Deftones: Underrated?

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I've spent the last few hours scouring the net for reviews of Deftones albums, only to find that most reviewers don't seem to take the time to really listen to the albums in their own right, ignoring the deliberate and painstakingly crafted sound scape, only to lump them in with "nu-metal" (a label they spit out with heavy disdain) Is there more to Deftones than simply who they hung out with when they first started? Are they a band that will be name checked by future innovaters? Can we blame them for emo? Should they go on if bass player Chi, in a coma since an auto accident in early November, never recovers? Am I the only one who even cares?

divorcedalcoholicloser, Monday, 2 March 2009 02:05 (4 years ago) Permalink

Deftones are pretty good, man...Spin did make the switch around 2001 from characterizing them as nu-metal loseurs to calling them the Smashing Pumpkins of the genre...theyre not the best but they have some undeniably good songs...

they dont know bout us and theyve never heard of drugs (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 2 March 2009 04:32 (4 years ago) Permalink

I like them a lot and White Pony has to be one of the best rock albums of the decade.

Chris in Belfast, Monday, 2 March 2009 14:15 (4 years ago) Permalink

there we have it.

they dont know bout us and theyve never heard of drugs (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 11:06 (4 years ago) Permalink

yes, i would say they are probably the most underrated band of the last 10 years or so.

simon peggle (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 19:04 (4 years ago) Permalink

They do have a really great drummer.

Wax Cat, Tuesday, 3 March 2009 19:06 (4 years ago) Permalink

I feel this. I put on White Pony once a year or something just for nostalgia and end up getting really excited

autogoblin (surfboard dudes get wiped out, totally), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 19:23 (4 years ago) Permalink

saturday nite wrist is pretty good i listened to that a couple weeks ago

simon peggle (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 19:25 (4 years ago) Permalink

I started this thread because I wanted to hear other peoples opinions about our boys and I couldn't really find that many reviews online. I myself have been an obsessive fan for a good ten years and wonder how anyone could not think they're amazing. Each album progresses from the previous in a way that's an unexpected direction, but one that totally makes sense Their production is thick and awesome. What's not to like?

divorcedalcoholicloser, Tuesday, 3 March 2009 20:44 (4 years ago) Permalink

thick production

cutty, Tuesday, 3 March 2009 20:45 (4 years ago) Permalink

Street Carp is one of my 100 favourite songs ever

they dont know bout us and theyve never heard of drugs (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 4 March 2009 17:39 (4 years ago) Permalink

I literally can't listen to anything they've ever done except White Pony which is easily top 50 records of the decade.

c♜lyn dodgers (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 4 March 2009 17:42 (4 years ago) Permalink

i guess i could literally listen, but i don't want to

c♜lyn dodgers (Whiney G. Weingarten), Wednesday, 4 March 2009 17:42 (4 years ago) Permalink

also, that really sux about Chi Cheng...I hope he's okay.

they dont know bout us and theyve never heard of drugs (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 4 March 2009 17:43 (4 years ago) Permalink

white pony is great

Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 4 March 2009 17:45 (4 years ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

^^^^yup, great record

cozwn, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 16:02 (3 years ago) Permalink

indeed.

m the g, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 16:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

I don't think Whiney should pass up on Saturday Night Wrist if he digs White Pony so much.

Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Wednesday, 16 December 2009 21:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

I haven't knowingly heard anything this band has done, but I like to mispronounce their name as "Deft Ones."

Monophonic Spree (Paul in Santa Cruz), Wednesday, 16 December 2009 22:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah sat nite wrist is really good

jealous ones sb (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 16 December 2009 22:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

i always wrote this band off as lame and couldn't tell the difference b/w them and Korn without ever actually paying real attention to them. ILX was actually the first place I read that they might have more merit, and that was mainly from UK people, where I think their critical reputation is higher than in the US. sadly I tend to associate popularity in this musical format as hand-in-hand with suckitude. I was wrong, White Pony is pretty great.

akm, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 23:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

wrist is hella patchy. the s/t is underrated.

Simon H., Wednesday, 16 December 2009 23:42 (3 years ago) Permalink

pink maggit came up on shuffle today. holy balls what a track.

crazy shituations (cutty), Friday, 18 December 2009 15:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

what are other albums tht sound like this?

cozwn, Friday, 18 December 2009 15:34 (3 years ago) Permalink

I always thought the Deftones were an indie rock band, possibly new wave-ish (which is to say that I guess I don't really have a clue what they sound like, but that's what their name looks like).

