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May 8, 2014

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Deafheaven to blast local audience

THIS summer, Deafheaven, a San Francisco-based band, will embark on a worldwide tour that should jar the foundations of some of China’s greatest live venues.

“People can expect a high-energy, more visceral approach to the songs on the records,” says George Clarke, founding member of Deafheaven and the group’s lead vocalist. “Honestly, I'm looking forward to meeting with people living in Shanghai more than anything.”

This time, Deafheaven has lined up two stops in May for metal-heads in Beijing on May 9 and Shanghai on May 11.

“It can be difficult for us to explain ourselves sometimes in terms of genre,” Clarke says. “I'd say we’re ‘melodic blackened metal with post rock and shoegazing tendencies’.”

The group was formed in February 2010 by vocalist Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy.

After a warm reception and rave reviews of their first demo drop, Deafheaven recruited three new members — bassist Derek Prine, guitarist Nick Bassett of the shoegaze band Whirr and drummer Trevor Deschryver to form a 5-piece group.

Newly honed Deafheaven began to tour. They played their first shows in July 2010. A switcheroo brought in current members, drummer Korey Severson and Joseph Bautista (also a member of Whirr) on guitar.

With their hybrid of black metal, Deafheaven presents a “modern classic” that’s bound to change the landscape of black metal. Instrumentation leans towards shoegaze and post rock while vocals scream and hiss in respect to black metal’s best bands.

Deafhaven’s musical style is what gets critics so excited. Their sophomore album, “Sunbather,” was considered by some as a masterpiece.

Founding member McCoy describes Sunbather as being “faster, darker, a lot heavier and far more experimental” than debut album “Roads to Judah.”

“We are a bit excited and a little scared to present a rare foray into the dark side. Don’t hold back,” he says.

This is the first time the band will tour China, and members say they should definitely find time to do some karaoke. “It would be a shame not to” as Clarke says.

Date: May 11, 8:30pm

Venue: Yuyintang, 851 Kaixuan Rd

Tickets: 100 yuan (presale), 140 yuan (at door)




 

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