Almost four decades into their career, Deftones might be as big as they’ve ever been. Sure, they were hitmakers of the CD era, but these days they’re selling out Madison Square Garden, running their own highly successful (and surprisingly well-programmed) music festival, and — most importantly? — they’re massive on TikTok. Despite all of the buzz, though, the band has taken its sweet time dropping new music. The period of dormancy has finally reached its end, however, as fans new and old can now enjoy Deftones’ brand-spankin’ new album private music. Was it worth the wait?
At first, it was a little hard to tell. It had been over five years since the release of the alternative metal band’s last record, Ohms, and once they did finally share something new, lead single “my mind is a mountain,” it was a song that was more than 30 seconds shorter than the shortest song on Ohms. It banged and raged and writhed in classic Deftones fashion, at least when the gang is in metal mode, but the track’s brevity felt slightly unsatisfying after such a long wait. It was an enjoyable, if overpriced, appetizer that inspired both feelings of excitement and apprehension about the main course.
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Fortunately, private music is Deftones comfort food. Throughout the record’s 11 cuts, the band pulls out all of their most beloved sonic tricks, all while delivering them with enough new ideas and impassioned performances to keep things feeling fresh. Put all together, the act seems to have a keen understanding of what has made them one of the most beloved, influential bands of the current moment, as well as how to tweak their various formulas to appease just about everyone.
Their first target demographic? As hinted by the “my mind is a mountain” and “milk of the madonna,” the only other pre-album single, it’s the head-bangers. With up-beat tempos, massive drums, and down-tuned riffs/chugs, the pair of tracks are undeniable barn-burners that call back to their Around the Fur fury. It’s a tone they employed quite successfully on Ohms, contributing to that release’s warm reception as something of a return to form, and it’s encouraging to know they’ve managed to keep that momentum alive.
After a darkwave intro, “ecdysis” brings the heaviness as well, complete with an absolutely killer, driving bassline and guitar work that borders on thrash. Then there are cuts like “locked club,” “cut hands,” and “~metal dream,” which find Deftones returning to their nu-metal roots. The former propels itself with a riff made of little more than two nasty bent notes and a soaring pop chorus. The latter two employ similar tactics, while also having the added bonus of frontman Chino Moreno full-on rapping again and “cut hands” ending in a hardcore-style breakdown that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Knocked Loose record.
For a portion of sick, twisted Deftones fans (complimentary), news of the band proudly embracing nu-metal signifiers will come as a welcome treat. After all, between new bands like Silly Goose carrying the torch and non-metal acts borrowing some of the genre’s sounds, nu-metal has unexpectedly bounced back from its former reputation as embarrassing music from an embarrassing time in pop culture.
