Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on Dream House ORIGINAL VIDEO: • Dream House Patreon: www.patreon.com/criticalreactions Twitter: critreactions
This whole album is something special. There is something strangely peaceful about it. Deafheaven might be polarizing for metal fans but I think they are pretty awesome, and their live show are very intense haha.
I have a same thing with Obscura. It’s such a chaotic and intense album but it’s so controlled and works so well that it ends up being meditative, in a weird way
Oh boy, you're looking at the wrong genre if you're not down for monotony. Black metal is a lot more about atmosphere and texture than technicality/musicality, traditionally speaking. Just a simple, pretty riff brightened by it bouncing off the artifacts in the lo-fi/distorted production is what makes the genre really special imo.
Black metal is about so much more than atmosphere and distorted production. Some bands are technical and borderline avant-garde (like Sigh) while others (like Ihsahn, specifically his solo records) have good musicianship. There is also Borknagar, Vintersorg (which had Steve DiGiorgio on for an album), Asyndess (some creative industrial black metal, that got better as time went on. Sadly, now a defunct project), Belenos (from the same guy behind Asyndess, except folk/black metal) Hail Spirit Noir (evolved from 60s/70s psych meets black metal to 80s music meets black metal. Highly recommended), Opera IX, Enslaved (recent stuff is a good mixture of prog and black metal), Cadaveria (technically not black metal, but they mix it in. Also has a female vocalist), Cohol, Vreid. There is a ton of variety to be found in black metal.
@Samael Yawn. Black metal is an evolving genre. It's also more an ideal than it is any one specific sound. Each wave of the style introduced something different to the mixture, eventually creating what we have today. Some bands follow the first wave approach of speed metal style riffs but add in other genres as well. The atmosphere is almost always consistent, though. Arcturus doesn't sound anything like Thorns, just like early Emperor sounds nothing like Windir. Every band I mentioned is or was at their core a black metal band.
@Samael You seem to be confusing influence with core sound. Only one band I mentioned has bm influences and that's Cadaveria. Nightwish is a bad example because we have a genre for that: symphonic metal. In the same way that Arcturus is firmly rooted in black metal but incorporate influences from outside the genre, and even metal, so are Ved Buens Ende and Sigh. You seem to be ignoring an entire range of sound that spawned from the very scene you're describing. I would also add that each wave redefined what black metal could be, while retaining a certain aestethic and values. Your definition is incomplete.
Deafheaven is one of my favorite bands. They basically popularized the genre of Blackgaze, which is taking Black Metal and mixing it with Shoegaze. They're basically right in the middle too with about a 50%/50% split for Black Metal and Shoegaze. Blackgaze (and Post-Black in general) is one of my favorite genres and Deafheaven is certainly one of the best, even if black metal purists tend to hate them.
Have you listened to State Faults' album Clairvoyant? It's pretty much Deafheaven worship but with their own unique voice like you can definitely see it's post hardcore blackgaze totally in the vein of Deafheaven but the unique in its own right. Hope you enjoy!
I love how dumbfounded you are through this. Exactly how I was the first time I listened to this song, which was my introduction to the band. Fast forward two years later, I've seen them twice live, own all their material, and consider them one of my all-time favorite bands. I was overwhelmed just like you were, but there's so much complexity rhythmically and melodically that you'll hear as you continue to listen to it.
I would also love this reaction but the label has been notoriously heavy-handed with copyright stuff whenever people react to it. Well worth checking out, either way, the vocalist has incredible cleans and screams.
Yeah, "there's a very beautiful song under all this harshness" is kinda Deafheaven's hole bag. They're definitely not a true black metal band, but they're definitely an interesting band. I've always described them as shoegaze meets black metal in a major key. Definitely check out some more by them. Aside from the vocal style, they're surprisingly varied. Another great track to check out would be Honeycomb.
Blackgaze is a well established term, and you are absolutelty correct about it. combines the dreamyness of shoegaze with the rapid passages and atmospheric playing of black metal.
I cannot agree with the idea of "true black metal band" (unless you're referring to Raw Black Metal). Dimmu Borgir sounds "true" to most of the Metalheads but someone (I don't wanna put his name here) even said that they're "pop-black metal". I mean, the boundaries between genres are vague and are getting vaguer now. I can never imagine that Core music has been developing this fast and absorbing from other genres this well when I was a Child and a beginner Metalhead. Just don't let the "trueness" of a man-made definition become a constraint of our mind. \m/
@@bloodherz9011 I disagree - bands that developed the "raw" sound and the whole anti-christian / pangan stuff around it in first wave of BM have a pretty distinguishable sound compared to anything else that pulls influences from somewhere else later on. its not a term established by a single person or group but rather refers to the sound and style of a specific era of time in this genre. Obviously people want their favorite band to be "trve kvlt" as they try or even sound like band xyz from that era, but still, a very vague definition. listen to what you like and stop worrying about what people consider to be right or wrong.
