Deftones tease “White Pony” Remix Album – “Black Stallion”


As we previously reported, Deftones announced a few months back that they will release a remix album of their legendary third album White Pony (Maverik), Black Stallion when the former album is reissued later in 2020 for its 20th anniversary. The band has now shared a teaser of the release, said to be an EP. White Pony will be released as it was intended, in a new tracklisting. The news was shared first by ThePrp.com. The band released their new album Ohms last month via Reprise Records. Read our review here.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Deftones – Ohms


“Deftones 2020” would be quite the fitting campaign slogan this year. Faced with frightening realities, unexpected downs, and challenging changes, Deftones have swooped in to provide a sonic escape and maybe even a ray of hope in a time that has been plagued by a series of unfortunate events. Though President Chino Moreno may seem like a stretch (for now), Deftones have spun these unforeseen circumstances and unprecedented experiences into something fans can hold onto during this period of struggle: the highly-anticipated LP, Ohms, due out September 25th (Warner Records). 2020 is also a hallmark year in the Sacramento-born band’s career, as they celebrate 25 years since dropping their searing debut Adrenaline, 20 years since releasing their incomparable album White Pony, 10 years since unveiling their emotive and piercing record Diamond Eyes, and one presidential term since gracing fans with their eighth studio album Gore. Now, vocalist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham, programmer Frank Delgado, and bassist Sergio Vega welcome Ohms, 10 tracks of heavy and reflective material that mirror the emotional distress of the pandemic and lockdown, the political power struggle that the world is witnessing, and the internal conflicts many are facing.Continue reading


Deftones Reveal More of New Album Title, Artwork, and First Tease of Music


In a story we have been following, Deftones have shared more clues for their new album, reportedly (over at Metalsucks) titled Ohms, and will be released on September 25th via Reprise Records. The band is due to release both a brand new album and a 20th-anniversary edition and a remix album of their classic White Pony, dubbed Black Pony. The band leaked out clues like a treasure hunt for their new artwork, which you can see below started doing press this week (where the titled was shared) and now a stream of a sample of the title track and the tracklist all on Apple Music. The artwork kind of looks like the end of the “When Doves Cry” video, by Prince! Check it out!

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Deftones Tease New Album On Social Media, New Mailing List


As reported by our pals over at MetalInsider.net, Deftones have begun a cryptic tease for their new album due this fall. The band is due to release both a brand new album and a 20th-anniversary edition and remix album of their classic White Pony, dubbed Black Pony, which this may very well be. All of their social headers and profile images have gone “black” and they shared a new email sign up on their website that has a hint of their new album artwork. As MI speculated, the web address for the signup has deftones0925 in it, perhaps meaning that new Deftones music is imminent and the album may drop September 25th. The band has said recently in interviews the album was completed earlier in the year and they were hoping for a summer release but delayed to this fall. The band was also been announced for Download 2021 in the UK next summer.

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Deftones to Release “White Pony” Remix Album – “Black Stallion”


 

Deftones today announced they will release a remix album of their legendary third album White Pony (Maverik), Black Stallion when the former album is reissued later in 2020 for its 20th anniversary. The news was broken by the band and Loudwire.com.

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CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Deftones Released “Diamond Eyes” Ten Years Ago


Deftones, even at their best, have been a band of dichotomies. That is what makes them a special band in the history of heavy music: opposing forces pulling and pushing them apart and back again. They may have been coming apart at the seams in the run-up to making Diamond Eyes (Reprise), and you couldn’t blame them. If you follow the band closely, you know the history. The band was nearly done tracking their highly anticipated album Eros in the fall of 2008, when founding bassist Chi Cheng was in a car wreck, on his way home from a funeral. Chi was left in a vegetative state, and the band was in shock. As Chi fought for his life (he passed in 2013, RIP), the band was left wondering what to do. They wanted to make music, but the experience with their best friend caused them to shelve Eros, never to be heard (almost never). When they came back together, the results were unexpected and wild. Continue reading


Deftones Chino Moreno Unsure The Band Will Meet Its Goal of a Summer 2020 Release


In a new interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music, Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno chatted for a brief interview “At Home With” playlist. Chino talked about the forthcoming Deftones album, the 10th anniversary of Diamond Eyes, working with longtime producer Terry Date, how the band has stayed together so long and overcome hardships, his approach to vocals, making music every day, and the possibility of re-releasing White Pony. Specifically, Chino cast some doubt on the bands’ new album seeing a summer release without being able to tour behind it. He said the band are “figuring that out now”, in an interview transcribed by Blabbernmouth.net. Continue reading


