Deafheaven have found themselves in a wonderfully confusing place after the release of their critically acclaimed, sophomore album Sunbather. It was a breakthrough album that fused genres to defy convention and expand its accessibility, reaching many critics’ best of 2013 lists. But beneath the chorus of high praises, there was also an outcry claiming the band was simply rehashing what had been handled successfully before it. Deafheaven’s reaction? Cast aside the hate and search for what success means in a climate of praise and approval. Their reaction was to record New Bermuda.
As history has more than proven, it can be exceedingly difficult for a band to recapture the inspiration that allowed them to reach great heights in the first place. In fact, the first lyrics we come across, “Where has my passion gone?” jump right into this feeling of artistic uncertainty. And moving forward, listeners are treated to a collection of songs that makes it quite certain the passion hasn’t gone anywhere. Every offering is filled with the darkly introspective lyrics we have come to expect sung over top lush soundscapes replete with blast beats and intricate guitar leads as garnish. It is unmistakably a Deafheaven album and works hard to bring out the sounds that drive their creativity and ultimately set the band apart.
The most noticeable of those sounds the inclusion of Kerry McCoy’s beautiful, contrasting guitar solos that act as counterpoint to the cacophonous swells built up in verses and choruses. This time around they’re pushed far to the forefront of listeners’ attentions and explode into songs with sensibilities rooted more in classic rock and 80s metal than the traditional black metal scene. It is boldness inherent in their intentional contradictory nature that allow them to integrate fully and work to brighten a piece overall. They’re like a chaser after a shot; the solos capitalize on songs’ raw emotion and deliver a melancholic voice to better lead listeners along their sonic journey.
According to vocalist George Clarke, the idea of New Bermuda is to “describe a new destination in life, a nebulous point of arrival, and an unknown future where things get swallowed up and dragged into darkness.” It’s not an album designed to one-up their previous releases, it’s an album to bring them to their next destination as artists. Their success pushed them into a new world and New Bermuda is the postcard they sent back home.
In short, New Bermuda is much more than the album we were all hoping to get.
Score: 4.5/5
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