Hello and welcome to my demonstration that I don’t only listen to hip hop. This week I wanted to switch up on genres a bit and review one of my favorite bands from when I was in middle school and high school, Deftones.
Deftones have long been pioneers in their genre of abstract and aggressive rock music. Prior to this review, I watched a couple of interviews with the band around this era for them (late 2014 into early 2015) and when asked about this record, they described it as a creative tension between lead singer Chino Moreno and lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter.
Carpenter was writing arguably some of his heaviest hitting and most distorted guitar riffs in the history of the band for this album while Moreno’s vocal approach was much more somber and crooning.
This is displayed front and center throughout the whole album. The first four tracks on “Gore” are filled with instrumental chaos. The guitars beat you down: a complex and dark bassline hums ominously in the back, and drummer Abe Cunningham drives the songs forward at breakneck pace. Throughout all of this musical anarchy, Moreno mostly sings solemnly and softly. This is a massive step back in delivery from the band’s early music when Moreno would match the band’s intensity, even elevate it.
It isn’t until track 5 “Hearts/Wires” that the band takes a step back to their glory days with Moreno as well. “Hearts/Wires” is an incredible song and a highlight not only on this album, but in the band’s discography.
The tension between the band’s aggression and Moreno’s vocals can be awkward at times, especially right off the bat from track one, and at certain times it fails to hit the way the band intended. This can be seen on tracks like “Doomed User” and “Pittura Infamante.”
Despite the aggressive nature of the sounds on this album, with their instruments Deftones are more refined and talented than ever. The riffs and drumming on songs like “Acid Hologram,” “Xenon” and “Prayers/Triangles” are almost jaw dropping with how clean yet hard hitting they are.
Listening to Deftones is always a spiritual experience, but on this album it is turned up to the maximum. This could be heavily attributed to the softer vocals giving full attention to the great song structure and instrumentation.
Despite Deftones’ clear influence on most of their peers, you can see some cues on this album from those they have guided years ago (think of it like the clear Travis Scott influence on “Man on the Moon 3,” yet we all know Kid Cudi is the reason Travis Scott is a thing.) Some major connections I noticed on “Gore” were from bands like Chevelle and Tool.
All things considered this is a solid album in the Deftones discography. It isn’t as mind-bending and trippy as 2012’s “Koi No Yokan” or as youthful and brutal as “Around the Fur” or “White Pony,” but it is a very enjoyable and a must listen for all Deftones fans. 5/10.
Weekly ALBUM Recommendations:
Maxo Kream – Weight of the World
The Alchemist – This Thing of Ours 2
James Blake – Friends That Break Your Heart
Bronze Nazareth & Roc Marciano – Ekphrasis
Weekly SONG Recommendations:
Mick Jenkins – Contacts
Don Toliver – Outerspace (feat. Baby Keem)
Nardo Wick – Who Want Smoke ?? (Remix with G Herbo, Lil Durk, 21 Savage)
Piano Love – Conway the Machine
