LONELY PEOPLE WITH POWER

Deafheaven, a band that managed to surprise the world of black metal by making it mainstream. Or at least as mainstream as it can be. Their 2013 album of Sunbather certainly left a mark on many, and while it wasn't as big as Taylor Swift's Red or A$AP Rocky's LONG.LIVE.A$AP, to say it didn't leave a mark on metal culture would be a disservice. Not only had they popularized styles of post metal and blackgaze, they certainly gave them a crowd for new generations.

As for me, I got into the Deafheaven train very, very late. I had listened to Sunbather before, but never really indulged, until their 2025 album of Lonely People With Power. And honestly, I really like their style. They take the kinda styles that pervade Alcest and Ihsahn, and take it into this very emotional direction that somehow feels less aggressive and more lonely, almost absent.

Not to say it isn't angry, as most metal is quite heavy hitting in that front. But Lonely People With Power, I'd say, shines not with aggression, but rather with attrition. It's a tour de force of more introspective metal, rather than the full crux of a black metal cacophony. Certainly one could point to the post metal influence to be responsible, but even that genre can be extreme. Look at Neurosis and Cult of Luna.

No, I'd say this falls more in line with Earthside's Let the Truth Speak, being an almost pretty metal record. I know the main appeal of black metal is the grime and grit the genre has. Raw production, intense melodies and riffs, and a general feeling of bleakness. I can understand why some might not like Deafheaven turning the black metal wheel and turning a murky genre into one that all the Instagram influencers can enjoy.

But at the same time...what's wrong with prettying up a genre like black metal? I mean, if it sounds as good as this, then I see no harm. Heck, if it turns the genre more mainstream and more people get to hear it, then so be it. One day the Tiktok pageant star who listened to this record on a whim because she saw it on the charts might be a massive Mayhem fan tomorrow! Ok maybe not Mayhem because of the church burnings, but still! I think we're too hard when it comes to something becoming more mainstream, because the idea of a crowd getting bigger feels wrong. And I can get that, believe me. Having something dense expand can be very scary, especially since newer people like different things. But still, I rather not be a gatekeeper because that just ruins the fun. I don't want to be some douche and bar the entry to a musical genre just because the one wanting to enter is a "normie". We were all normies once, I was too for crying out loud! I got into progressive rock because of a Japanese anime! That is the most normie thing ever!

Ranting aside, the point is, this record gaining popularity and notoriety isn't a bad thing, and change should be accepted rather than diminished.

What isn't good though is how top heavy this record is. Yes, despite my praise, this album does suffer from the infamous top heavy syndrome. After Amethyst I feel like the album kinda just does more of the same as its first half, so it never really sticks out well in my book. There are good songs from the second half, but none that can compare to the likes of Magnolia and Heathen.

Still, though, Deafheaven really struck a cord with me for this record. A very beautiful black metal piece that, while a bit bloated, can be a fun time. A sure fire recommended pick.

Best tracks: Doberman, Magnolia, Heathen

Worst tracks: Incidental I, Incidental III

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to Dapper~Blueberries
• Report this review (#3211466)
• Buy DEAFHEAVEN music online with PA partners
• Show all DEAFHEAVEN MP3/Stream
• Go to DEAFHEAVEN page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Lonely People with Power page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for DEAFHEAVEN related discussions