DEFTONES | SELF-TITLED | 12" LP VINYL RECORD

$

75

Artist: Deftones Album: Deftones Chino Moreno - Vocals Chi Ching - Bass Stephen Carpenter - Guitar Abe Cunningham - Drums Frank Delgado - Turntables
Released: 2003 (Maverick)
After a year and a half of extensive touring and the decleration of the bands third record 'White Pony' going platinum the Deftones should have been taking a long break. Instead they took two months off then headed back to the studio to record the fourth self titled album 'Deftones'.
'Deftones' see's the band return to the heavier 'Around The Fur' style after the light and experimental 'White Pony'. Not that this album is a carbon copy of 'Around The Fur'. The songs of the album are all unique and have their own original sound.
Chino's lyrics in this album are probably some of his best. They in alot of songs are still incredibly open to interpretation and it's up to the listener to put the lyrics into their own context but some songs have a pretty straight forward message. 'Minevera' the albums first single is a thankyou to the fans. "So god bless you all for the song, you saved us" Chino sings in the chorus. 'Hexagram' is a political statement about the wars in Iraq and Afghanastan. "Paint the streets in white, Death is the standard. Breach for a complex prize!" Chino sings about the war and "I think it's sweet of you And your parents are proud..." about George W Bush. Overall the lyrics are pretty good and they get you thinking which always a sign of good lyrics.
The musicianship in the album has taken a leap forward from 'White Pony'. Chi is really utilising his bass on this album. 'Deathblow' has some pretty good bass playing and he can still work well with Abe to create those thunder type sounding chorus's where the bass is just pounding out. Abe really extends his drumming on this album. Alot more variety in his style and it makes the album sound more interesting. The only part where the musicianship has decreased a bit is in the guitar. It seems in too many songs it's simply just distorded guitar with some clean chords. However Stephan still can pull out a huge sounding chorus and knows how to use his distortion. Franks touch is one that you really need to listen out for. He uses suttlety in his scratching and creates atmosphere opposed to most other DJs in the nu-metal scene. Finaly Chinos vocals are pretty good here. They don't experience the same range as they did on 'White Pony' but he can still go from a rowling scream to melodic singing as shown on 'Hexagram'.
To show the album isn't plain hardcore there are some still soft and experimental moments. 'Lucky You' is synth driven in most of it's melody and doesn't feature any distorded guitar at all. It's a track which could have been put on 'White Pony' almost and Chino makes it great with the singing in the chorus. 'Anniversary Of An Uninteresting Event' is like the 'Be Quiet And Drive' of this album. The song is the albums slowest and most melodic. It pays off. The emotion in Chinos vocals is conveyed really well and the track works well.
'Minerva', 'Moana' and 'Deathblow' are halfway tracks. They have a hardcore edge but are somewhat soft aswell. 'Deathblow' is an almost pretty song and it shows the Deftones ability to alternate their style. The albums hardest track 'When Girls Telephone Boys' is one of the best. It's 4 and a half minutes of the Deftones at their hardest. Chino screams, howls and sings and does it perfectely. 'Good Morning Beautiful' has the catchiest chorus on the entire album. "You should wake up, before the wrath comes" Chino sings and the guitar goes perfectely with the vocals. 'Hexagram' is a standout track. It goes from a softer melodic verse to a hardcore chorus. The final track 'Moana' has one of the best intro's i've ever heard by the Deftones. The track opens with clean minor chords with a small guitar riff coming in every few seconds. It builds up the tension and it keeps building then it explodes. The song is a great way to end the album and catches the mood of the album just right.
Listning to this album is like a drug trip. It has huge highs then sudden lows. It's an emotional piece of work and it has such a truely unique sound. It puts the Deftones at the top of their game. The musicianship works really well with Chinos vocals and the album just has the proper sound. All the movements from tracks are done well and that is what makes this album give you such a trip. Filled with standout songs 'When Girls Telephone Boys', 'Hexagram', 'Good Morning Beautiful', 'Anniversary Of An Uninteresting Event' and 'Moana' it's an album which is well worth the price.