Before you have even hit play on ‘New Bermuda’, you can almost hear the tapping of incessant keyboard warriors, readying their abhorrent comments regarding Deafheaven’s third LP. Ultimately, they will be expecting the band to fail, and trying to find as many ways to use the stomach churning – and utterly irrelevant term, “hipster”. Yes, we all know that Deafheaven are a divisive band. They have been adored and loathed in equal measure, but it’s truly about time everyone moved away from that. Love them or hate them, Deafheaven are not going anywhere.To keep going over the pros and cons of the bands existence is pointless.
Now that the rant is out of the way, we can continue with the matter at hand; the answer to that all important question: Is ‘New Bermuda’ as good as ‘Sunbather’?
In all honesty, no – ‘New Bermuda’ is not as good as ‘Sunbather’. It is in fact, better than ‘Sunbather’. It is an entirely different beast altogether, and almost impossible to compare the two. It is like trying to decide if ‘South of Heaven’ was better than ‘Reign In Blood’, or if ‘..And Justice For All’ was better than ‘Master of Puppets’. They are two very contrasting albums; each having their own voice and personality, but both created by the same band.
From the moment the razor sharp riff of opening track ‘Brought To The Water’ cuts through the ominous church bell introduction, you are made aware that this is not going to be ‘Sunbather Pt.II’. Whereas their previous record was a euphoric journey, led by dense layers of noise, and lush soundscapes – ‘New Bermuda’ utilises a far more visceral approach in taking you into the minds of its creators. The guitars are clearer, the drumming far more analytical and tighter, the bass is heavier, and vocalist George Clarke’s blistering screams are higher in the mix. The last point was one of the few criticisms on ‘Sunbather’, and though Clarke is still lyrically inaudible, his vocal plays a stronger role on ‘New Bermuda’. From the moments where it is clipped, to Burzum-esque glass-shattering shrieks, his voice is more refined than ever before.
The new ground that Deafheaven are covering on ‘New Bermuda’ could be attributed to the band working as a collective of five musicians, rather than just having the songs composed by Clarke, and guitarist Kerry McCoy. Not to take anything away from Deafheaven’s backbone, but the extra input has clearly paid off. Especially when it comes to drummer, Dan Tracy, who makes his stunning contribution to ‘New Bermuda’ seem effortless.
That’s not to say that ‘New Bermuda’ relies solely on brute force. It is a cliché to say this about any album, but it really is a case of the heavier moments being the most crushing we have ever seen from Deafheaven. The melodic parts are even more gorgeous than anything the band has previously accomplished, and the classic metal guitar sound that permeates ‘Luna’, is complimented by a soaring post-metal ambience as the track unfolds. Then, unexpectedly, one of the greatest drop-in’s to a blast-beat section that you would hear this side of an Emperor album appears. It is enough to raise the hairs on the back of your neck, and leaves your mind wondering – “Did that actually just happen?”
With each track on ‘New Bermuda’ pushing the ten-minute mark, you would be forgiven if you approached the album thinking that things may get stale. Needless to say, you would be wrong. The album keeps you mesmerised for the entire duration, and as black-metal fury unashamedly flirts with graceful moments of beauty, you never really know what is going to happen next. Deafheaven themselves have been quoting a number of different influences for this record, and until you hear it, they probably sound ridiculous. The sullen instrumental section on ‘Come Back’ shares common ground with “slowcore” veterans Red House Painters, several repetitive passages scream Yo La Tengo, and as you will no doubt hear on many occasions – yes, the end of ‘Gifts From The Earth’ does bare a striking resemblance to ‘Champagne Supernova’ by Oasis.
There’s no doubt that Deafheaven had an unenviable task following up ‘Sunbather’. If that was the album to put them on the map (of whichever sub-genre of metal as they are perceived) then ‘New Bermuda’ is the ascending gold standard the metal community will have to live up to. ‘New Bermuda’ is everything you didn’t think it would be, and so much more than you wanted it to be.
GLEN BUSHELL