Deftones have finally made their return to the rock scene with their new album, “private music.”
“private music” marks the band’s 10th studio album and the release of new music for the first time in five years. Their fanbase has grown exponentially due to their virality on the social media platform TikTok. New fans, who are mainly Generation Z, have been eagerly waiting for the new material.
The album opens with one of the lead singles, “my mind is a mountain.” The single managed to earn the band their first number one hit, and it marks a powerful start to the album with sounds familiar to “Koi No Yokan,” specifically their highly beloved song, “Rosemary.”
“infinite source” is another highlight and perhaps one of the best songs in the band’s entire catalog. Lyrically, it is one of their most beautiful songs, and the meaning behind the song ranges from the band’s farewell to Chino Moreno talking about his sobriety. As a non-single, it is a significant track that could become another standout hit for the album.
As the longest song on the album, “souvenir” is an interesting track with most of Moreno’s higher vocals along a rougher track. However, what makes it different from the rest is the calming outro that plays into “cXz.”
Marking the halfway point of the album, “cXz” is a nice bridge connecting the first half of the album to the second half. It’s a track that is easily overlooked on the album but an underrated gem. It’s another nostalgic piece, with a sound similar to what has been heard on “Saturday Night Wrist.”
The second single from the album, “milk of the madonna,” is similar to its previous single in terms of its sound. However, it’s a new approach for the band, as the lyrics signify a spiritual force in the song. While done in the band’s typical style, its sound has a different tone to it, leaning more towards a pop punk edge.
“~metal dream” comes towards the end of the album, but it is a dreamlike and rebellious track despite being one of the shortest. It fits in its placement on the album as the second to last track, signifying the end of the album is near and welcomes “departing the body” as the finale.
A personal favorite of mine in the whole album is “i think about you all the time,” which is a bit of a calm before the storm that is “milk of the madonna.” It’s like a love ballad, the lyrics clearly directed to someone you can’t get out of your mind.
Overall, “private music” is a nostalgic but fresh album where Deftones pays homage to its nu metal origins, and will possibly continue leading its revival. While it’s something bigger for the newer fans, it is also enough for older fans to enjoy.
The band may be in the running for a Grammy nomination this year. They were previously nominated for Best Metal Performance, winning one of their four nominations. Hopefully this time, we see “private music” nominated for Best Rock Album.
