Black metal purists may reject San Francisco’s Deafheaven in much the same way, and for many of the same reasons, they reject Brooklyn’s Liturgy: Something about those bands’ respective approaches to the genre feels like cultural tourism, as if black metal were somehow beneath them, as if they were somehow bigger than black metal. For an insular culture in which elitism is frequently considered a virtue, in which authority must be earned and dogma must be respected, slumming hipsters are a risible presence. (William Bowers wrote a fantastic piece addressing this subject for Pitchfork last year; I highly recommend you read it.) But those bands — Liturgy and Deafheaven in particular — seem to be aware of this, and rather than appeal to the referees, they challenge them, maybe even … mock them? Liturgy frontman Hunter Hunt-Hendrix’s ridiculous manifesto may not be intentionally condescending but it has that effect just the same. Deafheaven, meanwhile, are straight trolling at this point. Their new album is called Sunbather, FFS! It has a pink and white cover! It looks like a chillwave record! If black metal has an antithesis, it is chillwave. This is not a subtle reference — on their second full-length, Deafheaven are pretty flagrantly rejecting the community that has largely denied them entry since Day One.

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Deafheaven have revealed the cover art and track list for their new album ‘Sunbather’ which will be released June 11, 2013 via Deathwish, ‘Sunbather’ is the second full length effort from the San Francisco outfit and was recorded and engineered by Jack Shirley and the cover art was designed by Nick Steinhardt (Touché Amoré).

SUNBATHER Tracklisting
1. Dream House
2. Irresistible
3. Sunbather
4. Please Remember
5. Vertigo
6. Windows
7. The Pecan Tree

Deafheaven will be headlining in Europe & Russia a tour starting April 18th with The Secret (Southern Lord) as support on the shows. Upon their return in May they will play three shows with Boris. Stay tuned for details to come about their full US Summer tour.

SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS HERE and below.

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San Francisco’s Deafheaven has been fairly described as a black metal, shoegaze, or post-hardcore band, but it’s difficult to reduce it to a single genre. The band’s debut full-length Roads to Judah was released to much acclaim among the communities attached to these various alternative subgenres. The record was sprawling with atmosphere, with elaborate instrumental arrangements and brooding lyrics brimming with dark imagery. The writing on Sunbather, Deafheaven’s followup to Roads to Judah, is the work of two songwriters — three fewer than on the previous full-length, but with no less ambition. In fact, the record will be 22 minutes and three tracks longer than its predecessor, with multiple instrumental interludes intersecting with stories of class disparity, romantic detachment, and family. I discussed the songwriting process and the content of Sunbather with vocalist George Clarke after the band played a one-off show in Brooklyn.

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San Francisco’s Deafheaven have had an exciting few years since their inception in 2010; the band has toured 27 countries worldwide supporting bands like Godflesh, Alcest, and Russian Circles, released 2011’s opus Roads to Judah which hit #6 on NPR’s Best Metal Albums of the year and #22 on Pitchfork’s Top 40 Metal Albums, were mentioned in Esquire Magazine as “Brutal and bracing, with a shoegazing indie-rock band’s ear for graceful melodicism”, and have received endless critical praise from magazines and websites across the globe. Now, Deafheaven are excited to announce they have confirmed studio time at Atomic Garden with producer Jack Shirley (who also worked on Roads to Judah) from January 21st through January 26th to record their second full-length album, Sunbather. Deafheaven vocalist George Clarke commented, “For this record, we had a couple options with who to record with, but after a lot of thought, agreed that to capture our best performance at our most comfortable state, the best choice was Jack. He’s always done a great job and we’ve grown a lot together in the last two years.”

Sunbather will feature new songs written by Deafheaven’s primary songwriters Kerry McCoy and George Clarke, and deluxe artwork provided by Nick Steinhardt. Clarke mentioned of the new Deafheaven tracks: “While the new material is more developed, we’ve strayed from what was previously a more melancholic approach. The black metal aspect to our music is prevalent in the new material, but I don’t think it’s necessarily the focus this time around.” Lead guitarist Kerry McCoy continued, “There are a lot of harsh, dark vibes on Sunbather, but don’t be surprised at how lush and rock-driven, even pop-driven certain aspects will be.” Sunbather is set to see the light of day in late Spring of 2013 via Deathwish Inc. with touring and festival appearances to be announced soon.

