Adam KennyDeafheaven
Deafheaven are an American rock band with a heavy focus on black metal. What started off as a two piece with singer Kerry McCoy and guitarist George Clarke, has grown to be a 5 person initiative. The band released their debut album Roads to Judah, which was an immediate introduction to the band’s sound. Black metal is the immediate focus which you can tell immediately, but is peppered with inspirations from shoegaze, post-rock and even some screamo. The band struck quick after their debut album, and they struck hard with their second album, Sunbather, which to this day remains the bands most popular and well received album.
Sunbather
Sunbather is a certified classic. Anyone who has any interest in black metal or post rock should and probably has listened to the album. The melodies and sheer lush epicness that Sunbather was able to capture were addictive, loud and vibrant. The album art itself has this gorgeous pink hue to it. The artwork and sound of the album pair perfectly together. Sunbather was an incredible moment for Deafheaven but they didn’t stop there. In 2015 and 2018 they released New Bermuda and Ordinary Corrupt Human Love. Both of again received widespread critical acclaim. Deafheaven solidified themselves as consistent and a truly one of a kind band. They continued their reign with their 2021 album Infinite Granite which was a departure from their usual sound, but again received love and admiration from critics. Each album had it’s own identity and sound.
I remember when I listened to Ordinary Corrupt Human Love in college, and I remember enjoying that it was it’s own experience. It wasn’t just Sunbather part 3, the band had ideas outside of their highs.With that said, Sunbather continues to this day to be the band’s most beloved album. Each album had its own mission and aim, but Sunbather continued to be in the back of everyones mind. Cut to 2025, and on March 28th, Deafheaven released their new album Lonely People with Power. The band’s discography, at this point, is colloquially agreed not to have any bad albums. You can’t help but wonder when will the dud arrive. We’ll be waiting quite a bit longer it seems, as Lonely People with Power is one hell of an album.
Screaming never sounded so pleasant
Lonely People with Power brings the band back to the sound they’re known for, with the blackgaze, post rock shoegaze epics. The album is over an hour long. Admittedly, it doesn’t go by fast which isn’t a bad thing so to speak. It’s not longwinded, it’s wonderfully paced if anything. The album jumps between moments of serenity that are led by gorgeous strumming of guitars that you can’t help but slowly move. However, at the drop of a dime can become this quick melodic anarchy. The guitar is no longer strumming, it is ripping! The drums do not saunter, they explode and Kerry McCoy’s vocals scream and scream and scream. It sounds abrasive but it is anything but.
Melodies!
The melodies on this album are so strong. Post-rock and black metal albums can be hard to feel different throughout. It’s easy to fall into the same tone or rhythm. But Lonely People without Power does not struggle with this. Everything is so lush and vibrant. There’s this feeling of finality to every song but then it keeps going! When they do end, your ears remember what silence is like and they hate it. They want the next song. Songs like “Amethyst,” which is an 8 minute long epic, that perfectly surmises the album. Moments of calm, or the calmest they can be on the album, becoming black gaze overload. Not every song has this carnage to it, such as “Heathen” which starts off without Kerry’s iconic scream vocals. He’s harmonising softly to the tune of the guitar. Humming and sinking into the background. It’s gorgeous. The juxtaposition of his voice being so soft, and then going straight into screamo mode again, is something to behold. It works so well, I have a smile on my face just thinking about it now.
Lyrics sometimes decipherable…sometimes
With bands like Deafheaven who have a huge focus on the instruments, and overall feeling and sound of the song, you’d almost forget there are lyrics. Lyrics for this sort of an album that is screamo pretty much for the entirety of it don’t feel as important but if anything they can help solidify and convey the feeling of the album. Kerry’s vocals are uttering and screaming what sometimes feels like a church confession. Proclamations and ritualistic-esque almost. “I wanted the Garden of Eden but fed my misgivings” “I ate from the apple of my ruse”. “All hail now the panopticon, See All Around me” and this is just from “Doberman“.
There’s a feeling of loss and self inflicted damage in the songs. Paired with Kerry’s screaming, it tranforms what seems like a difficult notion of self destructive failure into this horrible bloody curdling confession that is dragged out of Kerry, as the guitars and drums continue. The faster the song goes, the harder it’s all to accept. Even the albums title, Lonely People with Power, what power do they have? Is it the power over other people? Or is it something more personal, like the songs seem to speak about where Kerry speaks about giving into his misgivings as though it’s a sin for him to not do better. What seems like just an edgy rock epic drenched in guitars becomes an emotional display of hurt and turmoil.
Lonely People with Power – Verdict
There’s not much else to say about Lonely People with Power. You can’t call it a return to form as Deafheaven arguably have never lost it. If anything, it’s a statement of their talent and experience as a band. With an already packed discography, to add Lonely with Power after 10 years together is incredible. I get the same feeling from this album that I think many of us had with The New Abnormal from The Strokes. We knew that they were going to deliver something of quality, but didn’t expect it to be one of their best yet. The same has happened here. I’m going to be listening to this album throughout the year. An incredible album that I can only see aging as fine as wine. Recency bias is always something to consider, but right now I love this album. From Kerry’s screamo vocals, to the radiant guitars all the way to the Jae Matthew tracks that bleeds it all together. Lonely People with Power should be in your ears as soon as possible.
