Deafheaven have unveiled the new song “In Blur,” the final single before the release of their upcoming album, Infinite Granite, arriving August 20th.
The LP marks a major sonic shift for Deafheaven, especially in the vocal department. Frontman George Clarke has shifted to a clean singing style, giving songs like “In Blur” a more accessible, dream-like quality. The results are more shoegaze than black metal while retaining the majestic beauty of past material.
The track’s hazy video, directed by John Bradburn, was inspired by the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who rolled the boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back to the bottom every time he neared the top (Clarke bears the weight here). According to the press release, the video “encapsulates” the creative process for Infinite Granite, which was “written during a period of unrelenting insomnia.”
To achieve the new sonic aesthetic, the band brought in producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, best known as Beck’s longtime bassist and for his work with electronic-based artists such as M83, Wolf Alice, Paramore, and Metric. Deafheaven’s engineer Jack Shirley remained behind the board and famed nine-time-Grammy-winning mixing engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Beck) added some final treatments.
“In Blur” follows previous singles “Great Mass of Color” and “The Gnashing”, both of which also showcased Deafheaven’s new musical direction.
Deafheaven were scheduled to tour in 2020 to celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band, but instead recorded a live-in-studio album, 10 Years Gone, to tide fans over. Next year, the band will finally hit the road again for a North American trek. The 23-date outing kicks off February 22nd in Phoenix, Arizona, and wraps up on March 24th in Boise, Idaho, at the Treefort Music Festival, with tickets available via Ticketmaster.
In addition, Deafheaven will play two select 2021 shows on October 15th at the UC Theatre in Berkeley, California, and on October 16th at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles.
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Pre-orders for Infinite Granite are available via the band’s Hello Merch store or Amazon.
Watch the video for Deafheaven’s new song “In Blur” and see the full list of North American tour dates below.
