The Crate
Deafheaven
Sunbather
Sunbather, Deafheaven’s second studio album (2013), fused black metal with shoegaze/post-rock textures and helped define the “blackgaze” sound. It earned near-universal praise and is regarded as a watershed moment for underground metal entering broader critical and indie circles. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
2) Recording History
- Studio: Atomic Garden Studios, East Palo Alto, California. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
- Producers/engineers: Jack Shirley and Deafheaven handled production; engineering/mixing credits appear on AllMusic. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
- Dates: Recorded in January 2013, over several days; Dan Tracy joined as drummer for the sessions. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
- Artwork/notes: Cover photography by Ryan Aylsworth; art direction/design by Nick Steinhardt (Touché Amoré). The album also features Neige (Alcest) reading a passage on “Please Remember.” ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
- Anniversary remaster: In 2023 the band reissued Sunbather with a remaster produced by Jack Shirley to mark the 10th anniversary. ([allmusic.com](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/deafheaven-mn0002658855?utm_source=openai))
3) Chart Performance & Recognition
- US performance: Debuted at No. 130 on the Billboard 200, with about 3,720 copies sold in its first week; it also charted on Heatseekers. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbather_%28album%29?utm_source=openai))
- UK performance: Peaked at No. 30 on Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart (Sunbather’s UK chart history is listed by Official Charts). ([officialcharts.com](https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/deafheaven-sunbather/))
- Critical acclaim: Metacritic aggregate rating around 92/100, cited as one of the year’s best-reviewed albums. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deafheaven))
- Awards: Deafheaven later received a 2019 Grammy nomination for Honeycomb (from Ordinary Corrupt Human Love) for Best Metal Performance; Sunbather itself did not win a Grammy. ([grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/artists/deafheaven/243642/))
- Cultural footprint: The Grammy site and press features frame Sunbather as a pivotal, boundary-preaking release. ([grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/news/deafheaven-sunbather-changed-black-metal-anniversary-feature/?utm_source=openai))
4) Cultural Impact & Legacy
- Influence: Sunbather’s blend of harsh and lush textures solidified a new metal sensibility and broadened its audience. ([grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/news/deafheaven-sunbather-changed-black-metal-anniversary-feature/?utm_source=openai))
- Notable covers/samples: The track “Sunbather” is listed on WhoSampled as having a sample connection (and the broader release has been discussed for its cross-genre reach). ([whosampled.com](https://www.whosampled.com/Deafheaven/Sunbather/?utm_source=openai))
- Today: Widely regarded as a landmark 2010s metal album, frequently cited in year-end lists and retrospectives. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deafheaven))
Sunbather remains a watershed record in modern metal.