"Deafheaven" emerged onto the metal scene as a duo comprising vocalist George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, formed in 2010 in San Francisco. Their journey commenced with the release of a self-produced demo album, which laid the foundation for their distinctive fusion of black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock elements. Quickly expanding their lineup, the band welcomed new members and embarked on a relentless touring schedule.
By the end of their inaugural year, Deafheaven had inked a deal with Deathwish Inc., leading to the release of their debut album, "Roads to Judah," in April 2011. This marked the onset of their meteoric rise, as they garnered attention for their innovative sound, eventually earning the moniker "blackgaze" from critics captivated by their boundary-pushing approach.
The pinnacle of their acclaim arrived with the release of their sophomore album, "Sunbather," in 2013, which catapulted them into the spotlight of both the metal community and mainstream music circles. Its fusion of harsh black metal aesthetics with dreamy shoegaze textures garnered widespread critical acclaim, establishing Deafheaven as pioneers of a new sonic territory.
Subsequent releases, including "New Bermuda" (2015) and "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love" (2018), continued to showcase the band's evolution, blending influences ranging from alternative rock to early thrash metal. However, it was their fifth album, "Infinite Granite," released in 2021, that signaled a significant departure from their trademark screamed vocals, marking a bold sonic shift towards a more melodic and introspective direction.
Despite the diverse array of descriptors attached to their music, from black metal and post-metal to shoegaze and beyond, Deafheaven's sonic identity remains uniquely their own. As Kerry McCoy once noted, their genre-bending approach had roots predating their formation, yet it was their innovative execution that propelled them to the forefront of contemporary metal exploration, carving out a distinct niche in the musical landscape.
