Ever since their breakthrough masterpiece that is Sunbather, Deafheaven have been one of metal's most divisive bands. Old school and devoted fans will call them too soft, but others who steer clear of extreme music certainly won't be into their particular style of heaviness either. In particular, the way they bring melody and guitar styles towards more conventional structures while still fully implementing blast beats and deathly screams that are ready to pulverize. It might sound like an odd combo, but their formula has been rocking for quite sometime and after a dip towards proper shoegaze and alt-rock, the quintet has returned with their rawest and heaviest album since 2015's New Bermuda. Focused primarily on the new record, the band took to the stage in their traditional all black attire, set into a drone, and then slashed right into "Doberman" which immediately had the crowd head banging along in unison as the night began to heat up. Flowing right into "Magnolia," the band hit us with an introductory suite that allowed them to warm up the crowd with new thrills before smacking us with the sinister ring that leads into "Brought to the Water." When the guitars swooped in with massive impact, the room exploded and the crowd opened up with absolute admiration. Everyone in the room for the song was reeling in the moment as the waves of euphoria crashed over us with each blast of guitar. Transitioning from dark purple to rich pink and yellow lighting, the aftermath of that furious number was the transcendent "Sunbather," another absolute epic that stretched out for what thankfully felt like forever and allowed the crowd to live in the song for an extended amount of pure bliss. The rocketing force of the lush guitar rippling over the crowd while obliterating beats pounded away like a surging engine of a locomotive, the rush of experiencing the band's rapturous intensity is a forever triumphant feeling and this song remains a brilliant reminder of just how powerful they can get. After the quick flash back to the past, we blew right back into the new jams as more melodic moments filled the air, offering a slight dive into more serene riffs before plunging back into the wicked madness of George Clarke's relentless howl. For an hour and a half, the band's frontman paced the stage, stepping up on the monitors to wave his arms over the crowd and to flex his power, control, and dominance as he lead the band through the punishing and sublime set. Sweating through shirts, Clarke traded a long-sleeve button-down for a sleeve-less tank top which allowed his chiseled arms to contour like a statue as he glistened under the beaming lights while posing in grand positions. His theatrics are naturally enhanced by the band's massive sound and watching them all tear through these colossal tunes with such vigor and enthusiasm for bringing them to life is astounding. After a quick break, another drone picked up and the band re-emerged to the grueling "Incidental II" which featured both guitarists absolutely shredding through walls of pure noise that carried on to push the limits of the crowd and just when it felt like maximum intensity, gears shifted into the roaring "Revelator" which once again ignited the crowd with a fiery passion. This all led to, of course, the band's signature anthem, the forever iconic and always resounding "Dream House." From the opening chugs of Kerry McCoy's infamous lead-off, the the room swelled with anticipation and immediately let loose when the tension broke and the song kicked into high gear. One of the most incendiary and illustrious songs of the past two decades, it remains a life-affirming piece of glory that makes anything seem possible. It's an empowering triumph and an awe-inspiring performance to witness time and time again. There's nothing quite as invigorating as the way the guitar surges ahead and brings about a sensational emotion that's unlike almost anything else in live music. Before letting us go, the band crushed one more new tune in "Winona" that gave us one final movement of mayhem and beauty. As divisive as they can be, watching them on stage is a breathtaking experience that leaves you feeling full of hope and desires, a reminder of the joy that can come from live music and being surrounded by others who are also along for the journey. A powerful connection through powerful music.
Set list:
01 "Incidental I"
02 "Doberman"
03 "Magnolia"
04 "Brought to the Water"
05 "Sunbather"
06 "The Garden Route"
07 "Heathen"
08 "Amethyst"
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09 "Incidental II"
10 "Revelator"
11 "Dream House"
12 "Winona"
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