I can’t help wondering if 10 Years Gone would even exist if it weren’t for that bastard pandemic. After years of relentless touring, intermittently broken up by studio time, Deafheaven find themselves at a loose end not getting to play their music to their adoring fans. So in order to combat the lockdown blues, they band have lovingly recorded (with Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden) the setlist they planned to perform on their upcoming tour. As a main source of income, not getting out on tour will seriously impact on the bank balance too, so anything to bring in some much-needed greenbacks needs to be considered. This is not to say that this album is some sort of half-arsed attempt at culling cash. Far from it, when these guys pick up their instruments, there is nothing left in the tank in terms of energy and intensity. There just is no other way.
As an interim track coming after the majestic Sunbather album the band obviously hold opener ‘From The Kettle Onto The Coil’ in high esteem. At the time the song left me slightly disappointed but looking back, it was the perfect steppingstone into the denser heavier sounds that would come on New Bermuda. Apparently the first song the band wrote together, ‘Daedalus’ appeared on the Demo EP. As I’m less familiar with the band’s music, pre-Sunbather, it acts pretty much as a new song on this album. Older songs are allowed to breathe more as the band have became an incredibly tight unit live. The melodic passages are glorious and the guitars fuse together brilliantly, noticeably prevalent when George isn’t vocalising over them, naturally enough.
The sprawling epicentre of Sunbather, ‘Vertigo’ is played out immaculately. Drummer Daniel Tracy turns in an exceptional performance, expertly recreating every beat and frill from the recorded version, but with the added power and dynamism you get from a live workout, were every song is a test of endurance. The drums have a mighty heft on this recording that isn’t as prevalent in the studio versions. In fact, the whole band roar with a mightier presence and a dirtier sound, the outcome of all playing in real time with no studio trickery to level out nuances. As the song powers to it’s immense conclusion you practically feel the splash of sweat bounce off Tracy’s cymbals. Guitarists Kerry and Shiv tease out note perfect sounds and manage to sound like five guitarists, the layers of dense distortion and clean notes swirl around you and it’s all consuming. As the last embers of feedback fade, you get the chance to reclaim some breath, astonishing.
Roads To Judah song ‘Language Games’ punishes with some intense kick drumming, the band hadn’t quite honed their songwriting craft at that stage so it still sounds rough and ready, despite probably having been played countless times over years of gruelling touring. When George gets his turn to sing solo as the music ebbs, bereft of studio effects, he sounds a little jarred. The style he employs certainly has greater impact when the band are in full flow alongside him.
The first track from the more recent records is the marvellous ‘Glint’ from Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, a record that still springs surprises on me with every listen. The melodic passages are beautifully played and the atmospherics of the song are accurately recreated. When the song lurches into the heavy section it’s a moment of stunning transition, you sense that swinging elbow that just missed connecting with your temple as the moshpit erupts(Though when I saw the band play in Belfast if I recall correctly there was no moshpit or if there was I was far away from it!). There is so much going on in this song, as many of the others, I always marvel at how the band recall where and when each section comes in. The final flurry of melodies is as glorious as ever and I feel sad that I didn’t get to hear the songs from OCHL played live. The not knowing when it will ever happen brings on that seismic crush of spirit once again.
New Bermuda’s central cut ‘Baby Blue’, with it’s wondrous slippery shimmery introduction, is as fresh as when it first appeared on the much anticipated follow-up to Sunbather. Tracy chomps at the bit to get going, a quick wipe of the brow as the guitars create the tense build-up, then it’s headlong into the furious main body of the song. Kerry shows Kirk Hammett a thing or two about using a wah-wah with a note perfect solo. Whilst it works well when listening to it from start to finish, there were actually a fair number of interludes in Sunbather. The band would shift this into actual songs for later works which leaves Sunbather with technically only four songs on it. Epic closer ‘The Pecan Tree’(Sunbather) really pushes Tracy to the limits with some stunning blast beats. Bordering on losing control the band power hard through the song’s merciless fury with breath-taking accuracy. The song formed an exciting vision for future releases with it’s multiple twists and turns and the ability to contort melody and rage.
Final track ‘Dream House’ was the first Deafheaven song I ever heard and it would become the gateway to so many heavier acts I may never have encountered. I remember the exact moment I first heard this song, I played it again in disbelief. How could it be so heavy yet so melodic? How could it bring about such levels of emotion within me? Not to mention, what the fuck is that guy singing about? Why has he taken it upon himself to mutilate such grandeur and wondrous guitar work with this indecipherable screeching? Then as time moved on and I listened to the song over and over, it became apparent that George’s vocals are equally as important and the lyrics, once I had acquired the lyric sheet with the physical CD, very much make the song. I still hold ‘Dream House’ high as an all-time top 10 favourite and every play raises the same emotions as the first. You can’t say that about much music nowadays. This version is played out to perfection and I’m reminded of the power of performance and in particular watching the band destroy all before them playing this classic song. That crescendo of exquisite euphoria around the 7 minute mark gets me in the guts every time and it really is a release of immense emotion, you cannot help but be absorbed by it. Perfection.
The release of records of this ilk may become more of entity the longer we find ourselves in perpetual lockdown. If it means the bands are able to keep afloat then I welcome them. Fuck it, I welcome them anyway, especially when it comes from such a remarkable live band like Deafheaven. It’s a weird situation where the only bad thing I can say about this album is that the songs are so alike their studio versions that you would be hard pressed to say which is which. Maybe some sort of audience could have been assembled to add a little presence to the recordings, but then that would go against what we have all become accustomed to. As it stands, 10 Years Gone is a snapshot of a band at the height of their powers and fans will be elated at hearing these versions of songs they know and love.
