There are kids in 2025 who are going to hear Deftones’ sound for the first time, and I’m kinda jealous, they have it good.
The guys from Sacramento released their tenth studio album private music, this Friday, and it’s pretty much all you could have asked for. To be honest, I could stop this review right here with these words, but what fun would that be?
Deftones have been around for a long time. You might have heard of them, or you might have heard of them. You read that right. I’m not sure I’ve ever met any music fan who wasn’t familiar with the name Deftones, even if they never gave them a listen. And that’s quite a feat, really, for a band that managed to stay discreet and mostly off social media. I’d say that’s probably because they are that good. They endured and passed the test of time in a way very few could.
So after so long, did they avoid the real danger of falling into the legacy act category?
Damn right, they did. This new album is living proof of that and definitely shows that the creativity stream is still strong with our founding fathers of nu metal.
The album opens with my mind is a mountain which delivers that one message – Deftones are back. You’re hit right away by that distinctive sound and unique touch that makes you know it’s them even before Chino’s vocals come to sweep you off your feet.
Ecdysis made me stop in my tracks and sent me back to a place I had not visited for a long time. A place I thought I knew and yet was not entirely familiar. Like an early 90s mesh woven with a fresh modernity.
And that’s the thing. You’ll definitely hear that classic Deftones sound throughout the album, like a timeless elegance they’re so good at, but you can feel the hints of new touches here and there too.
Some might call it an experiment of sorts, but I like the idea of a partial reinvention better, for that maybe helps them win the biggest challenge of the days we’re living in. And that is, staying true to themselves and their sound DNA while allowing space to pique the curiosity of a larger audience – and infinite source perfectly captures this sentiment.
Talking about feelings, souvenir will definitely remind you that heavy music doesn’t mean soulless, and the emotions it can spur are all the more powerful. An overwhelming sound with the potential to drown you in your own tears – and if that’s not enough, that outro alone will hit the nail in the coffin of your preconceptions.
And they must know it’s that song leading with that seamless transition to cXz like an apparent soft pat on the back – when they’re actually just gonna hit you again. Hard. That sound that feels both menacing and dreamy at the same time. I’m not sure how they achieve that effect, but it’s definitely Deftones right there.
At this point, you’re just craving for more, like the musical junkie you are, and some might not get why i think about you all the time comes next, for it is not the buildup you were expecting. Remember who you’re listening to, they just opted for the best kind – the emotional one.
Those languishing guitars seem to speak more words than the lyrics themselves and bring you to a state of transcendence of sorts.
The moment you hit Milk of the madonna there is no more escape and nowhere to hide. What a song. The rhythm section entices you, and that guitar hook makes sure you won’t turn the other way. The decision to release this song as a single was a true stroke of genius because it owns you from the very first listen.
Cut hands is definitely that one slap in the face on the album. Again, a sound you may know and relate to, and if you’re not sure about it, that head banging? That’s muscle memory, people. And there comes Chino, bringing those angelic vocals out of nowhere like a paradoxical fuel to the screaming fire. The forever duality of this band summed up in one song – part comfort, part assault, like the yin and the yang.
Side note: this man doesn’t sound like he aged a day, it’s baffling.
The recurring theme of dreaming and out-of-body experiences brings you to that atmospheric closer song that is nothing less than a 5 minute 59 journey that will make you feel like you’re actually floating. And that makes departing the body the perfect closer for this work of art that definitely won’t stay private much longer.
The pristine production throughout the album is freaking amazing. Everything has such a polished sound and a seamless listening experience that it enhances the whole experience. And that’s also what you want from your music.
But here’s the paradox and another win for Deftones. That smoothness underlines how much is actually going on under the surface. It’s gonna take a lot more than one listen to uncover it all and soak in all the layers. Almost feels like if you could touch these songs physically, they’d feel rough to the touch under the apparent suavity of this production – music vs music. The one you hear isn’t necessarily the one you feel or something like that. That’s definitely the mark of a great album.
That’s also how you make music accessible to a larger audience – loads to find, loads to relate to, loads to love.
There were days when you knew you could be friends with someone when you’d see that White Pony CD lying around in a messy teen room. I’ve got a feeling that private music showing up on your stats will have the same effect.
Different times, same feeling.
10/10 timeless albums. That’s Deftones for you.
Maybe it’s your cue to finally learn more than just a name.
