Deafheaven - Lonely People With Power

The power that comes from accepting loneliness, and the depression that comes with that power.

I don’t think it’s possible to talk about a Deafheaven album without mentioning Sunbather. So let me start at the beginning: to me, Sunbather was one of the most striking albums of the 2010s—maybe even the most striking metal record of that decade. The band had an approach unlike anything else. When Sunbather came out, they could’ve called their music anything they wanted: post-shoegaze, post-dreamcore, or any made-up term.

Even though blackgaze existed before, Deafheaven’s take was, in my opinion, beyond the genre. Their use of instruments leaned heavily into texture and atmosphere, with strong post-rock influences. By incorporating screamo elements, they managed to express both the aggressive side of black metal and the melancholia of shoegaze more effectively. I think that connection is what drove the flow of their music and set Deafheaven apart.

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The Weight of Following Up a Masterpiece

After Sunbather, Deafheaven faced the pressure of following a masterpiece, and they steered into darker waters by incorporating Bay Area thrash influences. The fact that they managed to get heavier while still delivering emotional melodies and a more cohesive overall flow was truly impressive.

To me, New Bermuda, the follow-up to Sunbather, proved that Deafheaven is a special band—one that simply doesn't make bad records. Even Infinite Granite, where they toned down the black metal and screamo sides, still felt like a solid album.

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A New Era, A Clearer Voice

Now, let’s talk about Lonely People With Power. Judging by the album cover alone, it’s clear that Deafheaven chose to follow their own path instead of retracing Infinite Granite.

The album kicks off with the spine-shattering riffs of “Doberman”, followed by the pedal-to-the-metal momentum of “Magnolia.” It’s like the band is shouting, “Screw Infinite Granite, we’re done with that.” And then, just like that, they calm down and dive into cooling waters with layered, reverb-heavy guitars.

I believe the band took the feedback from Infinite Granite to heart. They made a real effort not to repeat it—but also took care not to make Sunbather 2.0. While they haven’t ditched the post-rock influence, they’ve focused more on impact than pure atmosphere.

In the softer moments, the shimmering guitar tones feel like sunlight refracted through crystal. But in tracks like “Heathen” and “Body Behavior,” they hit like a dagger through your soul.

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Cinematic Despair

Even the transitions cut deep. Another strength of this album is its cinematic quality. It carries the passion of The Florida Project (2017) and the heartache of Aftersun (2022), pulling me into a whirlpool of rumination every time I listen. It heightens my anxieties about the future.

What elevates this album to masterpiece status in my eyes is the sheer solidity of the riffs and melodies. Some passages felt like I’d been listening to them forever. From the very first spin, I found it iconic. Tracks like “Doberman,” “Heathen,” and “Body Behavior” feel like relics from the ’90s. I don’t mean to say Deafheaven is totally original—but I do think they’ve matured into a sound they fully own and know exactly how to cook to perfection.

Deafheaven has already been the soundtrack of many lives, just by the nature of their music. But with this album, I believe they’ll reach even more people—and gain deeper respect from their existing fans.

Lonely People With Power shines like a sheet of aluminum foil in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. If it’s evoking these feelings in April, I can’t imagine what it’ll do in summer. We’re still in the first quarter of the year, but Deafheaven might have already won.

Masterpiece.

Standouts: Doberman, Heathen, Amethyst, Revelator, Body Behavior

Rating: 10/10