FADE TO BLACK
Your handy guide to the world of blackgaze
the originators
slowdive reading’s Slowdive were neither the first British indie band to be saddled with the then-derogatory term ‘shoegaze’ in the early 90s, nor were they the best – that honour goes to avant-garde noiseniks my Bloody Valentine. But few have had such an impact on the modern blackgaze scene, acting as touchstone for alcest’s Neige and Deafheaven, amongst others.
listen to: Just For A Day (1991)
the pioneers
alcest Neige is the undoubted godfather of the blackgaze scene, even if his marriage of european black metal and early 90s British shoegaze came about by accident – he says he only started listening to the latter after making 2005’s groundbreaking Le Secret ep. “People started saying, ‘have you listened to Slowdive?’ I was, like, ‘I’ve never heard of them.’”
listen to: Shelter (2014)
the hipsters
deafheaven Unarguably the band most likely to take blackgaze into the mainstream – 2015’s New Bermuda made the US top 70. their defiantly non-metal image and willingness to incorporate everything from dream-pop to indie rock has rattled the purists’ cages.
listen to: Sunbather (2013)
the enigmas
ghost Bath When Ghost Bath emerged, they sparked a minor controversy by claiming to be from china when they actually hailed from North Dakota. Frontman Dennis mikula, aka Nameless, said it was to protect the band’s privacy. But this bizarre deception actually suited their dark, enigmatic music.
listen to: Moonlover (2015)
the depressives
King woman Blackgaze is hardly the most upbeat genre, but King Woman take it to new levels. Formed in the Bay area, their host-of-angels-on-a-massive-downer is the perfect soundtrack to a slow-motion plunge into hell.
listen to: Created In The Image Of Suffering (2017)