_Rudipherous_, Friday, 18 December 2009 15:35 (3 years ago) Permalink

they were basically like the radiohead of nu metal i guess

jealous ones sb (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 18 December 2009 16:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

I love this song to pieces

Restless Genital Syndrome (HI DERE), Friday, 18 December 2009 16:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

cozwn, Saturday, 19 December 2009 11:55 (3 years ago) Permalink

I have fond memories of 'shove it'

=皿= (dyao), Saturday, 19 December 2009 11:59 (3 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

has anyone heard their latest, diamond eyes? i'm tempted to check it out, but i wanted to see if anyone else had first.

borntohula, Thursday, 25 March 2010 00:48 (3 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, it's really good. I like it better than either of the two before it.

neither good nor bad, just a kid like you (unperson), Thursday, 25 March 2010 01:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, after loving the first three, I was really let down by the last two. This one goes a long way toward winning me back.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 25 March 2010 02:38 (3 years ago) Permalink

Found the Team Sleep album at the Dollar Tree for - yep, you guessed it - a buck.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 25 March 2010 03:42 (3 years ago) Permalink

Diamond is fantastic; on my favs of the year so far. Basically splits the difference between S/T and Saturday Night Wrist.

Brian C, Thursday, 25 March 2010 17:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

*one of my.., that is

Brian C, Thursday, 25 March 2010 17:20 (3 years ago) Permalink

I'm not a huge fan of "overrated/underrated" discussions tbh but I think Deftones are simultaneously over and underrated, just by different populations.

My metalhead breathren were wont to dismiss them as Korn clones, which even when they did play a similar style, they definitely had their own personality. And less likely to check out albums like the s/t or White Pony.

However, being someone who liked both those albums, I can say that it never really went beyond a strong "like", not a "love". I think they do what they do well, but I've never heard anything of theirs that captivated me or took me to the next level.

So I guess I'm saying they're rated about right in my eyes.

Usain Bolt Cola (Cattle Grind), Thursday, 25 March 2010 23:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

I don't really think they sound that much like Korn...more like Pantera w/ Cure influences

don't let it rest on the President's desk (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 26 March 2010 13:25 (3 years ago) Permalink

Not that familiar with their stuff but I really enjoy the covers on their rarities comp

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Friday, 26 March 2010 14:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah i can't stop listening to this new album. not sure if i love it, but theres clearly something i like about it.

borntohula, Friday, 2 April 2010 21:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

so, has anyone else heard the new one?

ksh, Tuesday, 4 May 2010 00:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Heard 'Back to Skooooohoool' (sic) tonight. Fuck, if that isn't the worst song of all time then christ knows what could be.

PaulTMA, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 00:34 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah but Street Carp is probably one of the best songs ever written...

huge part of my obsolescence (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 01:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

Am I the only one with a soft spot for "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)"?

"Change (In the House of Flies)" is my favourite song from White Pony.

Sundar, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 01:55 (3 years ago) Permalink

"back to school" is indeed bad but it was an alternate version of one of their songs which was tacked onto a "re-release" of White Pony:

"Back to School (Mini Maggit)" was released as both a single and as an EP package; the single was released shortly before the EP.

Vocalist Chino Moreno: "This album right here [the White Pony re-release] is not the album that we turned into the label. As far as we're concerned, the first edition was the record. Done. Then they talked us into re-releasing it with another song on it, and it's not like I'm against the song or whatever, but I liked the sequence we had when we first turned it in. When this version came out, a little part inside all of us felt like: 'Fuck! We just totally compromised.' And I know that a lot of our fans felt bad about it too."[1]

(latebloomer) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:37 (3 years ago) Permalink

Am I the only one with a soft spot for "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)"

no way. that song is great!

borntohula, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 02:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

that's a good one but I like My Own Summer (Shove It) a little more

huge part of my obsolescence (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 03:20 (3 years ago) Permalink

i played guitar in a band in high school that covered deftones, metallica, etc... we played at our senior class party thing and opened with my own summer. i broke my low e string almost immediately :(

Billy Crystals (another al3x), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 03:52 (3 years ago) Permalink

i've heard the new album once, not enough of an opinion to cast judgment on it yet

regarding "white pony." if i've ever needed an album to remind me of where i was musically/emotionally that year as an upstate high-schooler involved only with what was heard on FM radio, that album is it

Bastards of Young Dro, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:09 (3 years ago) Permalink

"back to school" is indeed bad but it was an alternate version of one of their songs which was tacked onto a "re-release" of White Pony:

"Back to School (Mini Maggit)" was released as both a single and as an EP package; the single was released shortly before the EP.

