I’ve been following Deafheaven since their early days, and watching their evolution has been like tracking a weather pattern that consistently defies forecasts. Their sixth album, “Lonely People With Power,” feels like a thoughtful recalibration after 2021’s “Infinite Granite,” that polarizing record where they minimized the metal elements and embraced shoegaze more fully, with George Clarke trading his characteristic screams for melodic singing.
I’ll be candid here: I was one of those who genuinely loved “Infinite Granite.” Its dreamy textures and Clarke’s surprising vocal shift revealed new dimensions to a band I thought I had figured out. That album became a constant companion during late-night drives and contemplative moments. Yet there was always a lingering question of where they’d go next – would they continue down the shoegaze rabbit hole, or would the metal elements resurface?
“Lonely People With Power” answers this question with remarkable sophistication. Rather than choosing one direction, Deafheaven has crafted a synthesis of everything they do best – combining the atmospheric beauty of “Infinite Granite” with the cathartic intensity of their earlier work. The result, in my eyes, is nothing short of a modern classic.
The album opens with the brief ambient introduction “Incidental I,” a ghostly synth passage that creates a sense of impending transformation. This calm gives way when “Doberman” erupts with immediate intensity, the musical equivalent of crossing a threshold. Daniel Tracy’s drumming is remarkably precise and powerful here – showcasing technical prowess that anchors the band’s sound. When Clarke’s familiar caustic vocals cut through the mix, it feels like reconnecting with something essential that had temporarily stepped away. The song’s structure flows through multiple movements, with a particularly beautiful melodic break midway that echoes the ambient introduction before surging back into intensity.
“Magnolia” continues this forceful approach, serving as the album’s most direct and confrontational statement. While Deafheaven typically employs quiet-loud dynamics, this track maintains its intensity throughout, riding a wave of relentless drumming and screeching guitar work. The guitars of Kerry McCoy and Shiv Mehra create textured walls of tremolo-picked melodies that somehow manage to be both beautiful and abrasive simultaneously. When Clarke screams through this musical hurricane, there’s a sense of liberation, as though the band is shedding any constraints imposed by their previous experiments.
“The Garden Route” offers the first significant dynamic shift, demonstrating how they’ve thoughtfully incorporated atmospheric elements into their return to blackgaze. The track opens with shimmering guitar tones reminiscent of “Infinite Granite” before Clarke’s harsh vocals enter, creating a fascinating juxtaposition. The composition moves between these poles with graceful confidence, each section enriching rather than contradicting the other. This track particularly showcases bassist Christopher Johnson’s contributions, his work providing both foundation and countermelody to the guitars’ atmospheric wash.
There’s a newfound assurance here throughout the album – a band that’s moved beyond concerns about genre expectations. This confidence shines brightest on “Heathen,” the album’s most direct bridge between “Infinite Granite” and their earlier work. Opening with gentle, almost post-rock instrumentals under Clarke’s clean vocals, the song builds gradually before exploding into devastating heaviness for its chorus. The transitions feel organic rather than contrived and the emotional payoff when Clarke’s screams enter alongside Tracy’s thunderous drumming creates one of the album’s most affecting moments.
Producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen has created a mix that provides both depth and clarity, allowing each instrument its own space without compromising the dense soundscapes that characterize Deafheaven’s signature work. “Amethyst” exemplifies this balance, beginning with spoken words and meditative, almost ambient guitar work before gradually building over its eight-minute runtime. The track’s patience and restraint make its eventual climax all the more powerful, with layers of instrumentation creating an overwhelming but precisely controlled wall of sound.
The album’s distinctive character emerges most clearly in the “Incidental” pieces interspersed throughout. “Incidental II” features Boy Harsher’s Jae Matthews delivering an atmospheric monologue over menacing synth drone before everything transforms into a dissonant passage that captures a sense of controlled chaos.
“Incidental III” incorporates Interpol’s Paul Banks for a spoken-word segment that creates an unexpected but effective bridge between post-punk and post-black metal sensibilities. His distinctive voice, known for its detached cool in Interpol, takes on a more contemplative quality here, complementing the melancholic instrumental backdrop. This moment of respite sets the stage for the album’s climactic final section.
“Revelator” stands as perhaps the most intense track on the album, embracing black metal elements with unwavering commitment. It begins with ferocious tremolo picking and blast beats that recall the raw power of “New Bermuda,” yet maintains the production clarity that makes this album so compelling. Tracy’s drumming here is technically impressive – displaying both speed and control that serves the music’s emotional intent rather than mere showmanship. The song’s mid-section break to clean guitars creates a dramatic moment of suspension before plunging back into chaotic intensity.
“Body Behaviour” explores yet another side of Deafheaven’s sound, incorporating punk-like rhythm and energy into their blackgaze framework. Clarke’s vocal approach here feels more direct and immediate, complementing the track’s relatively straightforward structure. The second half of the song, however, shifts into more familiar territory with layered guitars creating textural depth as the rhythm section maintains insistent forward momentum.
The album finds its emotional centre in “Winona,” which builds from subtle guitar figures to an immersive wall of sound over nearly eight minutes. This track feels spiritually connected to earlier Deafheaven epics like “Dream House,” but with an added maturity and nuance that comes from years of sonic exploration. Clarke screams “I know I need it/ No, there is no freedom/ There’s a missing piece,” while McCoy and Mehra’s guitar interplay creates moments of genuine transcendence, with melodic lines that soar above the rhythmic foundation.
By the time closer “The Marvelous Orange Tree” arrives, with its thoughtful blend of clean and harsh vocals, what Deafheaven has accomplished becomes clear. Beginning with shimmering, ethereal guitar work reminiscent of post-rock pioneers like Mogwai, the track gradually incorporates elements from across their discography. Clarke’s clean vocals enter midway, recalling “Infinite Granite” before his screams return, creating a dialogue between the band’s different incarnations. Subtle strings in the background add atmospheric depth without becoming overbearing. The track doesn’t so much conclude as gracefully dissipate, leaving a sense of completion rather than abrupt ending.
I’ve seen Deafheaven perform live several times over the years (I have tickets to see them again at the UK’s Damnation Festival later this year, too), and the atmosphere they create transcends genre categorization. This album captures that same engaging quality – the sensation of wanting to both lose yourself in contemplative listening and respond physically to the music’s intensity. Tracks like “Winona” and “Amethyst” particularly evoke the transcendent moments from their live performances, when the room seems to collectively hold its breath before being swept away by waves of sound.
After fifteen years, many bands settle into predictable patterns or begin to imitate themselves. Deafheaven continues to evolve while maintaining their essential identity. “Lonely People With Power” suggests they’ve moved beyond trying to fit specific expectations and instead embraced their full range. The result is their most complete work to date, a masterful synthesis of everything they’ve explored throughout their career.
Whether you appreciate them or not (and metal traditionalists still have their reservations), Deafheaven continues to create something distinctive in contemporary heavy music. While many artists attempt to balance aggression with beauty, “Lonely People With Power” demonstrates why they remain definitive voices in the territory they helped define with “Sunbather.” This is what happens when a band creates from a place of artistic confidence rather than external validation – a modern classic that will likely stand as a high-water mark not just in their discography, but in the evolution of extreme music as a whole.
Lonely People With Power is out March 28 via Roadrunner Records.
Photo – DUSTIN AKSLAND
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