"Deftones" by Deftones
If Radiohead listened to more Black Sabbath, I have a feeling that they might sound like Deftones. I've been listening to the first track "Hexagram" on their newest release, the self-titled "Deftones" (amazingly it took them fifteen years and three other albums to get to their self-titled album).
"Hexagram" opens with an extraordinary mix of clean/distorted guitar backed by synth strings. Chi Moreno wails away after the four bar opening. "Paint the streets in WHIIIIIIIIIITE!" he screams. The entire song is an ecstatic howl of pain or pleasure, I can't tell. In the chorus he chants frantically, "worship, plaaaay, PLAAAY! worship, PLAAAAAY" over and over again. Guitars rumble and drums smash away in complex and intricate time signature changes. It's an extraordinary musical texture.
"Minerva", track 3 of the album, soars with an absolute, breathtaking beauty. It's a love song, with rhythm section by Kyuss and vocals by My Bloody Valentine. "I get all...numb / when she sings it's over." On the last syllable of "over," Moreno hits an E that painfully contrasts with the E# of the C# Major chord underneath. Probably unintentional, but a stroke of brilliance.
I haven't listened carefully enough to the whole album yet, but there are scattered indie and alt. rock touches as well as screamo vocals that Heroin and Angel Hair would be proud of, all handled with aplomb, sensitivity and a real beauty. Who ever said nu-metal was bad?
Jeez, what else can I say? Go listen to this thing.
Added: Monday, November 14, 2005
Reviewer: Bastion
Score: 
hits: 10408
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