Nearly thirty years ago, Deftones released their debut album, Adrenaline. It was an essential album in the nu-metal movement and a glimpse into the force that would be reckoned with for years.
Now, nearly thirty years later, we see the same band with a massive intergenerational fanbase, and one that unintentionally made themselves figures of Y2K and early 2000s nostalgia. ‘Around the Fur’ and ‘White Pony’ originally launched the Deftones into mainstream status in the early 2000s, cementing themselves into the hearts of millennials and Gen Xers. Gen Z has now tuned into Deftones, with the group having a renewed fame amongst them. Apps like TikTok have pushed them into a broader alternative appeal. The ever-so-popular hit song ‘Change (In the House of Flies)’ was lip-synced by many on the app. Lesser known tracks like ‘(L)MIRL’ also unexpectedly went viral and introduced Deftones to a new generation of listeners.
This algorithm-driven boost turned ‘Private Music’ into one of their catalog’s most highly anticipated releases. The album marks a continuation of their legacy and a chance to prove their highly persistent status to new fans.
Between Chino Moreno’s iconic tenor vocals, Stephen Carpenter’s powerful chords, and Abe Cunningham’s unconventional drumming, the Deftones’ talent translates directly to their successful longevity.
After their first North American tour of the year, Deftones announced in July that their new album would be released on August 22nd, with a new single accompanying the announcement.
The white snake marks the third Deftones album on which a white animal graces the cover. This time, it’s a clear moment of transformation for the band.
An introduction to ‘Private Music’
From the get-go, ‘Private Music’ sucks you right into the unbridled vortex on ‘My Mind is a Mountain’, which served as the welcoming single before the album’s release. Carpenter’s vicious riffs clash with Moreno’s intimate tone until his vocal aggressiveness rips through. It delivers a similar vibe to 2012’s ‘Swerve City’, which kicked off ‘Koi No Yokan’. This is partly thanks to Nick Raskulinecz, who produced ‘Private Music’ and ‘Koi No Yokan’, which added a surreal atmosphere clearly heard on both records.
This surrealism sets the tone for the album, as Deftones seem to sift through subgenres as they feel. Going from nu-metal to shoegaze shows their sheer divergence from ‘Adrenaline.’ Their work has only increased in maturity.
The fourth track, ‘Infinite Source,’ cuts hard initially, putting us in a trance and pulling us harder into the harsh vortex that Deftones have created here. Then, the soft melody comes in and slows the track down. The track feels tender, with ambiguous lyrics that feel melancholy, even with the sharp riffs at the beginning. It blends heaviness and heavenliness like many songs on the 2006 ‘Saturday Night Wrist’ album.
More mindblowing action
‘CXZ’ stops the energy in its tracks. The intro sounds dreamy and ambient-ish, and then the breakdown hits suddenly, but it misses the mark on effectiveness. ‘Souvenir’ starts out harsh and then settles into this intimate trance, while ‘CXZ’ does the exact opposite. Chino Moreno is the key orchestrator, controlling the tempo at every moment, and he executes this consistently at most points.
‘Milk of the Madonna’ dropped two weeks before the album’s release, and it is still as loud and clear as it was when it was released as a single. It easily beats every other track on this project, and while it’s still early, it may be one of Deftones’ all-time best tracks. The song takes a bit of a shoegaze approach while sticking to its metal roots. The track again tunes closely to resembling Saturday Night Wrist’s unconventional track ‘Mein’. While it isn’t a copycat of ‘Saturday Night Wrist’ or ‘Koi No Yokan’, many of these tracks sound more mature.
Shoegaze has been a key part of Deftones’ newer sound past ‘White Pony’, with the band breaking down into mellow themes in the middle of the album. It isn’t too overbearing or unoriginal; instead, it brings back some of that nostalgia in the best way possible.
The last Three tracks
‘Adrenaline’ takes complete control over the next track, ‘Cut Hands’, with a surprising nu-metal-inspired track. Chino Moreno’s spitfire delivery matches the harder-edged, experimental side of Deftones. This approach embraces nu-metal fierceness from their first album, yet revitalizes that energy. Whether Private Music’s shoegaze influences or its heavier core draws you in, ‘Cut Hands’ confidently delivers hardcore intensity.
The track ‘~Metal Dream’ follows ‘Cut Hands’, a weak point on the album. Experimentation in the Deftones catalog has worked many times, but it falls short here. The instrumental experiments with reggae ideas, and while it wants to stand out, it just becomes forgettable filler for a great album.
The album closes with one of Deftones’ most cryptic, eerie tracks. Starting softly with a haunting, ambient tone to the instrumental, ‘Departing the Body’, features a dramatically deep voice from Chino in spoken word. The instrumental eventually builds into this cathartic energy that Deftones typically provides. This post-metal track is undeniably a great way to close out ‘Private Music’. Its atmosphere, introspection, and mystery tie together nicely for a beautiful track.
A memoir to Deftones’ ‘Private Music’
Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours diving into Deftones’ catalog, whether I’m driving with their CDs on repeat or staring at the White Pony tattoo etched into my arm. With that history, it was difficult not to feel underwhelmed by the band’s previous two records, ‘Gore’ and ‘Ohms’, which seemed to fall short of the group’s legendary standard. Private Music, however, restores that brilliance. Looking back, it isn’t that Gore and Ohms lack quality; instead, they are difficult to love with my emotional tie to the earlier works. ‘Private Music’ finally bridges that gap, especially with the inclusion of ‘White Pony’ and ‘Saturday Night Wrist’-esque moments. Deftones have not only amended their legacy but also expanded it.
