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PO NOW: Deafheaven - Infinite Granite (08/20)


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On 7/14/2021 at 11:40 AM, The Fuck Whisperer said:

That's a "unique" take. I feel like you must be subconsciously relating OCHL to a bad spot in life or something 

This is a valid theory.  I just spun OCHL yesterday on the new system for the first time (Rega Planar 6 with Hana EL cart > Mofi Ultraphono > Yamaha RX-V573 > KEF Q550's) and holy mother fuck.  This music is god damn incredible.  I even liked the Chelsea Wolfe track this time!  The writing is just so impressive.  Glint and Honeycomb are the big standouts.  Those tracks fuck so hard. 

 

To me, this album is Deafheaven just being REALLY AWESOME at being Deafheaven.  But i guess if you're like, a Marduk or Mgla or Drowning the Light guy, you're not going to accept the major chords and Oasis parts.  Too pretty.  Which, I suppose is legit.  I know lots of people love Pelican, but their music does literally nothing for me.  Same with Russian Circles.  It's not bad, I just don't get it.  Nobody this big is bad.  That's an immature, high school attitude. 

 

On 7/14/2021 at 10:48 AM, daegor said:

OCHL is my least favourite, this new stuff is much better.

What don't you like about OCHL?  I'm genuinely very curious. 

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On 7/14/2021 at 2:19 PM, MayCauseDeath said:

This is 100% my ranking also I think new Bermuda is flawless. I have gone back to it so much. OCHL just doesn’t connect with me at all musically or emotionally. I am always shocked New Bermuda Constantly gets ranked low. 

You need to get super high and listen to Honeycomb again dude!  That ending!

New Bermuda suffers from the place the band was in when it was made.  Drugs, alcohol, and general darkness...  i feel the cloudy arrangements when I listen to those tracks, and think about it from a musician's standpoint.  When I hear OCHL, i hear well-adjusted professional adults killing it at their job, which is to make Deafheaven music.  New Bermuda to me sounds like a bunch of kids who write great music but are trapped by addictions and couldn't narrow the focus enough to really make the ideas hit home.  That said, Gifts for the Earth has possibly the greatest Deafheaven riff ever when that chorus hits. 

NB has TONS of great ideas, but if they were in a healthier place, I think they would have been able to really shore up something brilliant there.  It's still a great album, no question.  Nothing they've ever done is BAD.  But i give it like, a 89 when everything else is like 97-98 out of 100.  

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Insano %s there but I respect the gumption.  It’s well known that the band was in a bad spot when they wrote OCHL but I wouldn’t dare say it suffers from “narrow focus” or ambitious ideas that lack execution.  Luna is still a top tier Deafheaven track.  The balance between spacey or lush passages, and crunchy riffs galore… it’s a great ratio.  Obviously you could spend the next 2 pages repeating the same sentiment and trying to explain why you feel the way you do about NB, but I’m not trying to change your mind about it, much like you’re not going to sway my thoughts on it.  If anything I think it’s even more impressive that the band were probably on another planet and-or battling the effects of addiction when writing and recording that album.  It’s a miracle it’s as cohesive as it is.

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Yeah I mean OCHL to my ears feels …awkward… like they weren’t entirely ready to jump into the non-screaming stuff but wanted to write the really pretty tunes. 
 

So you have like super pretty (parts of) songs with George screaming over them. It always felt forced to me and detracts from enjoying the LP.

 

Certainly not bad but it feels “transitional” compared to the powerhouse of New Bermuda tunes. That LP,  while messy and and scattered feels more authentic to me. 
 

I think the new LP will be great because they are ALL IN on the new sound. OCHL felt like they were half in - so I’m stoked about the new tunes 👍

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8 hours ago, thetrackt said:

Yeah I mean OCHL to my ears feels …awkward… like they weren’t entirely ready to jump into the non-screaming stuff but wanted to write the really pretty tunes. 
 

So you have like super pretty (parts of) songs with George screaming over them. It always felt forced to me and detracts from enjoying the LP.

 

Certainly not bad but it feels “transitional” compared to the powerhouse of New Bermuda tunes. That LP,  while messy and and scattered feels more authentic to me. 
 