Limp Bizkit – Significant Other Revisited


I’m twelve years old and watching MTV at Jennifer Mones’ house. I’m trying my best attempt at humor and charm, but a boy can only do so much while sporting a bootleg Chicago Bulls jersey. I’m crushing hard on her and failing but at the eleventh hour, this fucking music starts blaring in the background. I turn around to notice some outfit called Limp Bizkit has a video playing for a track titled ‘Nookie.’ I haven’t heard anything this remotely heavy ever. Suddenly my raging hormones and Jennifer had taken a back seat to ‘Nookie’ and whatever else was to be found on this Significant Other (Interscope).Continue reading


Deftones’ Around The Fur Turns 20 Years Old



Get in your way-back machine and set the dials for 1997. People back then had big 1990s optimism and even bigger pants (JNCOs). James Cameron’s Titanic was dominating the box office, and sadly two iconic women, Mother Teresa and Princess Diana died. Scotland cloned a sheep named Dolly, and the first of the Harry Potter novels was published. And a band from Sacramento, CA put out their second album. Of course, we mean Deftones and Around The Fur (Maverick). Not just any sophomore effort, the album would be a stylistic left turn for the band that was on the forefront of Nu Metal just a few years earlier. A classification the band would come to shun and remove themselves from over future releases.Continue reading


Deftones – Gore


deftones gore albumcover news ghostcultmag

One of the most anticipated albums of 2016 is here with Deftones long awaited eighth album, Gore (Reprise). While much has been made in the press by the band themselves of the growing division of styles and tastes between core members Chino Moreno and Stephen Carpenter, the reality is the band has always thrived on challenging themselves musically. Continuing the arc the band started with 2010’s Diamond Eyes and followed to a logical next step with 2012’s Koi No Yokan (both Reprise), musically they continue to flow back in more of the aggro-heaviness that made them shine early in their career. Meanwhile crafting sweet, dreamy shoe-gaze inspired jams takes equal footing without giving any ground. The blend of the two styles is magical most of the time. If there is any disharmony in the ranks, it doesn’t show in these beautifully crafted tracks. In fact, this is music that screams out “let’s get making with the love! Oooh yeah!”

Lead off track ‘Prayers/Triangles’ could be straight off of the White Pony album. The track has a persistent beat and is not overly heavy, but works well. A hypnotic, multi-layered vocal track from Moreno hits home, as few vocalists in modern music can make you feel what he wants you to in an instant. Considering his penchant for obtuse and poetic lyrics, this is quite a feat.

Much heavier and slower, ‘Acid Hologram’ creeps in with massive riffs and subtle melodies. Turntablist/programmer Frank Delgado adds a lot of sonic heft here as well. When the song pivots toward the end and steps up the sonic urgency, it is one of the best moments on Gore.

‘Doomed User’ is another top track out of the gate. Chopping riffs and that patented super-tight Abe Cunningham beat bring it home. I can’t wait to hear this one performed live. Similarly ‘Geometric Headress’ kicks in with a tribal beat, but has a very different feel by the end, almost a proggy, Tool-flavored affair track Chino’s lovely crooning coming in between periods of yelps of dismay.

‘Hearts/Wires’ finds them exploring their Joy Division jones before the epic chorus kicks in. In terms of dynamic interplay and lyrics, this is easily the best track on Gore.

 

 

One standout thing about the last few Deftones releases are the contributions of bassist Sergio Vega. Long past is the time when he was standing in for the late Chi Cheng, and is now a full-fledged, weight-bearing member. Cheng himself was a dynamic writing force on early Deftones albums. Vega has more than picked up that mantle now. Beyond putting his unique stamp on the songs, Vega pushes and pulls the tracks as well now too.

Tracks like ‘Pittura Infamante’ and ‘Xenon’ will call to mind the Around the Fur days of the band, which was the moment they killed off the nu-metal of their youth and became something much more deep and interesting as a band.

If this band made power-ballads in the traditional sense, ‘L(Mirl)’ would be the closest thing to one. Not at all typical, but an easy to digest track that grooves along. Switching it up, the title track comes next and it is like a DNA strand of the bands history. A little metal, a little gaze, and a lot of brilliant.

‘Phantom Bride’ is another standout deep cut. It’s as gorgeous as it is harrowing on the senses. It’s the most “Chino sounding” track here, but isn’t so way out that it sounds out of place. It also has a stellar guest performance from Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains adding some slick lead guitar and his trademark harmonized licks. I kind of wished the ending riff of the track would have gone on for a while longer, but it’s pretty satisfying still. ‘Rubicon’ is the album closer, but it has the energy of an opening track. A soaring, emotive song full of chaos and sadness all at once.
Deftones band 2016 Gore photo credit Frank Maddocks ghostcultmag

The hallmark of all the great bands is they continue to grow gradually across many albums and ages, without over-shooting when it comes to experimentation. This band remains unique in that they always sound like themselves, even when incorporating new influences and themes. Deftones remain the same, but spreading outward like a glacier. Solitary, beautiful, cold, and unstoppable.

9.0/10

KEITH CHACHKES

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