DEFTONES REFUSE TO RUST ON THEIR NEW RECORD ‘PRIVATE MUSIC’
ALBUM REVIEW | DEFTONES – PRIVATE MUSIC by Isobel O’Mahony
Since the early 90s Deftones have kept their genre bending, alternative sound alive and relevant, always keeping with the times but never losing their touch. New record Private Music is the first studio album from the band since 2020, and since longtime bassist Sergio Vega departed, but could be their loudest and most them album for a long time. Frontman Chino Moreno‘s voice refuses to rust and musically, the production is strong as ever. Strong and important societal themes run rivers around heavy bass, drum and guitar, muting the brain with intense, transcendent loudness. This is 2020’s Ohms on steroids.
The first four tracks are straight mastered violence, first song “My Mind Is A Mountain” showering you with noise, a storm of guitars and cymbals crashing. The tracks are pessimistic but reflective, lyrics are comments on society and personal looks into the soul. They are uniquely and solely Deftones.
On third tune “Ecdysis”, drummer Abe Cunnigham’s talent takes centre stage with the drums carrying eerie echoes and vocal flips on crashing waves. There’s an incredible finish of bass drums and cymbals, reminiscent of but never repeating previous song “Locked Out”. “Infinte Source” serves as a reminder of Moreno’s signature breathy voice and the seductive rock sound the band continue to master. Production is greater than ever, but it comes so naturally to the record, this track’s showstopping ending a clear indication of how far Deftones have come.
This record, like all great albums, takes twists and turns that whilst you don’t see coming, don’t shock the system either. “Souvenir” has a soft opening but builds tension, eventually releasing into a track that loses your mind. Whilst your head is describing lyrics that talk of drifting into space, your soul starts to rise before crashing with the drums in the chorus. This record turns your brain off like it’s the first heavy record you listened to. The later song “I Think About You All The Time” was a twist I loved. It’s a sadly strummed, refractive, not reflective story of heartbreak that suddenly breaks and hurls a beautiful facade into darkness.
There are many moments that forgive my pretentious listening and just shut off my brain. “CXZ” and “Cut Hands” overstimulate the senses with noise, carried through artful drum and bass that had me forgetting how in the hell this album even started. “Milk of the Madonna” and “Metal Dream” similarly have you trapped, gut crushed in discordant sound and again, Moreno’s impeccable and unchanged voice.
The lyrics throughout the album are pure poetry like most metal lyrics seem to be, vulnerable moments hidden behind deafening instrumentals. The final song “Departing The Body” sums up the record as distorted. We run through phones ringing, low register vocals, high and low sounds that fade into the abyss.
Private Music makes me jealous. Jealous of all the younger generations who get to call this gem of a project their Deftones awakening. This record is thoroughly constructed, flows like a dream and is too good for our time. If this was the band’s final hurrah, I would be happy, but I sincerely hope that it’s not.
