Deafheaven : Sunbather
 

What's this, no thread on the best album of the year?

Ah, been meaning to give this one a listen. Heard so much good about it.
It's black metal for hipsters, right?

Yeah, but it's kind of unfair to call it that.

I see Deafheaven as more of a post-hardcore/post-metal band who are making heavy use of the tricks of black metal to go to places (emotionally and sonically) that those genres can't go. There's none of the Trve Norwegian Black Metal atmosphere here.

Just had that description giving to me, I have no idea what such a thing would actually entail.
Post-hardcore or post-metal I can dig. I was hoping it didn't take too much from the heavy Scandinavian black metal scene because I've never been able to get my head around that type of music.
I digress, it's on my Ipod and I'll give it a whirl in the next 24 hours. If it's as good as everyone says I should be in for a treat.

It's very black metal musically, but like I said, completely different atmosphere. I think people who don't normally like black metal are really enjoying this album.

I definitely like this but I'm not sure how much. I need to consume the album some more before I can tell how much lasting power it has. In any case, I have a chance to see them play in about a week and I'm probably going.

Best rock album of 2013...so far!

I don't think it's unfair to call this Hipster Black Metal. They're using formulas from other genres to make the Black Metal sound more accessible, not less, and in doing so are just making Black Metal sound more like the whole Post-Rock thing which is oh so popular.

This is an amazing album. Sure it's hipster black metal, but I like it.
I've probably listened to this album 10 times through already. Hands down my favorite album of 2013 so far.

I'm planning on listening to this soon, with all the good I keep hearing about it.

Somebody needs to tell me some other good metal from this year, too, I haven't paid attention at all.