Vocalist Chino Moreno: "This album right here [the White Pony re-release] is not the album that we turned into the label. As far as we're concerned, the first edition was the record. Done. Then they talked us into re-releasing it with another song on it, and it's not like I'm against the song or whatever, but I liked the sequence we had when we first turned it in. When this version came out, a little part inside all of us felt like: 'Fuck! We just totally compromised.' And I know that a lot of our fans felt bad about it too."[1]

― (latebloomer) (latebloomer)

That's such a fucking lame excuse. If they were truly awesome they wouldn't mind whatever song the label picked as a single. Stop creating music that makes you feel ashamed.

Moka, Wednesday, 19 May 2010 06:06 (3 years ago) Permalink

Chino's pretty good at coming across as a doofus in interviews...I also wish he wouldn't scream "Squeal like a pig!" throughout their cover of "Say It Ain't So."

huge part of my obsolescence (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 07:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

eh my point was that "back to school" is a dumb song to judge the band by

(latebloomer) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 08:42 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Stop creating music that makes you feel ashamed."

have you ever made music? sometimes shit doesn't turn out as great as you hoped.

(latebloomer) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 08:45 (3 years ago) Permalink

also it wasn't a song originally on the album, and the label tacked it on.

(latebloomer) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 08:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

don't know why i'm all cap'n save-a-tone today

(latebloomer) (latebloomer), Wednesday, 19 May 2010 08:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

So the bonus tracks include a Drive Like Jehu cover and a Japan cover. That works.

Ned Raggett, Thursday, 20 May 2010 16:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

man i should have thought about only writing super genius music, too late now

you better check that sausage before you put it in the rofl (M@tt He1ges0n), Thursday, 20 May 2010 16:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

Becky Facelift, Thursday, 20 May 2010 16:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

ILM/music critics aren't the world, but certainly in those worlds the Deftones are far from underrated. in fact, they seem to be the only nu-metal band in those worlds that gets positive mentions at all (which is interesting in itself).

since no-one gives a shit about nu-metal anymore, though, i guess in that sense they are underrated.

keine Macht für dich mehr! (Eisbaer), Sunday, 23 May 2010 14:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

actually, i see that their new record is selling pretty well so i guess they aren't "underrated" as far as the general public is concerned either.

keine Macht für dich mehr! (Eisbaer), Sunday, 23 May 2010 14:52 (3 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

That favorite albums list on the Quietus confirms that these guys, if anything, have impeccable taste.

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 24 November 2010 09:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

^^^was just coming here to post the same thing!
http://thequietus.com/articles/05329-deftones-chino-interview-favourite-records?page=1

Neil S, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 16:04 (2 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, great list. LOVE that he has that Hum record on there.

"I am a fairly respected poster." (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 24 November 2010 16:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

It's the main thing that's impressed me with meeting them all several times. A lot of bands pay lip service to having interesting taste in music but Deftones really know their shit. Chino and Frank (DJ) especially. They'll talk to you about Coldcut, Three Six Mafia, Slayer and Aphex Twin.

Super nice guys as well. Awful business with what happened to Chi. He is a gent, y'know.

Carl Jung Jeezy (Doran), Wednesday, 24 November 2010 16:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

Someone tell me about the Too $hort and Hum records, please- worth hearing?

Neil S, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 21:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

Sure didn't expect to see that Spain record there but that was pretty inspired. Good stuff indeed and one exception aside (go away Interpol) I'd happily give an ear to it all. Even Tortwah just because it's not Millions.

Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 21:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

The Spain record is great isn't it. Will have to seek a copy out, not heard it in years.

Neil S, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 21:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

this year's deftones album is very good I gotta say

acoleuthic, Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

i dunno, i like them alright - but this new one seemed to drag on for what seemed like forever. there's few very solid tracks - but overall i wasn't blown away.

got electrolytes (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:32 (2 years ago) Permalink

think the last few tracks are stronger than the first few tbh - the songs are pretty short, can get thru it easily

acoleuthic, Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

ya - when i say dragged on i just mean it seemed that way - alot of the tracks got really same-y sounding to me. i didn't mean anything was actually long.

got electrolytes (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

think this album dips a bit in the 8/9 position but then rly picks up again for the last 4 - mebbe w/o those 2 songs it'd be more palatable and wd even seem more varied - no biggie tho afaic

acoleuthic, Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

Never occurred to me in all these years that Deftones can be broken into Deft ones.

