Deafheaven - “Ordinary Corrupt Human Love”
Reviewed by: Chano

Deafheaven are black metal-ish rock band from the Bay. They’re known for being heavy and intense, and while this album is heavy and intense it’s also got really great pretty moments and is very melodic. Great stuff here - very emotional/introspective vibe. Some long jams, as well as shorter ones that feature vocals that are very distinct from the growly metal vocals this band is known for.


FCCs: None! (None that I could tell, but I can’t understand anything the singer is singing.)

Favorites: 2, 3, 5


1. “You Without End” - 7:36 - Introspective vibe, almost sort of melancholy but not super dark. Starts off with piano and transitions into midtempo/slower of center groove with clean guitars, bass, drums, and vocal samples. Gets more upbeat in the middle, along with screamy metal vocals; despite the metal vocals the song has sort of a poppy feel.

2. “Honeycomb” - 11:04 - starts off with loud guitars and growling vocals. Double kick drums come in at about 1:15 and add a powerful vibe; guitars melodies are almost soothing despite the intensity of everything else. Intensity builds with epic sounding guitars. Vibe slows down at about 7:23 giving us a break from the rockingness; transitioning to some clean guitar leads emphasizes the bassline a bit and the last couple min sound almost grungey. Play this one if you want to have an epic intense vibe on your show.

3. “Canary Yellow” - 12:17 - very pretty and mellow first 2 min, guitars, bass, drums, etc. the screamy vocals come in around 2:30, but the music remains melodic and accessible. Uplifting vibe halfway through around the 6min mark. Breakdown and pretty guitar at 8min. Wow - the non screamy vocals that accompany the screamy ones at 10:40 work really well! Another great long song for your show.

4. “Near” - 5:28 - midtempo jam. another slow start and pretty/introspective melody on guitar that becomes a bit more haunting and intense.2:30 in and there’s vocals that aren’t growly and screamy. Very interesting. Almost shoegazey. Much shorter and more straightforward than the other songs but really pretty and atmospheric nonetheless.

5. “Glint” - 10:57 - very nice effected guitars start this midtempo jam that feels like it builds in intensity but then slows down and adds more interesting tremolo sounding guitars. Then suddenly 2:50 the intense vocals, double kicks, and heavy riffage starts right back up. Somehow it feels seamless despite the change in vibe. Growly vocals.

6. “Night People” - 4:07 - Very pretty and upbeat piano start this one. Non-growly vocals come in - sounds like a masculine and feminine voice. Synth sounding lead (could be guitar) comes in with marching drum beat, but they’re in the background and the piano remains centered.

7. “Worthless Animal” - 10:07 - Vocals come in right away and sound sort of different. Still growly but in a different way. Guitars clean and midtempo groove feels dancey. Lots of clean lush sounds that are meditative and spooky at different points. This reminds me of 90s stuff again and that’s great.