Deafheaven Releases & Merch
Deafheaven Facebook
Deafheaven Website
Deafheaven Tumblr

This is something special.  Records that can be classified as cathartic escapism are rare, causing such a stir that one cannot help but have a peek.  So is the common story about one of Deathwish Inc.’s many gems.  Deafheaven is a seamless blend of bombastic, airy blackened shoegaze edged with surreal intimacy.  I do my best not to succumb to hyperbole, but believe the hype surrounding this Bay Area outfit.  Deafheaven followed the simply titled Demo with their Deathwish debut, Roads to Judah early last year to acclaim and mass touring.  Demo is as ambitious as Roads, matching it stroke for stroke in emotion and grandeur.  Its quality belies its status as a demo, presenting the listener with over twenty minutes worth of sprawling gloom.

“Libertine Dissolves” opens like a windswept anthem to its Scandinavian forebears, taking measured steps to reveal its elegance.  The vocals are at a comfortable ethereal distance, carrying these tracks like a springtime storm.  The track ends with monumental despair that sends you reeling until its gentle departure, leading into the delicate instrumental “Bedrooms.”  Demo’s high point comes in the fluctuating “Daedalus”.  Anger frolics into joy.  Joy swells to desperation.  Desperation releases into a bloom of muted melody before bringing each together into a surging culmination.  The whole feeling at this moment is exalting, a wonderment.  ”Exit: Denied” opens with solemn delicacy that gives itself to metallic exposition.  The bracing calm is broken by a thunderclap, drawing your attention to one last sweeping taste.  Deafheaven brings itself to near halt with a parade of muffled echoes until taking one arduous final reach for the sun. Each participating instrument intertwines, producing a dream-like quality.  Crooning melodies race headlong with an endless and precise battering, conjuring a maddening state of schizophrenic bliss.  Demo is tangible.  A piece of somber grandiosity, Deafheaven produces exemplary results as both black metal and shoegaze. These poignant efforts are of the most honest and unique in recent memory. Listen with awe.

Demo’s original cassette form is long gone but is available in digital format where most Deafheaven goods are found. The record is getting a beautiful 12″ vinyl treatment courtesy of Sargent House and is available for pre-order here. Also check out their Deathwish store.

Deafheaven’s debut from 2010 simply called Demo has been remastered by Jack Shirley and is getting a proper vinyl release, courtesy of Sargent House. The 12” will be Limited to 1000 copies. The band is currently writing their follow up to Roads To Judah which will be recorded this year and then released by their label Deathwish, Inc. Stay tuned for more news on that release as well as pre-order information for the limited pressing of DEMO vinyl. Also a big thank you to Nick Steinhardt for the design and layouts for the new artwork for the vinyl release.

Deafheaven “Violet” comes in at 5:10, live video from their sold out show in Amsterdam on February 17, 2012.

featuring: Fire Walk With Us (NL), Hierophant (IT), and Deafheaven (US)

Songs: 

Miles Alike, by Fire Walk With Us.

Abissus Abissum Invocat, by Hierophant.

Violet, by Deafheaven at 5:10 minutes

Deafheaven, currently selling out their first headline European tour have just announced they will be heading back there with an additional 6 weeks of European touring in April and May with Russian Circles. But first they will be playing shows down to SXSW with new Red Sparowes off shoot band Marriages and Nick Bassett ( the touring Guitar player in Deafheaven’s) main band Whirr. While in Austin they will be playing a Day show for Brooklyn Vegan & Power of The Riff at Scoot In on March 16th, then they will play that same night the official Sargent House / 1656 Music showcase with : Chelsea Wolfe, Zechs Marquise, Indian Handcrafts, And So I Watch You From Afar, Marriages and Gypsyblood. Immediately following they will  join up for US tour dates with Alcest through March 31st. Making their last US stop a special guest appearance on April 1st, with Deathwish, Inc family bands Converge and Loma Prieta at The Met in Pawtucket, RI. From there they get right on a plane back to Europe…..

DEAFHEAVEN/HEIROPHANT
02/22 – London, UK @ 02 Academy Islington
02/23 – Bristol, UK  @ The Croft
02/24 – Paris, France  @ La Miroiterie  w/ Celeste

DEAFHEAVEN/WHIRR/MARRIAGES/SXSW
03/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell w/ DNF, Whirr & Marriages
03/10 -  Phoenix, AZ @ The Trunk Space w/ Whirr & Marriages
03/11 – El Paso, TX @ Low Brow w/ Whirr & Marriages
03/13 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves w/ Whirr & Marriages
03/14 - Austin, TX @ Pitchfork Show No Mercy Day Party at ND Studios
03/16 -  Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn (Bklyn Vegan & Power of the Riff) *
03/16 – Austin, TX @ Sargent House Official Show SXSW - NIGHT

ALCEST / DEAFHEAVEN
03/20 - New Orleans, LA @ Big Top w/ Alcest
03/21 - Tampa, FL @ Crowbar w/ Alcest
03/22 - Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub w/ Alcest
03/23 - Atlanta, GA @ 529 w/ Alcest
03/24 - Johnson City – The Hideaway w/ Alcest
03/26 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings w/ Alcest
03/27 - Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Alcest
03/28 - Baltimore, MD @ Golden West w/ Alcest
03/29 - Washington DC – DC9 w/ Alcest
03/30 - Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar w/ Alcest
03/31 - Brooklyn, NY @ Public Assembly w/ Alcest
04/01 - Pawtucket, RI @ The Met w/ Converge, Loma Prieta, Git Some

RUSSIAN CIRCLES/ DEAFHEAVEN EUROPE 2012
Apr 05 - Prague, CZ @ Matrix
Apr 06 - Vienna, AT @ Arena
Apr 07 - Munich, DE @ Feierwerk
Apr 08 - Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
Apr 09 - Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
Apr 10 - Warsaw, PL @ Hydrozagadka
Apr 11 - Vilnius, LT @ Propaganda
Apr 12 - Riga, LV @ Gertrudes 101 
Apr 13 - Tallinn, ES @ Electric Storm Festival at Tapper
Apr 14 - Helsinki, FI @ Virgin Oil Company
Apr 16 - Stockholm, SE @ Strand
Apr 17 - Oslo, NO @ Revolver
Apr 18 - Gothenberg, SE @ Truckstop Alaska
Apr 19 - Copenhagen, DK @ KB 18 
Apr 20 - Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Apr 21 - Utrecht, NI @ Tivoli
Apr 22 - Brussels, BE @ Magasin 4 
Apr 23 - Esch-Sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal
Apr 25 - Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Apr 26 - Belfast, IE @ Speakeasy
Apr 27 - Limerick, IE @ Dolan’s Warehouse
Apr 28 - Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
Apr 29 - Manchester, UK @ The Ruby Lounge
Apr 30 - London, UK @ Scala Theater
May 02 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
May 03 - Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun
May 04 - Koln, DE @ Gebaeude 9 
May 05 - Karlsruhe, DE @ Die Stadtmitte
May 06 - Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
May 07 - Geneva, CH @ Le Kab
May 08 - Milan, IT @ Magnolia
May 09 - Lyon, FR @ Le Clacson
May 11 - Bilbao, ES @ Azkena
May 12 - Porto, PT @ Hard Club
May 13 - Lisbon, PT @ Musicbox
May 14 - Madrid, ES @ Ritmo & Compas
May 15 - Barcelona, ES @ Apolo 2

DEAFHEAVEN SHOW DETAILS & UPDATES

Deafheaven’s album Roads to Judah out now on Deathwish, Inc  has been ending up on a lot of Best Metal Album of 2011 Lists. We agree, the album kicks serious ass.

We are extremely happy to announce that Deafheaven has joined the management roster at Sargent House. Their excellent album Roads to Judah is out now on Deathwish, Inc and has been receiving critical raves and landing on some of the most respected year end lists for Best Metal Album, including NPR , Decibel and Pitchfork to name a few. We met these guys while they were on tour with our very own Russian Circles, one show is all it took and we were hooked. Very excited for 2012.

DEAFHEAVEN ON THE WEB
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