New Bermuda (album)

New Bermuda is the third studio album by American blackgaze band Deafheaven. It was released on October 2, 2015 through the Anti- record label.^[3][4]

New Bermuda
Studio album by Deafheaven
Released	October 2, 2015 (2015-10-02)
Recorded	April 2015
Studio	25th Street Recording, Oakland, California; Atomic Garden Recording, Palo Alto, California
Genre	Blackgaze[1] post-metal[2]
Length	46:35
Label	Anti-
Producer	Jack Shirley
Deafheaven chronology
Sunbather (2013) New Bermuda (2015) Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018)
Singles from New Bermuda
"Brought to the Water" Released: August 18, 2015 "Come Back" Released: September 15, 2015

Background

The album was recorded live in April 2015 with Sunbather producer and engineer Jack Shirley at 25th Street Recording in Oakland, California and Atomic Garden Recording in Palo Alto, California.^[5] The cover art of the album features an oil painting by Allison Schulnik.^[6]

The album trailer was released on July 27, 2015.^[7] On August 18, 2015, the band shared the first track from the album, "Brought to the Water".^[8] On September 15, 2015, the band shared the track "Come Back" from the album.^[9] On September 23, 2015, the album became available for streaming on NPR's website.^[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.9/10[11]
Metacritic	85/100[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
The A.V. Club	A−[14]
Consequence of Sound	A−[15]
Exclaim!	8/10[16]
The Guardian	[17]
Kerrang!	4/5[18]
Pitchfork	9.0/10[19]
Rolling Stone	[20]
Spin	9/10[21]
Uncut	7/10[2]

New Bermuda was met with rave reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85, based on 17 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".^[12]

The A.V. Club reviewer David Anthony stated that the album "doesn't break down the walls of metal, instead it expands its confines, allowing Deafheaven to include subgenres that rarely mix while injecting more outside references." Anthony further considered New Bermuda as a proof of "how progressive of a genre metal can be, purists be damned."^[14] Allmusic critic Paul Simpson described the album as "a powerful, enrapturing experience", writing: "New Bermuda finds Deafheaven continuing to effortlessly traverse genre borders and create transcendent music."^[13] Sean Barry of Consequence of Sound thought that the album's "audacity and stylistic shifts may have resulted in an album that's not quite as much like coming home as Sunbather, but it shows a genuine and fascinating maturation in a band that deserves to remain in the spotlight for all the right reasons."^[15] Drowned in Sound's regarded the album as "a rather stupendous record from a band who may, now if not before, be on the verge of genuine greatness."^[22]

Josiah Hughes of Exclaim! described the record as "an album that blows Sunbather out of the water". Hughes further added: "On New Bermuda, Deafheaven's myriad ideas are expertly, logically organized across five tracks."^[16] The Guardian critic Lanre Bakare thought: "While claims they've got a "pop-like accessibility" feel overstated, those who like the loud bits of Mogwai and the more melodic moments of Dillinger Escape Plan will have found the metal band for them."^[17] Pitchfork's Jayson Greene stated that the album is "more overwhelming than Sunbather".^[19] Spin critic Andy O'Connor described the album as "ace metal" and stated: "In spite of Bermuda leaning less on the shoegaze that has defined Deafheaven, the album still has some of their most beautiful moments and tightest songwriting."^[21] Uncut wrote: "offers a tumultuous post metal that on passages of "Baby Blue" and "Brought To The Water," remind one more of the ethereal wandering of shoegaze."^[2]

Accolades

Accolades for New Bermuda

Publication	Accolade	Year	Rank
Pitchfork	The 50 Best Albums of 2015	2015	26[23]
Spin	The 20 Best Metal Albums of 2015	2015	1[24]
Stereogum	The 50 Best Albums of 2015	2015	10[25]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Brought to the Water"	8:37
2.	"Luna"	10:14
3.	"Baby Blue"	10:06
4.	"Come Back"	9:16
5.	"Gifts for the Earth"	8:22
Total length:		46:35

Japanese edition bonus track^[26]

No.	Title	Length
6.	"From the Kettle Onto the Coil"	6:36
Total length:		53:11

Personnel

Deafheaven

• George Clarke – vocals
• Kerry McCoy – guitar
• Daniel Tracy – drums
• Stephen Clark – bass
• Shiv Mehra – guitar

Additional personnel

• Jack Shirley – production, engineering, recording
• Allison Schulnik – artwork
• Nick Steinhardt – design

Charts

Chart performance for New Bermuda

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27]	88
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28]	51
US Billboard 200[29]	63
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[30]	8
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[31]	5
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[32]	9
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[33]	16

References

1. Howells, Tom (October 5, 2015). "Blackgaze: Meet the Bands Taking Metal Out of the Shadows". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
2. "Deafheaven: New Bermuda". Uncut (222): 73. November 2015.
3. Kaye, Ben (July 28, 2015). "Deafheaven announces new album, New Bermuda". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
4. Nelson, Michael (July 28, 2015). "Deafheaven Announce New Album New Bermuda". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
5. Murray, Robin (July 28, 2015). "Deafheaven Announce 'New Bermuda'". Clash. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
6. Minsker, Evan (July 28, 2015). "Deafheaven Detail New Album New Bermuda". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
7. Milton, Jamie (July 27, 2015). "Deafheaven Confirm New Album, Share Trailer". DIY. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
8. Geslani, Michelle (August 18, 2015). "Deafheaven shares monster new song "Brought to the Water" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
9. Camp, Zoe (September 15, 2015). "Deafheaven Share New Song "Come Back"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
10. Gotrich, Lars (23 September 2015). "First Listen: Deafheaven, 'New Bermuda'". NPR. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
11. "New Bermuda by Deafheaven reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
12. "Reviews for New Bermuda by Deafheaven". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
13. Simpson, Paul. "New Bermuda – Deafheaven". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
14. Anthony, David (October 2, 2015). "With New Bermuda, Deafheaven expands beyond metal's confines". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
15. Barry, Sean (September 30, 2015). "Deafheaven – New Bermuda". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
16. Hughes, Josiah (September 30, 2015). "Deafheaven: New Bermuda". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
17. Bakare, Lanre (October 1, 2015). "Deafheaven: New Bermuda review – cinematic mainstream-friendly metal". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
18. "Deafheaven: New Bermuda". Kerrang!: 52. October 10, 2015.
19. Greene, Jayson (September 30, 2015). "Deafheaven: New Bermuda". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
20. Grow, Kory (October 2, 2015). "New Bermuda". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
21. O'Connor, Andy (September 29, 2015). "Review: Deafheaven Turn Black Metal All Different Colors on 'New Bermuda'". Spin. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
22. Bland, Benjamin (October 1, 2015). "Deafheaven - New Bermuda". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
23. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
24. "The 20 Best Metal Albums of 2015". Spin. December 14, 2015. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
25. "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". Stereogum. 2015-12-01. Archived from the original on 2015-12-09. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
26. "Deafheaven – New Bermuda (2016, CD)". Discogs. 22 June 2016. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
27. "Ultratop.be – Deafheaven – New Bermuda" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Deafheaven – New Bermuda" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
29. "Deafheaven Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
30. "Deafheaven Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
31. "Deafheaven Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
32. "Deafheaven Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
33. "Deafheaven Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2021.

External links

• Official website