Track Review: Deftones – “Ohms”

Four years. That’s how long it’s been since Gore dropped, and I can still remember the feeling of utter disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, Gore was good – great, even –  but how dare Deftones not fucking obliterate and hypnotize me at the same time with an indisputable album of the year? The nerve.

Needless to say, what’s bad for Deftones is still a career achievement for most other bands – but yeah, Gore didn’t leave much of an impression on me and I get the feeling that a lot of other fans felt the same way. It all just seemed so Deftones-by-numbers that it lacked any oomph or charisma. The songs began and ended and every time I was like, “Yup, that’s Deftones for ya” but then after each was done playing, I no longer cared (except for “Acid Hologram”, which still rules).

That’s why the on my very first spin of “Ohms”, I was already doing figurative cartwheels. The production is leaps and bounds ahead of Gore, and the shoegazey coating that has always suited them so well makes a return. Even the lyrics are better, achieving their trademark blend of romantic and ominous imagery: “So we slip into our hopeless sea of regret as I stare / Through the haunted maze in your eyes / Right through where I’ll remain for all time.” “Ohms” sounds immaculate and possesses an intense, fuzzed-out groove that any fan can swoon over. It sounds the part of an epic return to form.

Unfortunately, there’s very little here in the way of a hook. The melody didn’t really grip me, and I found myself needing to play it over and over again trying to find something concrete to latch on to. Instrumentally there’s a lot going on, but rarely does anything jump to the forefront of the mix and take charge of the song. It all blends together into this beautiful and slightly unnerving fog; maybe that’s the goal, but only hearing it in the context of the full album will reveal whether or not this is a good or bad thing. Placed as the final track on Ohms, it will be very interesting to hear how this track interacts with the others.

What we ultimately have here is a song that does all the right things to correct Gore‘s missteps, but doesn’t strike me as a strong lead single or memorable closer. Projecting a song’s role in the entirety of its respective LP is tricky business – but on its own merits, “Ohms” feels a bit like a Koi No Yokan b-side. I get a lot of the same atmospheric and melodic vibes from this track, but I don’t find myself thinking about it much aside from…you know, “new Deftones hype”. Here’s to hoping that Ohms informs and elevates its title track as we listen in September.

Track Score: 3.5