Hipster metal. It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot and an easy way to dismiss a band, though I doubt there are any bands out there who self identify as hipster metal. I don’t really know of anyone in general who would self-identify as “hipster” and it would strike me as a little weird if they did … unless they happen to be Harry “The Hipster” Gibson. That cat’s earned it. Regardless, the term is out there now and Deafheaven are probably the number one target for the ire of those who see themselves as far too “trve” or “kvlt” to listen to anything Pitchfork would dare to write about. The fact that Deafheaven have been playing a series of shows put on by a sneaker company might possibly add fuel to the fire for the haters, but whatever – everybody’s gotta wear shoes, right?
Sure, Deafheaven may not have inverted crosses and severed goat heads as part of their stageshow, they wear no corpsepaint nor bullet belts, and the shoegaze component of their sound is just as prominent as the black metal influence if not moreso, but make no mistake – they put on a plenty heavy show. Frontman George Clarke comes across as quite an intense fellow during live performances and definitely knows how to work a crowd … not that the crowd really needed that much work to get riled up.
Deafheaven may have their detractors, and call them hipsters if you must, but they’ve got the goods live and ultimately that’s where it counts.