@@PaN1xX Man, easy. I'm not worrying about anyone. Just don't wanna definition hampers anyone who tryna find a broader field. If that won't happen, I'd be more than happy.
Wolves, Krallice, Drudkh, Negura Bunget/Dordeduh, this is in my opinion one of the greatest genres of metal that exists, alongside technical death metal and... Tool.
I love putting on some headphones, playing this album, and just laying down in the dark. Lingua Ignota's "Caligula" album is another one I can do that with.
Deafheaven is one of those groups that is polarizing solely because of how raw and unabated their emotion is in their music. There's something peaceful that isn't just hidden in the harshness, but enhanced by it. There is a catharsis to this album, that feeling of screaming into your pillow until you pass out, of wanting to claw your skin off but not having the strength to lift your arms. This album takes all the emotions that come with grief and put them on display, and a lot of people are uncomfortable by that confrontation.
The relentless and monotony is definitely intentional, both in how they reflect on their black metal influences and the theme of the album. The entire album is more or less about Clarke's alcoholism and fantasizing about an escape from his current life into a better life. This theme has some carry over into their second album as well, which really harps on the feeling of being trapped and gets much, much darker.
You should check out Oranssi Pazuzu Not a very popular black metal band but it would be a real interesting listen, they blend it well with other genres
Thank you for sharing your take! I appreciate your honesty. It's interesting that you experienced fatigue. On my first listen I experienced the exact opposite; it was so relaxing and beautiful, I fell asleep before I could hear the end of the song (but I remember coming in and out of sleep near the end and thinking it was incredibly profound). That was over ten years ago now; this is still my favorite song of all time. Thanks for listening! I appreciate your take.
I saw them live last year and it was an amazing show! Honeycomb and Brought to the water are stand out tracks for me from Deafheaven. I wish they had a bit more variation in the vocal style but I love the atmosphere they create. Please check out Zeal and Ardor if you haven’t already. Ship on fire, Row row and Blood in the river are all good tracks to check out. I recommend live performances as they give a better representation than the album version
>I wish they had a bit more variation in the vocal style Well, hope you've been enjoying their latest tracks. Also, maybe check out the band Astronoid.
You have to check Zeal & Ardor. Very unique Black metal band. Ship On Fire or Come On Down are a good representation of their sound (although they have so many good and unique songs it is hard to choose)
Deafheaven is supposed to be what some refer to as post-black metal. Basically, combining black metal with other genres. This can lean very heavily on 1st, 2nd and 3rd wave black metal, or on other genres. Some bands of the style include: Sigh, Arcturus, Ved Buens Ende, Hail Spirit Noir, Transcending Bizarre? All of these bands are well worth checking out.
Holy shit, Sigh was my high school jam. Imaginary Sonicscape had just come out, and Napster was in its golden age. It's still to this day one of the most special metal albums you could ever listen to. Dude, and Arcturus I haven't heard that band in like 20 years I have to go back this is awesome.
Personally this is one of my favorite songs in the genre, I specifically love the conversation in the final verse, "-I'm Dying. -Is it Blissful? -It's Like A Dream. -I Want To Dream." the way it goes with the mood of the outro just feels satisfying. (which I guess would line up thematically for ya haha) These guys fall more in the Post Black-Metal/Blackgaze category. It's heavily influenced by the traditional fast-paced, blast-beating, Black-Metal sound but focuses more on the ambient/atmospheric/texture-ridden aspect of the music that Shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive do. That's kind of the "interesting" appeal of these kinds of bands/genres, it's kind of like the auditory equivalent of listening to a painting & seeing all of the strokes on the canvas. Once you can get your mind into that aspect of composition rather than focusing solely on melody/harmony-centric composition you might be able to appreciate it (at least a /little/ bit) more. I tend to enjoy this & the Symphonic kind of stuff more than the traditional Trve Kvlt sound tho, so I get it lol If you ever DO feel like trying more texture based music like this, I'd highly recommend checking out the bands: -Lantlôs, the whole 'Melting Sun' album is a wonderful richly-textured Ambient Metal piece, (plus it no harsh vocals to take you away from it). -Astronoid, both 'Air' & the Self Titled albums are great, (more clean singing for your enjoyment), they also do a killer 'Only Shallow' MBV cover. -& the Japanese band Boris, specifically the song Luna (there's 2 versions btw one was for Adult Swim's 'Metal Swim' compilation album which is more raw but I'd say go for the remastered 'New Album' version).
