Deftones

[leatherface]

A band I mistakenly lumped in with the 'NU metal' scene all those years ago but they were clearly apart. Listened to 'White Pony' today for the first time in years and  I don't think they ever topped it personally.  What are your favourite Deftones albums ? Never saw them in concert so don't know how they are live.

[astfgyl]

I love Deftones. Best album for me is the self titled, but White Pony gives it a run for its money. Self titled is just so heavy and so miserable and it is a real grower.

[leatherface]

I love the self titled too but 'Elite' and 'Korea' off 'White Pony' are just amazing. Honorable mention to 'Be Quiet and Drive' from 'Around the Fur' also.

[The Butcher]

Saw them in the Ambassador back in 2006 and they were class.

Great last year as well, probably improved vocal wise too despite being 11 years later. They started off the set with Korea onto Elite 

Last album 'Gore' the quality dipped for me. Diamond Eyes and Saturday Night Wrist are definitely up there with White Pony & Self Titled. First 2 albums have their moments but more part of the nu metal tag they had in the 90s.

[ochoill]

Love them.  Would consider White Pony, Diamond Eyes, and the self titled to be essential.  Barely a bad track between them, absolutely savage albums.  Very fond of all the rest of their stuff too but find Saturday Night Wrist and Adrenaline to be their weakest - excluding the b-sides album.  Not that they're bad mind, just lowest on my list for them.

Seen then on the Gore and Diamond Eyes tours and thought they were savage both times.  Heard mixed reports of other gigs but wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see them in Ireland at least.

[Cryptic Stench]

Don't think they've ever dropped an out and out clanger but Adrenaline is the one I play least these days. Aged pretty badly. Managed to see them on the Around The Fur Tour in the SFX, amazing gig.

[Pentagrimes]

Yeah that gig was beast. Love them overall but the last one is a bit of a stinker

[Mags]

Will never get sick of Deftones. Last album had some filler but some great tracks too. I actually wished they played some more of the newer cuts at their last gig here. White Pony was a very formative album for me in my teens.  Change (In The House of Flies) is so deliciously dreary. Diamond Eyes and Koi No Yokan are beasts too out of the newer ones.

[astfgyl]

Was at the SFX back in the day and at the Ambassador gig as well. Both great nights but I nearly ruined the Ambassador gig for myself smoking the Spice right before it. That stuff is rotten. Did any of ye listen to the Team Sleep Woodstock Sessions?

I have high hopes for the follow up to Gore as from what I see, fan reaction is divisive at best and the band themselves don't seem delighted with it. They aren't really playing anything off it live lately. I saw a comment on another forum which said "it's too Chino", which pretty fairly sums it up. He has said himself he wants to go back to the basic idea of a Deftones album where himself and Stephen do the songwriting together from the beginning.

[Caomhaoin]

Brilliant band, and not a dud in the back catalogue.

That being said, the first time I saw the back to school video my jaw dropped at that absolute dogshit of a track. The auld lad was in the room and couldn't hide his glee at my incredulity, 'jaysus that's a song and a half lad'

[Ollkiller]

Savage band. Mad into them as a young fella and saw them at reading 2000 on the white pony tour. Just lethal live. Love everything up to white pony. Koi Yokan is a beast of an album. The ones between pony and koi are good but not on the same level. Latest I do not like at all.

[astfgyl]

Brilliant band, and not a dud in the back catalogue.

That being said, the first time I saw the back to school video my jaw dropped at that absolute dogshit of a track. The auld lad was in the room and couldn't hide his glee at my incredulity, 'jaysus that's a song and a half lad'

Yeah it is a fair shit song but I've recently begun to think of it as a sort of parody of Nu Metal. Sort of a case of "we can make this shite in our sleep, back to school with ye".

But it is still shit.

[Cryptic Stench]

I think that was the idea. They were asked for a hit and they delivered white pony. I recall Chino mentioning they did it to prove to the label how easy it is then got back to business

[Eoin McLove]

I don't get the buzz with them at all. I really liked Adrenaline when it came out but I found the direction they went in on Around the Fur to be a bit disappointing.  A few good songs but it seemed to lack the energy and rawness of the debut.  Saw them in the SFX and it was fun but not amazing by any stretch,  compared to other gigs from that era (Machine Head and Type O spring to mind). I picked up White Pony after reading a glowing review of it in Terrorizer- I'd since started getting more interested in underground stuff and was really surprised to see them in that mag.  I expected to be really impressed but found the album quite dull and one dimensional.  The odd song I have listened to here and there since then have all been in the same Around the Fur bland mould. It baffles me why people find them so exciting.  It sounds like they have been sticking rigidly to a safe formula for most of their career.

[Cryptic Stench]

Categorically disagree. Largely been a different vibe between records, off the top of my head Diamond Eyes even sonically speaking sounds different with the use of 8 string guitars etc.

Don't get the one dimensional criticism of White Pony either, fair enough not liking it but the breath of influence has perhaps not been rivaled since on any Deftones album, there's a few tracks like Elite that stick to the template but I hear the Cure, Depeche Mode, Tool In there, Trip Hop etc etc. Vocally and lyrically presented with many styles themes too.