Review Summary: Neptune Raining Diamonds
If not indicative of the album cover, Neptune Raining Diamonds kinda embodies the sound of this album when you think of it.
Neptune is the windiest and coldest of all our planets and throughout Deafheaven’s history, George Clarke’s vocals have felt like a windy, cold howl. But instead of dwelling on the dark and scary, there are so many beautiful moments on this album.
Shellstar would absolutely be their best intro song if Dream House didn’t exist. I’m constantly reminded of Sunbather so much throughout this album. The vocals, not so much, but in the transitions and heavenly melodies, absolutely.
Neptune Raining Diamonds feels at home as a Sunbather interlude, Villain features some of George Clarke’s best moments, and even the singles are catchy as hell for the cherry on top. I don’t know what I was expecting here, but my god this is the best they’ve sounded since Sunbather.
Mombasa is their best song, absolutely, bar none. It was a callback to Sunbather and it fit absolutely perfect here. The explosion was not jarring for me because I knew it was due to explode any moment. And it detonated right where it should have.
We’ve finally achieved it boys: Sunbather part 2. And as I said, nothing here really seems like Sunbather on the surface but when you match these songs up and compare, you’ll definitely draw comparisons. And I’m not trying to say that they’re trying to live in a shadow. I’m just trying to say, what made them special in the first place is still on display here, things they’ve seemed to have lost some over the years. They didn’t have to give us this. We didn’t deserve it after doubting them all the years. But god damn this album is a diamond. Will be listening for years to come. This took all my expectations and completely obliterated them. Pure. Auditory. (deaf)Heaven.
If you’ve thought that Deafheaven have lost their way over the years, I’d agree with you. They’ve never put out a bad album, but they’ve had moments that were not the best or had wonky transitions. Deafheaven seem to be at their best when they’re at their most focused, and I’m pleased to say, this is the most focused they’ve sounded in nearly a decade. A wonderful joyride from start to finish.
It’ll be controversial for sure. I expect nonetheless but it’s just another crowning gem in their discography.
