Deftones

Editor's Review:

There aren’t a lot of half-way Deftones fans out there. People who are down with this five-piece are seriously down with them and revere them as Hindus do cows. For good reason: the Deftones have never done anything half-way. These Sacramento natives — Chino Moreno (vox), Chi Cheng (bass), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums) and Frank Delgado (samples, keys) — are the originators of a style of hard rock that is now practically its own genre.
This is the fourth release from this powerhouse group, and though the band’s ability as songwriters continues to progress, there’s still plenty of weight behind this self-titled album. Songs like “Death Blow” and the record’s first single, “Good Morning Beautiful,” though they’ve got their stormy moments, are some of the tamest tunes on the album. They feature Chino showing off his ability to croon and the band’s willingness to explore the notions of power and finesse within comfortably rhythmic grooves. “Lucky You” goes as far as to get slow and low on the electro tip. When the Deftones decide to bring the fury, it’s on full blast. Songs like “When Girls Telephone Boys” and “Minerva” have a tendency to build into explosions of tightly controlled sonic chaos as Chino belts out heartfelt and gut-wrenching screams. But the real beauty of an aged Deftones is that band has figured out how to blend the two styles, simultaneously maintaining a signature tone, but evolving and refining their sound as they grow as musicians and people. Simply put, this is the next Deftones album, another strong step in a natural progression.

– Max Sidman
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Record Label Maverick Released June 2003

Tracks Hexagram Needles and Pins Minerva Good Morning Beautiful Deathblow When Girls Telephone Boys Battle-axe Lucky You Bloody Cape Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event Moana