Originally based in San Francisco, the group began as a two-piece with singer George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who recorded and self-released a demo album together.

They popularized a unique style blending black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock, among other influences, later called "blackgaze" by reviewers.

Deafheaven formed in February 2010[3] in San Francisco, California with vocalist George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who previously performed in the grindcore band Rise of Caligula together.

[6] Clarke and McCoy recorded an untitled demo album in April 2010 at Atomic Garden Studios[7] with Jack Shirley for about US$500, which the band could not afford at the time.

[8] The untitled demo, which was released digitally and on cassette tape in limited quantities, featured four songs that combined traditional black metal and post-rock.

[4][9] After the demo had been positively received, Clarke and McCoy recruited three additional musicians—bassist Derek Prine, guitarist Nick Bassett of the shoegaze band Whirr (formerly Whirl[10]) and drummer Trevor Deschryver, who responded to an ad on Craigslist—to form a five-piece group, and started playing their first shows in July 2010.

"[13] Roads to Judah received positive reviews from Decibel and RVA Magazine,[14][15] and was placed on several year-end lists including NPR, Pitchfork and The A.V.

The album featured an entire live performance from January 15, 2011 in Bell Gardens, California at The Blacktop—a former loading dock converted into a venue.

[29] As early as September 2011, Deafheaven announced they had begun writing new music for a potential split album, EP or full-length.

[3] However, in December 2012, Clarke described their new material as less melancholic and less centered around black metal, but rather featuring a more "lush and rock-driven, even pop-driven" sound at times.

The duo were also joined in the studio by new drummer Daniel Tracy,[32] who "added his own drum style to already-constructed song skeletons.

"[31] Deafheaven entered the studio to record Sunbather in January 2013 with Jack Shirley,[30] and released the album on June 11, 2013 through Deathwish.

[51] On April 17, 2018, the band released "Honeycomb", the lead single to their fourth studio album Ordinary Corrupt Human Love.

The release notes of the record stated that the band was "thankful [they] were able to do this project and that fans have stuck with [them] as [they] make new music for 2021," hinting at an upcoming studio album.

[61] In April 2023, Deafheaven headlined the Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, performing Sunbather (for its 10-year anniversary) and Infinite Granite in full on consecutive nights.

[63][64] In January 2025, Deafheaven began teasing their sixth studio album, Lonely People with Power[65] Shortly after, the band announced the release of a new single, "Magnolia," accompanied by an official music video.

[81] George Clarke mentions Burzum, ColdWorld, Leviathan, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Pantera, and Weakling as influences.