Review Summary: An excellent album by Deftones with a few minor flaws that prevent it from stacking up to their classics.
Deftones are widely regarded as one of the most original bands in the alternative scene. Their unique fusion of alternative rock with nu-metal, progressive rock, and even post-rock tendencies have given the band massive critical acclaim, with three of their albums going platinum in the United States. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the band is their frontman Chino Moreno. He’s one of the most versatile vocalists in the genre, with chops ranging from warm crooning, ear-piercing shrieks, and borderline rapping when the song calls for it. The fact that he’s backed by an extremely talented rhythm section makes it no surprise that Deftones received the recognition they did. There is one dark horse album in their discography though, their 2003 self-titled album, which is generally overlooked by Deftones fans and unfairly viewed as one of their weakest records. In almost every respect, however,
Deftones doesn't disappoint.
The band members themselves are at the top of their game. Chino in particular gives a jaw dropping vocal performance throughout, especially on album opener “Hexagram,” where he belts out one of the most impressive, haunting screams of his career. Drummer Abe Cunningham also delivers by using a variety of offbeat accents to keep the rhythm section interesting. Even then, he does so without ever coming across as flashy, like many modern drummers do. This is best shown in “Needles and Pins,” where a simple guitar riff is repeated during the verses and Cunningham’s snare and bass hits give the song an almost polyrhythmic feel. The guitars and bass are standard for Deftones: odd yet tasteful chord changes make up most of these songs, coupled with some of the band's best songwriting.
One of the most glaring flaws of
Deftones is the fact that it doesn’t have a resounding vibe that other Deftones albums have. For example,
Diamond Eyes had an ethereal texture to it,
Saturday Night Wrist had post-rock, almost shoegaze undertones, and
White Pony had an unsettling linger throughout the entirety of the album. Unfortunately,
Deftones doesn’t have this, and sounds like a collection of songs more than anything, each one having their own distinct character and mood. On the other hand, this can be favorable for some listeners since the stark contrast between the songs help keep the album from becoming monotonous.
The scope of dynamics on
Deftones is possibly the widest in their discography. “When Girls Telephone Boys” is arguably Deftones’ heaviest song. It starts with distorted guitar backed with powerful drums and Chino’s signature screams soaring above them. The song stays with this in-your-face intensity throughout, being one of the few tracks where Chino doesn’t have any clean singing whatsoever. A few moments of beauty shine in the bridge, though, when the guitars take a break from the dissonance in exchange for a melodic progression, perfectly segueing into the song’s massive outro. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the penultimate song “Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event” is one of Deftones’ softest pieces, beginning with ominous piano and soft cymbal taps in the background, continuing on with subdued guitars and moody vocals. The use of percussion such as bells and a shaker is prevalent up until the end of the song, where a single note is left ringing until the track finishes – an alternative rock ballad done right.
“Lucky You” is one track on the album that simply isn’t up to par with the rest. It's a poor attempt at a trip-hop song, and due to the mundane chorus and overall lack of inspiration, you're left waiting for an explosive climax that never comes. An irritating chorus also hinders “Good Morning Beautiful” from being an excellent song, but the rest of the track does a good job at redeeming itself, specifically the emotive vocal melodies in the bridge. Despite these minor flaws,
Deftones is an excellent album that features some of Deftones' most dynamic songwriting, making it a worthy listen whether you’re a fan of the genre or not.
Recommended Tracks:
➢ Hexagram
➢ Minerva
➢ Deathblow
➢ When Girls Telephone Boys
➢ Bloody Cape