you should bring up the lyrics for such music to be honest. the song touches different topics, how the singer deals / dealt with alcoholism and being sober, the last part after the instrumental part is about a conversation he had with a girl who told him she's dying "I'm dying" "Is it blissfull?" - "It's like a dream" - "I want to dream" are the lyrics for it, putting a bad and a good thing into contrast at the end (kind of fitting if you think about the title, Dream House, too.) I recommend checking out Glint and or Canary Yellow by them, similar but still different.
About monotony, that is pretty much the staple of Black Metal and particularly atmospheric BM and post-black variety. The music is more about painting a dreamy landscape with sound rather than strict technical mastery of the instrument and complex structures.
Sunbather might be their most critically acclaimed album but I think Ordinary Corrupt Human Love is maybe little bit better introduction album because tracks like Canary Yellow and Honeycomb have maybe more melodies and they aren't as relentless as tracks on Sunbather. But Deafheaven is definitely one of my favorite metal bands and somehow they have very unique sound (Alcest is another good blackgaze example of that similar sound) where the music is really harsh and maybe even chaotic but at the same time it is so light and melodic.
I saw Deafheaven live in 2014 with Between The Buried and Me, Intronaut and Kindred. It was one hell of a heavy night, and BTBAM stole the show. Deafheaven were the first to play and had the shortest set.
Vertigo has more parts with minor and sus chords which sound closer to traditional darker blackened stuff Pecan Tree has amazing clean guitar section and is very post rock-like
First time I see someone talking about Astronoid here, saw them live with Periphery last year and fell in love with their stuff since, definitely see the similarities now haha
Yes! Been waiting for this! I knew you would appreciate them. They definitely fusing sounds together. Now I just need that daughters and extremophile elite by Btbam reactions.
Lantlos, please, Bryan. "These Nights Were Ours" & Dismantling Devotion by Daylight Dies is another song I'm curious to hear your thoughts on! Keep up the rad uploads
Years ago when this came out i stupidly let this album pass me by due to my ignorant attitude at the time. Around a year after its release i decided to see what all the hype was about and oh my god! What a phenomenal album. I listened to it three times that day and hundreds of times since. An absolute masterpiece!
After you finish the Black metal week, you should do a melodic death metal week! You could check out some bands like Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity, (old) In Flames, At the Gates, Disarmonia Mundi, Scar Symmetry, Children of Bodom, Soilwork, etc...
I'd suggest Eternal Tears of Sorrow. A Virgin and A Whore is an excellent album. Disillusion is another one (Particularly Back to Times of Splendour). Same with Sentenced (from Finland)! Also, I can't forget Edge of Sanity (because it's Dan Swano) and Dark Lunacy. The violin riff from Dolls is one of the best things I've heard in melodeath.
You should check out Envy - Chain Wandering Deeply. It's japanese Screamo with influences from post rock and hardcore, I guess. Some of Deafheaven's chords reminds me of Envy, but with blastbeats lol.
Update from the future (3 years on from this video), the band features on the contrasting styles feature and the second song moves towards clean vocals, which I find more palatable. Musically, I like all I've heard from them tho, except the harsh vocals.
Yea this whole album is special!! Dream house is the most beautiful piece ever!!! Not so bass heavy? I bet you hear that bass now!! 😂 George’s agony screams are beautiful!! Especially under that melodic dreamy beautifulness of music going on, read the words too it’s really not as harsh as you might think this is just you hearing it for a first time, hear it 12 times then come back on here, the lyrics are actually amazing!! And this breakdown is about to hit you in the heart ! Here we go!! 😊 my best friend showed me them yrs ago and he just passed away last year so this band is very special in my heart. I thought the same thing you did at first then came back to them a year later and was in love, if any song chokes me up it’s this one, and I’m a grown ass adult, you don’t have to comprehend it. Just enjoy what it is. Your average person listens to Katy perry and post Malone, and just because it’s not a normal song structure doesn’t mean it’s to Much. Your just not ready for this amazing band. I understand you seem to have rules when you get into music. You need to get away from rules. I felt the same way when I first heard them. Being a band from Cali they need to stand out also
I find Sunbather is an album listen and not a song-to-song listen. Definitely gotta hear the whole thing. I do enjoy the album, though I’m not often listening critically and am usually in a Post-Metal/Post-Rock phase when I put them on.
