Originally formed as a duo in 2010, Deafheaven are an experimental black metal band from San Francisco, California. Initially made up of George Clarke (vocals) and Kerry McCoy (guitars), the band has a sound that blends black metal with elements of shoegaze, adding a layer of warmth to the genre's typically icy sound while expanding the emotional range outside of the typical themes of death, despair, and hopelessness. As a duo, Clarke and McCoy wrote and recorded a demo on their own that would get the attention of Converge frontman Jacob Bannon's label, Deathwish Inc., which released the untitled EP in 2010. The pair expanded the lineup to include guitarist Nick Bassett, bassist Derek Prine, and drummer Trevor Deschryver, who appeared on Deafheaven's 2011 full-length debut, Roads to Judah, before parting ways with the band the following year. Looking to get back to their roots a bit, McCoy and Clarke worked on the writing for their follow-up album as a duo again, though they would recruit drummer Daniel Tracy to join them in the studio for the recording process. The result was their sophomore effort, Sunbather, which was released to critical acclaim in the summer of 2013.