Deafheaven Unleash Sonic Sea Change Via ‘Infinite Granite’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Photo Credit: Robin Laananen

Deafheaven seem to have completed their sonic transition. The band, which formally sat firmly abut, if noth entirely within, the realm of black metal, began their progression with 2018’s Ordinary Corrupt Human Love. While that album featured the blast beats and witch vocals that first drew the attention of metal fans across America and the world, it also wasn’t afraid to showcase their softer, more melodic side. Their latest release, Infinite Granite, finds the band drifting farther away from their cacophonous roots.

The band wastes no time in the transition, coming out of the gate with the ethereal “Shellstar.” With plenty of reverb and echo, the band move away from the thunderous intensity that set them apart from the post-metal pack and firmly into shoegaze territory. The song dreamily meanders through a kind of post-prog jam while vocalist George Clarke croons with sharp vocals that completely belie his history in grindcore and black metal.

None of this is necessarily a bad thing, of course. The history of music is filled with bands pulling hard sonic shifts, oftentimes successfully. Deafheaven seems totally committed to their new direction, though whether this is a one off or the future of the band remains something of an open question. But commitment is the first step that needs to be taken if fans are expected to join the band on their journey and that does help sell the premise.

Even the album’s heavier moments, which are few and far between, stay fully committed to the dream pop intents of the band. “Lament for Wasps,” for example, features several intense breakdowns that veer metallic, but they’re out balanced by Pet Sounds-esque vocals and airy composition that far overshadow the hints of metal they give. Several songs, such as “Villain,” give us small glimpses of throwback vocals over a dreampop groove that further challenges listeners to join them in their new direction.

Fans, of course, have already gotten a taste of the new style with the release of “In Blur” and “Gnashing,” songs which largely set the tone for the new album. Knowing what you’re going into might help ease the transition, and certainly bode well for those who are already on board.

Jarring as the transition is, there’s no denying that Deafheaven have crafted a bold album that showcases just how talented they are as a unit. They’ve never exactly shied away from their varying influences and juxtaposition was always one of the most interesting facets of this San Francisco-based band. Given the stark juxtaposition of this album compared to their earlier works, it’s easy to argue that Deafheaven is just doing what they’ve always done on a larger scale.

It does, however, force us to wonder how willing their fans are going to be to continue this direction with them. Admittedly, my immediate reaction was to recoil in shock, and it took a few spins before the Infinite Granite began to gel with me. Which seems like, in retrospect, the entire point. Deafheaven have always been a challenging band and this album seems to work as a direct challenge to fans who might be intent to just pigeonhole them into a singular style.

Fans willing to do the work, however, will find a lot of reward in Infinite Granite, even if the initial shock is off putting. Many fans may find themselves ignoring this album and sticking with their earlier releases, which is always the case when bands make such drastic changes to their sound. In pure Deafheaven fashion, however, they don’t seem to mind whether or not you’re along for the ride. For whatever it’s worth, Infinite Granite feels like the exact album Deafheaven wanted to make, and their commitment shines through in every track.

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