Deftones
““White Pony””
(Maverick)
Deftones are truly perfecting their command of unsuspecting moody whispers that somehow transfer into such tormented scraping screams and crushing wall of guitar, the formula seems unworkable. Yet as the band progresses from a sound so distinct, the Deftones have evolved into an entity of singularity that other bands will be charged of ripping of the Deftones sound. White Pony, the bands third full length, one of the most anticipated albums of this summer meets the expectations and blows past them often. While the heart of their sound is still intact (razor guitars and vocals that can both emote softly, as well as scar with some volume and a penchant for well, being melodically enraged) the band has pushed the edges of their range out enough to realize they are moving forward. “Elite” wraps itself around a slightly off timed electric dub percussion tip and teasing bass line with a really warm effect on it before the caress of the big slow chorus wanders in (and in Deftones signature, etch out the vocals with some static laced distortion so even the whispers sound abrasive). Then comes the uncharacteristic “Teenager” which mostly amounts to singer Chino gives his best breathy soft voice atop a very minimal and dare I say, trance feel of the rhythm of percussion and small effects. It’s a different side but is a most creative endeavor. “Knife Prty” swims along with the same passion of their single, “be quiet and drive (far away) from previous effort, “Around the Fur”. Some banshee screaming effects in the breakdown create a dramatic background. Deftones at their melodic best. And for a great eye opener, Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) lends his commanding presence to “passenger” making this track shine amongst some already blinding lights. (This is supposed to be an enhanced CD with extra stuff for your computer, but my disk had a fault, as it would consistently freeze up my computer during its intro. Very frustrating and thumbs down on the Deftones computer team).