Try anything off of the album Kodama by Alcest, they’re another one of the “Blackgaze” genre pioneers but they’re not as harsh/draining as Deafheaven, more emphasis on melody
First time I heard this, I thought "happy black metal" lol. It's in fact a bit lonely and melancholic, but completely different from usual black metal, which is dark and foreboding all the time. Really nice to see how people can merge genres and take everything from black metal except for its probably most defining feature - the atmosphere.
Is this a side band of "Explosions in the Sky"? Cause everything the guitars are doing is so much like them. It's like Explosions starting playing then they threw the drum kit down a huge set of stairs.... with the drummer. I REALLY like the guitar work, but eh, I just don't think it's for me. Ending was nice.
Described exactly what I was feeling although I lack experience with the whole post rock/shoegaze/doom/black metal super complex. Yes I did make up that term just now.
There have only been a few reviews of yours that I don’t really agree with. All the technical stuff and musicality, sure I can get on board with what you’re saying. But the atmosphere and emotion of this song is heart pounding to me, in the best way. I think it’s best listened to late at night, in a dark room with no distractions. The song really becomes a thriller, teetering on the edge without stepping over. It brings a constant anxiety to the table, wondering, “When will they change, what comes next?” And the wait is almost unbearable, then to be let down by realizing that you don’t always get what you want or what you’re expecting is what makes the song complete. It’s like watching someone stand on the edge of a bridge, just waiting to see if they’ll jump.
So I went back and re-listened to both the song and my comments. It's crazy what a year of exposure (and possibly a better set of headphones) would change in my listening of this. I still find it to be assaulting but it isn't as repetitious as I originally experienced it. The tone and texture is pretty constant throughout but there is a ton of little nuances, especially in the drumming, that help keep the song moving along without feeling like it's stuck. I will say that I understand your experience with the song and how it makes you feel, but I don't share it. I do get a sense of anxiety with this song but it isn't really tied to "wondering when it'll move on." Instead it's due to the relentless playing. But, much like you, it's a song that puts me in a specific mood and makes me feel a specific way; though I think my attitude towards this is a bit more negative as it sounds like you have some level of enjoyment from the waiting/anticipation. I do appreciate hearing about your perspective though. It's always cool to see how people hear music differently
TBH, I'm not a huge Deafheaven fan, though I can appreciate that they popularized blackgaze, which is a combination of black metal and shoegaze/dream pop. The latter element was hugely influenced by Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine (especially the album Loveless). For me, Alcest just does this sound so much better. Like Grizzly Atoms said, "very beautiful song under harshness" is very much the sound of blackgaze in general. It's worth noting that this album gained a lot of attention from music critics when it was released. It was on a lot of Top 10 Albums of 2013, often from people who almost never listen to metal. Probably why they're so hated among "trve cvlt" black metal fans. I actually think you nailed some of my criticisms of this band and BM in general. It tends to be quite monotonous. BM was basically metal's version of punk, especially punk's DIY, amateuri-ish approach. The BM I like is almost always the stuff that's more musically interesting and varied. BTW, what happened to doing King Crimson on Friday to wrap up prog week?
Canary Yellow is far and away the best song they've written, if you're ever interested in returning to this band. More progressive and varied, with an excellent build up to its finale.
It's a sin not to listen to Irresistible after Dream House! In all seriousness, your expressions during all different sections are the best. The way you react to the guitar melodies almost at the end made me genuinely laugh of enjoyment.
My dude, if you want to heat some black metal that isn't monotonous, you should check out some Deathspell Omega. The band is absilutely insane with how dinamic their sound and composition is. Every time you think they might settle down onto something they just go wilder and wilder. And they're not simply about shock or techincality either - there's a very strong sense of purpousefulness behind every single moment of their tracks. They are expectional at creating meaningful progress within their works, and they incorporate a lot of beautiful, marvelous melody into it in a way that it only inhances the insanity, heaviness and pure chaos their music represents. I would higlhy suggest you listen to 'Chaining The Katechon', my absolute favouite among their works. Alternatively, if you aren't quite ready for the 22 minutes of madness this track represents, you may try 'Abscission'. The former is an EP though, so it works better on its own rather than an individual track from a concept album (and their albums are all highly conceptual, both musically and lyrically).