I think the new LP will be great because they are ALL IN on the new sound. OCHL felt like they were half in - so I’m stoked about the new tunes 👍

Scattered is a great word, that's what I was trying to convey.  I know the feeling well, from my own drug use past.  I can relate to it, and I feel that's why I can see through the NB writing a little bit into what it was like to be in their shoes.  It's not a fun place, and I'm forever grateful to be well beyond that bullshit. 

I suppose I can understand the transitional sentiment, but i love the experimentation and having George screaming over the happy parts.  I think what solidifies it for me is that the melodies are solid.  The writing is solid, hooky, and delivers.  They got REALLY good at writing chord progressions.  I also play in a psychedelic jam rock band, so perhaps I can attach myself to the traditional chord changes they use in the alt-rock sections. 

 

9 hours ago, Derek™ said:

Insano %s there but I respect the gumption.  It’s well known that the band was in a bad spot when they wrote OCHL but I wouldn’t dare say it suffers from “narrow focus” or ambitious ideas that lack execution.  Luna is still a top tier Deafheaven track.  The balance between spacey or lush passages, and crunchy riffs galore… it’s a great ratio.  Obviously you could spend the next 2 pages repeating the same sentiment and trying to explain why you feel the way you do about NB, but I’m not trying to change your mind about it, much like you’re not going to sway my thoughts on it.  If anything I think it’s even more impressive that the band were probably on another planet and-or battling the effects of addiction when writing and recording that album.  It’s a miracle it’s as cohesive as it is.

Yeah i'm gonna throw it on again soon, it's funny how sometimes my perspective shifts on an album when I give it a lot of time to grow.

For instance, I had a *BIG* problem with the latest Spurv record.  I didn't like it.  I wanted Skarntyde again.  Same with the last 2 PG.Lost records.  The style shifts bugged me, because I couldn't really connect the development in any way to previous releases.  I imagine this is how Opeth fans feel now.  I'm glad i stepped off that train when I was young.  I got to see them a few times from 2002-2004 when they were at their peak, and it was wonderful. 

But I threw "Myra" on in the car a few weeks ago, and I suddenly could hear where they were harkening back to the old sound, and I appreciated it a lot more.  It's good.  I prefer their first 2 albums still over Myra, but I was unduly harsh I think.  Not sure I'll ever feel that way about Versus and Oscillate with PG.Lost though haha, Yes I Am through Key is just....  too good. 

Anyway, Deafheaven is a good band and I'm glad we have the opportunity to keep talking about them here :)

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14 hours ago, Gumbo72203 said:

What don't you like about OCHL?  I'm genuinely very curious. 

 

On 7/14/2021 at 11:51 AM, daegor said:

Ha, no, if it's resonates with a bad time I usually like it more. I just find it uninspired and the experimentation didn't work for me.  It felt awkward and clumsy.  I feel like Infinite Granite is what they wanted to do, but just didn't take it that far.

I'm very much an 'to each their own' type of person, but every time someone says OCHL is their best it has me scratching my head.

 

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On 7/30/2021 at 12:36 PM, daegor said:

 

 

Haha right on.  Brains sure are weird, I couldn't disagree more about the clumsy feeling.  Perhaps you are right about the new album being where they wanted to go; there's no way to tell.  Although the existence of Black Brick from the OCHL sessions leads me to believe otherwise I guess?

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1 hour ago, Gumbo72203 said:

Haha right on.  Brains sure are weird, I couldn't disagree more about the clumsy feeling.  Perhaps you are right about the new album being where they wanted to go; there's no way to tell.  Although the existence of Black Brick from the OCHL sessions leads me to believe otherwise I guess?

Black Brick I had associated to one last unrestrained black metal outing, especially now with IG I really feel that way.  They used it to get it out of their system, cleanse the palate. 

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2 hours ago, jhulud said:

 

 

If I listen to this song and wipe away any preconceived notions I have about this band it still just sounds very one dimensional and boring. I don't blame George for going clean on his singing voice. As a singer I can understand how singing like he did is just not sustainable. I'm fine with his new style. Not fine with lack of dynamics in the music/songwriting. Maybe it will grow on me within the context of the whole album.

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  • jhulud changed the title to PO NOW: Deafheaven - Infinite Granite (08/20)

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