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Rebirth takes place when everything falls apart. On DIIV's third full-length album, Deceiver, they craft the soundtrack to personal resurrection under the heavy weight of metallic catharsis, upheld by robust guitars and vocal tension that almost snaps, but never quite. Lead single "Skin Game," gallops forth on a clean guitar riff before unfolding into a hypnotic hook offset by an off-kilter rhythm and hummable solo.
"It's an imaginary dialogue between two characters, which could either be myself or people I know," says Cole of "Skin Game." "I spent six months in several different rehab facilities at the beginning of 2017. I was living with other addicts. Being a recovering addict myself, there are a lot of questions like, ‘Who are we? What is this disease?' Our last record was about recovery in general, but I truthfully didn't buy in. I decided to live in my disease instead. ‘Skin Game' looks at where the pain comes from. I'm looking at the personal, physical, emotional, and broader political experiences feeding into the cycle of addiction for millions of us."
Deceiver was recorded in March, 2019 in Los Angeles. For the first time, the band enlisted an outside producer in the form of Sonny Diperri (Nine Inch Nails, Protomartyr) whose presence dramatically expanded the sonic palette, making it richer and fuller than ever before. Marking a major step forward for DIIV, the new album is preceded by 2012's Oshin and 2016's critical and fan favorite Is the Is Are.