Tried their last stuff, as a fan of them I find their first record the most boring. As someone mentioned before, Honeycomb is awesome, or worthless animal from their latest record. They have changed and their music just get more complex. Glad you are giving a chance to Black Metal. Cant wait for tomorrows video for Alcest
If your brain was scrambled with Deafheaven wait till you hear Dillinger Escape Plan. LoL IMO, the beauty of Deafheaven is decoding the beautiful songs underneath the harshness and apparent sonic chaos, (listen to piano covers of their songs) the sound escaping with mountains of relentless sound and valleys of calm melodic music. I think we are very used to hear songs constructed around the singer's voice that;s why get into these type of bands is an acquired taste because they do things the other way around, the voice is just another distorted guitar. With that being said, checkout The end of an era by Hopesfall (If you haven't already)
Excellent way of describing why you enjoy them. As for DEP, we've done them before I think but there's another reaction coming up for them next month. Keep an eye out for that one. :)
@@CriticalReactions funny how you mention how exhausting this was...I have major sleep difficulties...over the past few yrs when it would get bad enough I'd put this album on and lay down...and within 2 or 3 songs there was good chance I was going to sleep.
I'm really glad you got to go over some Deafheaven. Awesome band doing some unique stuff. However... Please listen to something from their album Ordinary Corrupt Human Love. Miles ahead progression wise. They've finessed their sound so much. I loved Sunbather but it's literally nothing compared to their most recent work. Just listen to You Without End. You will still dislike the vocals but in all seriousness the music has gotten much more refined and... Musical.
"Golly not ready for that" plain 8 bar lead-in followed by bass part -guess my 'phones volume isn't at 11 already. I'd like to hear some analysis and actual criticism. The songs start out as poems written by george, music written later. The lyrics are beautiful, but accurate ones are hard to find.
Some of that speed is actually 3 live guitarists & a bassist. You would help the quality of your review with some research. I hope you take the time to check out the rest of 'Sunbather".
15:06 Arthouse? Like Gwar? You should do some Gwar. "The Ultimate Bohab" is a good jumping in point.... no, no.. wait, that song's a little brutal for a Gwar virgin's ears. Try "Have You Seen Me?!?" It's a song abou... .. shit, not a good one to start on either. Hmmmmmm, I know! Just start with "The Road Behind." It's their parody of an 80's power ballad. R.I.P. DAVE
Why is the music thrash happy while screaming his lungs out? Okay... here's why... first off, I don't understand a word they singing in deafheaven to be honest but i listen to their scream as part of the instruments.. English is not even my main language. Deafheaven's appeal is the raw emotional kick that they give in their songs.. not the genre driven one. If you're looking to define a genre for them then that's gonna be anticlimatic.. I find deafheaven's flow of music, especially in this song dream house, is a lot like Real life and stuff i feel emotionally in my life.. It's always flowing.. I'm always longing for something.. I'm always missing something.. I'm always hoping and be with someone and be happy.. Inside my head, my mind is racing, breathless and worrying and again, longing.. but outside, i enjoy little walks outside, enjoy the sunlight and grateful of my life and where I am.. look at scenery, beautiful things... and that contradiction between my inner world and outer world, that duality.. resonates in how deafheaven makes their music...and connects with a lot of people that i believe. You have to look at them from the state of flow... not genre... genres are still.. life is not.. life goes foward, changes us constantly. Deafheaven music is life like. SO hence, why happy thrashing yet screaming the lungs out as basis.. to show its duality. I found myself listen to this song while mourning for a sister in law of mine whom i considered as part of the family, passed away with leukemia over a month ago.. It affected me very much and found myself listening to this while walking outside in the afternoon, enjoying a beautiful sunlight.. there was sadness, there was relief and there was much gratefulness that I'm still out here and I still dream for better future despite learning the futility of life.. despite all that, in the end, all means nothing.. i still want to dream and have things.. again, another duality of life. Dream house helps me reflect that. chances are 90% might not get what i'm trying to say but this is my answer to all those people who can not put their finger on deafheaven's music genre.. there ain't one.. its in the constant state of flow.. have anyone listened "great mass of colors"?
Thanks for this reaction! Deafheaven is indeed unique with their happy black/post metal. A similar band, but on the other side of the spectrum is Amenra. Their theme is pain and they're incredibly good at presenting it in their music. "A Solitary Reign" is their most popular.
Kinda respect but prefer the most oldschool black stuff than this kinda happy atmosphere. And i like atmospheric, sorrowful, melancholy music too. But this...not for me really. Hve some parts but i am not convinced. If the genre is called blackgaze or whatsoever, rather listen to Kardashev, especially liminal rite (the last album) - deathgaze/blackgaze and full of feeling. Cheers
