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Deafheaven
Blackgaze
United States
Blackgaze Facts
Blackgaze fuses the emotional intensity of black metal with the ethereal beauty of shoegaze. Expect soaring, heavily distorted guitars alongside melancholic melodies and whispered vocals. This genre creates a captivating soundscape of darkness and dreaminess, often exploring themes of depression, isolation, and nature.
Origins
Origin
FranceEra
2000sSound Traits
blast beatsrazorwire guitarsdreamy soundscapescontrasting shrieked and angelic coo vocals
Lyrical Themes
No specific lyrical themes listed.
History
Origins and early development
Blackgaze is described as a fusion genre combining elements of black metal and shoegaze. It was influenced by atmospheric black metal bands such as Ulver and Summoning and was pioneered by French musician Neige around 2005 through projects including Alcest and Amesoeurs. Alcest's 2005 EP Le Secret is identified as the birth of blackgaze.
Evolution or diversification
The genre rose to greater prominence through the success of American group Deafheaven. The Guardian characterized Deafheaven as blackgaze's de facto poster boys, and Exclaim! described their second album Sunbather — which was the most critically acclaimed album of 2013 on Metacritic — as seminal to the genre.
Cultural or musical significance
Blackgaze has attracted criticism from some fans of traditional black metal for its crossover appeal beyond the metal community, particularly following the release of Deafheaven's Sunbather. Despite this, Sunbather received widespread critical acclaim and became one of the defining releases of blackgaze. Deafheaven's mainstream festival appearances have helped expose the genre to broader audiences.
