One of Metal's many beauties is its blurred edges. Yes, at its heart there is a core that is all metal and nought else. However, as you travel to its furthest borders there are territories that seem to simultaneously exist within numerous other genres.  Both of tonight’s acts blatantly use metal as a tool in their artistic endeavours, but would not fit its more conservative definitions or templates. Let’s just say Five Finger Death Punch, this isn’t. Lauren Auder has a deep baritone delivery that brings to mind Leanord Cohen and Screaming Tree’s era MarK Laneghan (before he sounded like he had a forty Marlborough’s a day habit). She has a minimalistic but engaging stage presence that ozzes confidence and personal determination. Tonight she is accompanied by a soul guitarist (my research drags up blanks in regards to his identity) and together they create an emotive and distinctly entrancing live experience. These are twenty-first century torch songs, shot through with gender politics and body dysmorphia. This is synth pop with a distinctly dark edge as she uses the swirling melodies to explore the murkier aspects of her soul. The delivery is both confessional and brutally honest and by the end you feel that you have been the passive observer at a rather intensive therapy session. Like I said not traditional metal fayre, but still wringing with pathos and passion.

It has taken a while but tonight it the first time I have seen Deafheaven where they truly seem happy in their own skin and seem to be in possession of an audience that loves them for who they are as opposed to what genre they are or are not. Last years quite astounding “Infinite Granite” saw them finally pull away completely from Black Metal’s gravitational pull with the annexation of the last of its visible traits (namely George Clarke’s goblinesque screeches). They begin with three tracks from that album, and it is hearteningly to see the rapturous reaction for this new incarnation of the band. There are no cries of “judas” or obnoxious heckles for older material.  Instead, the audience seem instantly enchanted by the melodic distorted waves of sounds. Fragile and fleeting but also crammed full of emotive insight. It may not be traditionally what we understand as heavy but still full of emotional weight.

The harsh squealed vocals return with the inclusion of “Ordinary Corrupt Human Love”’s ‘Honeycomb’. However, the point is that whether he is howling or whether he is crooning, George Clarke inhabits all his vocals with an all-consuming intensity. He doesn’t just utter (or shriek) the lines, he puts his entire being into the characterisation. We are not halfway through the show and he is encased in perspiration, a raging ball of corrosive energy. The ‘Kettle onto the Coil’ is the only truly heavy track (and to be honest the only one with any actual metallic DNA) aired during the main set and immediately the heads start to bang. There is a bizarre mix on show tonight of those who simply want the music to wash over them and those who want to covert in time with the beat. The subtly heavy nature of Deafheaven plays beautifully into that demographic, simultaneously soothing and stimulating. What makes Deafheaven so magnificent is their ability to be extreme and penetrating without actually being loud or corrosive. We seem to have persuaded ourselves that something can only be all-encompassing if it is hefty and dense. With their delicacy and intricateness Deafheaven completely trash that perception.

They head off the stage but the crowd is spellbound and don’t want it to end. George comes bouncing back on and ask the crowd if they want two more. This of course elicits a big cheer as we know (through the wonder of Setlist.fm) that this is when the really good shit arrives. ‘Brought to the Water’ is a gnarly spiralling piece of nihilistic beauty. Contorted and full of fury but also blessed with strips of utter mesmerising wonder. It unfurls itself slowly, building in both girth and tautness. It then gives way to the soul representative from their utter masterpiece of a record that is “Sunbather”, namely ‘Dreamhouse’. The place explodes in euphoric ecstasy as this piece of transcendental brilliance rains down upon us. It will be ten years old next year (anniversary tour please!!!!!!!!) but it still seems unworldly and utterly out of time. Every time I hear it It feels like Black Metal is being reinvented before my very eyes. And then with a promise of returning next year (as I said “Sunbather” anniversary tour please) they exit. Deafheaven have in the past seemed like a bit of sore thumb, utter wonderfully and evocative but firmly falling between two stools. Tonight, for the first time they seemed to exist in their own universe as opposed to straddling those belonging to others. Just incredible!