Infinite Granite, DEAFHEAVEN’s first release on Sargent House label, is out today and the band just made it available in full! The groundbreaking offering comes as a masterpiece of tension building, cinematic, shoegaze-inspired rock with a great sense of dynamics.
Eight years after Deafheaven’s breakthrough record Sunbather, their fifth LP lands on the opposite end of the sonic spectrum. Influenced by shoegaze and alt rock instead of black metal, Infinite Granite is the first album where you can actually fathom the lyrics, as clean vocals replace George Clarke’s tortured shrieks.
Encompassed by an ethereal wall of sound and echoes, a sense of deep longing runs throughout Infinite Granite. It either doesn’t resolve at all or does so in a relieving equivalent of finally exhaling after holding your breath for too long. Deafheaven are the masters of tension and release, and this record reinstates that less is, in fact, more. / The Line Of Best Fit
Deafheaven has still crafted a record to get lost in. The metal purists crying sellout will sorely be missing out. / DIY
The wall of sound built out of catchy riffs, piercing vocals and ferocious drumming has made way for a more subtle, synth-laden sound; the push and pull between harshness and beauty has been transformed into a softly flowing stream of dreaminess. / LouderSound.com
Everything works perfectly here. Like, perfectly. These are clearly the tightest and most deliberately constructed songs ever written by Deafheaven; the progressions and patterns rise, fall, and rise anew as steadily and naturally as the ocean tides. It’s a glowing, sad, beautiful album. But it’s so fucking powerful, too. It’s physically powerful. These dudes are a goddamn machine. They are a force. / Stereogum
It’s a bold move, five albums in, to choose a singular sonic path that could alienate half your fanbase – but then again, Deafheaven have always been a band known for extremes. The risk here pays dividends. It’s their most ambitious and cohesive album to date and embracing their shoegaze selves brings renewal: for a band known for torment and chaos, it’s a joy to hear them sounding so hopeful. / NME
Deafheaven’s fury and anguish has always had a companion in melancholy, introspection and their openness to explore. On Infinite Granite, they continue that journey, softening, brightening, and elevating themselves to shimmering cerulean skies, sometimes still pulling through storms, at home in a new world. / Exclaim
Infinite Granite is a stunning journey from beginning to end, as Deafheaven continue to refine, develop, and even experiment with their identity. / Consequence
Without Deafheaven’s trademark stark contrast between harsh metal and softer passages, Infinite Granite feels at first like it’s missing something. Clarke needed another gear to keep up with the band’s musical development, but by nearly entirely eschewing his previous vocal style, he may have swung a bit too far in the other direction. It may take a couple of spins for listeners to adjust their expectations, but those who can will be rewarded. Taken on its own terms, this is a very successful shoegaze-inspired rock record with a great sense of dynamics and some really catchy songs. / PopMatters
While Deafheaven’s change in direction isn’t an unwelcome one, there isn’t quite the same rush as their previous best efforts, as they adapt to their new surroundings. Minor gripes aside, Infinite Granite proves Deafheaven’s mettle and shows you don’t always have to shout loud to hit hard. The Skinny
Deafheaven have not so much evolved as transformed. Where their sound once primarily involved a shoegaze-influenced black metal style, that has given way to more ambiance and pop conventions. The minimizing of those metal elements can come across as somewhat of a shock on first listen, but hearing just how stunning and riveting the music of Infinite Granite is, it’s clear that the band is still heavy, just a different shade of heavy. Infinite Granite is a welcome shift for Deafheaven, one that delivers grand emotion, exhilaration, and beauty. / Treble
It would’ve been so easy to make Sunbather Part Two, Three, and so on and so forth, but that simply isn’t who DEAFHEAVEN are. Instead, they’ve crafted an album that takes those post-rock and shoegaze moments and leans fully into them, crafting an adventurous album that may not be as immediate as predecessors but is packed with minute details that reward repeated listens. This is a bold, adventurous step into new pastures that still fundamentally feels like a DEAFHEAVEN album, and for that they deserve acclaim. / Distorted Sound