I can take a youtube that's seldom seen, flip it, now it's a meme (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 28 December 2010 20:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

lol

got electrolytes (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 28 December 2010 21:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

I made myself a Deftones comp once with that name. I thought it was pretty clever at the time.

Simon H., Tuesday, 28 December 2010 21:15 (2 years ago) Permalink

the new album is reasonably good, but the band does come dangerously close to tossing in a couple of half-baked re-recordings of songs from previous albums.

charlie h, Tuesday, 28 December 2010 21:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

two new songs are incredible

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 23:13 (8 months ago) Permalink

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 23:13 (8 months ago) Permalink

and "tempest," here: http://www.spin.com/articles/deftones-tempest-listen

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 23:14 (8 months ago) Permalink

Like both tunes. Chino's wailing quality vs the chugging guitars on "Leathers" gives me some very vague, but present, Converge vibes.

Simon H., Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:21 (8 months ago) Permalink

LOL there is a song on the new record called "goon squad"

Simon H., Saturday, 6 October 2012 02:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

koi no yokan leaked. only on the first song but so far it's AWESOME

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Saturday, 10 November 2012 01:08 (7 months ago) Permalink

ahhhhh this record RULES

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Saturday, 10 November 2012 01:40 (7 months ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

R.I.P. Chi Cheng

Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Sunday, 14 April 2013 08:31 (2 months ago) Permalink

dang, rip

乒乓, Sunday, 14 April 2013 16:31 (2 months ago) Permalink

god bless you all

markers, Sunday, 14 April 2013 17:14 (2 months ago) Permalink

Rip

Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 14 April 2013 17:34 (2 months ago) Permalink

didn't even know about the accident or his condition. so sad.

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 15 April 2013 00:05 (2 months ago) Permalink

Totally sad. He might have been my favorite. R.I.P.

Drugs A. Money, Monday, 15 April 2013 06:01 (2 months ago) Permalink

The only things I know about Deftones are that lots of ilxors seem to think they're pretty good and that once I received this promo sticker in a bag with my purchase from a local record store.

how's life, Monday, 15 April 2013 16:37 (2 months ago) Permalink

just from various band promos/interviews that I had read from a decade ago, Chi was kind of what I figured I would've been like had I joined one of the metal bands around here and they'd hit it big: quiet and affable, and just constantly having his nose in a book. I'd read somewhere that he'd been working on a novel...I have no idea if he'd ever finished it or if anything had come of it, but I always thought that was cool...

Drugs A. Money, Monday, 15 April 2013 18:15 (2 months ago) Permalink

or, on second thought, maybe not what I thought I wouldve been like, but more what I would've wanted to have been like...I have been in a band before and even at the local level, the whole self-aggrandizing 'rock and roll dream' schtick gets really thick, so opting to be off in a corner reading in the face of all this seems like a very good look to me

xp to hows life: if you're interested in getting into the deft ones I would probably start out with White Pony, followed quickly by Around the Fur...White Pony is def loaded up with great moody goth pop, whereas Around the Fur, which is just before it, has more of a metal vibe. Lots of great tracks on their first one, Adrenaline too: Bored, Root, Engine No. 9. Lots of ppl rep for their last two, and they're dece, but Adrenaline/Around the Fur/White Pony are def canon.

Don't know much about the s/t or Saturday Night Wrist; I've heard lots of mixed reactions to Saturday Night Wrist. I should probably check it out

Drugs A. Money, Monday, 15 April 2013 18:19 (2 months ago) Permalink

saturday night wrist is awesome, every song seems on the point of overflow

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 15 April 2013 18:26 (2 months ago) Permalink

Only just saw the news. A damn shame.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 April 2013 22:27 (2 months ago) Permalink

I didn't really take to Saturday Night Wrist... my favourites are the first one and White Pony.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Monday, 15 April 2013 23:16 (2 months ago) Permalink

I quite like Saturday but tbh for me Deftones is one of these bands where having one of their album is enough.

licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 16 April 2013 07:46 (2 months ago) Permalink


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