mind of a body descending into cold waters. In time, the vocals surface as a
desperate cry, dragging the listener irrevocably into the artist’s world. On the whole, the album evokes a noble
struggle in the face of a debilitating, disenchanting reality. This suggestion is reflected in
everything from the distressed vocals to the brutal guitar and drum work to the somber tone of the melodies.
Beneath these emotions, however, the album also weaves hope and faith in
reconciliation, with reality and oneself.
In my opinion, this is an album about the resolution of emotions. Surely, most music touches on this to
some degree. Sunbather, however, is not only a vehicle for emotional release, but
also an artistic embodiment of the process.
Perhaps
you find all that interpretation a little overindulgent. That’s fine. But musically, Sunbather’s
sonic experimentation makes it an album that pushes the limits and asks
questions. Questions like, what is
heavy? what does metal sound like? what do anger, sadness, affirmation, and
contentedness sound like?
Ultimately, the answers to those questions are up to you. But for Sunbather’s part, its bold, genre-breaking approach has earned it a
high mark in my book. Earlier, I
said that the album is artistically ambitious. I think the artists have succeeded in their ambitions.
Score: 10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment