Deafheaven: Black Metal for Shoegazers

My new musical passion: Deafheaven. Picture a black metal band whose members are into British alternative/indie rock, or vice-versa: an alternative/indie rock band (melodic as it can be), whose members are fond of The Smiths, that experiments with black metal. Not a usual combination, as headbangers usually hate The Smiths, and vice-versa. Their songs are at least 6 minutes long, up to 10 minutes; not radio-oriented songs. I love the fact that they are such lengthy tracks: everything sounds so distant, as in the open sea, nothing visible in the horizon, as though there were long, long distances to be travelled (which sounds pretty “shoegazer” to me). Perfectly melodic, guttural singing. Dense soundwalls (guitars). Deafheaven brilliantly combines two strains of music that I adore, and which are usually mutually excluding by their respective fans. My favorite track so far: “Worthless Animal” (from the Ordinary Corrupt Human Love album)

With all life profane The ladles cradling Streams of buttermilk Current stretch out And alabaster lips unseal

So I may recall The soft timbre of Whisper in its stillness Still

Alabaster lips unseal So I may recall I may recall The soft timbre of Whisper in its stillness Still

Now

When a fawn Stumbles into the road Honeydew high And deep in afterglow Mind swarming Mind small Honeydew high Transforming the soul

On purple sand verbena I forgive its delusion Caress its world view Super bloom Shelter canary yellow eyes

Then search to pin the legs Of the stalking dog That lends its teeth To sticky, sad bedlam War cries quake through lurching light

I bury a blade between its ribs Bear hug the soft canine frame Then smear ash Then smear the ash on its brow

All who have forgotten Remember now Remember now Now

Now