Sunbather

One of the first albums I've ever listened to with intent, Sunbather is quite a journey, and an emotional experience for sure. The instrumentals convey feeling that would be difficult to put into words accurately, with the lyrics adding depth and telling a story throughout the album. What that story is is for you to figure out, deduce, or otherwise synthesize with what you're given. An excellent blend of black metal and shoegaze, I understand why Deafheaven is hailed as a pioneer of the blackgaze genre, with the most memorable song being #4, "Please Remember". While it's definitely the most "experimental" song on the album, all I can say is that it elicited a physical and psychological response from me. My only complaint is that the lyrics were difficult to discern at times, and at least on Spotify not synced properly at all, but other than that, an excellent album, well written, and beautifully composed.