Deftones
The Deftones' Chino Moreno is one of those singers who can go from a whisper to a scream within a breath. Given the violent roar from Stephen Carpenter's guitar and powered by the rhythm section of bassist/vocalist Chi Cheng and drummer Abe Cunningham, the Deftones are nothing if not dramatic.
Launched in Sacramento, the Deftones soon became club favorites. Basically a Hard Rock outfit, they also incorporated Hip-Hop elements (the name is a play on their influences) and became early adapters. A demo taped passed to KoRn's producer landed in front of Madonna. The Material Girl signed the group to her Maverick label. After being together for seven years, the Deftones released their first album in '95, the heavy and sonically dense, "Adrenaline." That was followed two years later by "Around The Fur" containing "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)." A self-titled album was released in '03. It failed to impress critics and was deemed "spotty."
For their '06 effort, "Saturday Night Wrist," the Deftones worked with legendary producer Bob Ezrin. They also had System Of A Down's Serj Tankian perform on "Mein." In its first week of its release, led by the single, "Hole In The Earth" (one of the set's better songs), the album sold 67,000 copies to land at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart.
On November 3rd, '08, Cheng was hospitalized following a serious car accident in Santa Clara, CA. He was listed in "serious but stable condition" and remained in a coma. As a result, the Deftones remained largely inactive. But a few months later, it was announced that the group would play the Bamboozle Left Festival in Irvine, CA. "Chi always wanted to keep working and never slow down, which is why we feel confident in returning to the stage," said a statement from the group. "We want to make sure we're keeping his legacy alive." Longtime band friend, Sergio Vega, filled in for Cheng.
In May, '09 the group updated Cheng's prognosis in an online post. "Chi was released from [the intensive care unit]… and is no longer on any sort of life support," said the message. "His symptoms continue to improve so keep the prayers coming." The previous month, Cheng spoke his first words but then suffered a setback brought on by an infection.
There were benefit shows in L.A. to raise funds for Chi and the Cheng family. In addition to the Deftones, P.O.D. and Cypress Hill performed along with members from Linkin Park (Mike Shinoda) Incubus, Metallica (Rob Trujillo), Children Of Bodom (Alex Laiho) and System Of A Down (Daron Malakian, John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian).
The Deftones sixth studio album, "Diamond Eyes," was originally slated for a May, '10, release but the date was moved up two weeks after the entire album was leaked online. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Marilyn Manson) the album had Vega again filling in for Cheng.
The Deftone's atmospheric Rock, reminiscent at times of KoRn, had a major impact on fellow musicians. Much of what the Deftones initially laid down became the standard Nu Metal template. Debut "Adrenaline" is like repeated eruptions with torrential sounds crashing all around. "Around The Fur" features Moreno's eerie yet acerbic attack with more commanding songs. "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" is a violent crunch Rocker while "MX" has dreamy vocals that soon dissolve into hostility and rage. "Deftones" delivers more of the same including the brutal sonic assault of "When Girls Telephone Boys." The album is another slice of the group's dark, haunted world.
If the Deftones dug themselves a bit of a hole with their '03 release, they crawl out, but just barely, on "Saturday Night Wrist." A lot time is wasted on ambient noise excursions; the instrumental "U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, A, B, Select, Start," "Pink Cellophane" and a chunk of "Combat."
Groups can often be self-indulgent and get too wrapped up in loops, samples and other effects. It's up to the producer to rein it all in and spare the listener these numbing trips. Either Ezrin wasn't paying attention or down the hall when all this was happening.
Lead-off track, the mid-tempo "Hole In The Earth," owns a great guitar line and captivating backing vocals before it all gives way to power chords. Good start. "Rapture" and "Rats! Rats! Rats!" are the hardcore screamers. Of the two, "Rapture" holds together while discordant "Rats! Rats! Rats!" comes close to unraveling. "Mein" is impressive track but how could it not be? "Beware" is tense and moody but eventually soars while "Cherry Waves" rides Moreno's "tortured pop song" vocals. The ballad "Xerces" is moving but the other ballad, set closer "Reverie," is like most songs in that slot - a throw-away.
The Deftones need to focus on their strengths; songs with distraught themes and powerful performances, and less on SFX. When they deliver a tight, focused bombast, the rest takes care of itself.
"Diamond Eyes" is a re-establishment of the Deftones' core sound and mission. "Rocket Skates" kicks, with insane chord progressions, which is probably why it was the lead single. The title track is Deftones dense. At the other end of the spectrum "Sextape," a ballad, proves undeniable - but the Deftones are hardly a soft-Rock outfit. Fortunately, the rest of the album delivers more energy and sonic force. Even so, "Diamond Eyes" wants to be cathartic as Moreno references or addresses Cheng in a number of songs. And while there's a lot of tension they come up short on the release.
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