When things get heavy, the do so sparingly. Lament For Wasps’ mid-section rises dramatically, lifting things like a wall of floodlights all turning on at the same time, while the second half of The Gnashing is a doom-tinged freak-out that almost feels refreshing when it arrives. And when the black metal element raises its head at the album’s end, bringing Mombassa to a close in a final thrust of screams, blastbeats and speed, it almost feels as though it’s a goodbye to such things, that deploying them right at the end shows just what a small artistic element they are to this band.
To some, Infinite Granite is a further step away from what they want. To others, a step further into it. For Deafheaven, it’s simply who they are. Truthfully, it’s who they’ve always been. No surprises here.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Alcest, Radiohead, MØL
Inifnite Granite is out now via Sargent House