I'll admit that I'm a big Deftones fan. The first 3 albums rocked my world and propelled the Deftones into my top 5 fave bands. But then the self-titled album came along. It bored me. "Saturday Night Wrist", despite some highlights, didn't do all that much to catch my attention. I lost interest. Thus I went into "Diamond Eyes" with some trepidation.
The trepidation was unjustified. They're back on form.
This album is classic Deftones circa "Around The Fur" and "White Pony". Brutal yet melodic, dark yet beautiful, the album enthrals you from the get go. Abe Cunningham has taken a leaf out of John Stanier's book (Helmet, Tomahawk, The Mark Of Cain) and slams the drums within an inch of their life. Stephen Carpenter's guitar crunches and grooves and produces some of the most stunning hooks of his career. Chino Moreno's vocals have been a big reason for my losing interest in the past couple of albums but he's back to his best here - pure emotion
pours out of his throat.
Of course, if you haven't heard, they are without long time bassist Chi Cheng after a major car accident in November 2008 left him in a coma. Sergio Vega (Quicksand) fills in and does an admirable job, but he doesn't quite have the same "Oomph" that Chi does.
Overall, "Diamond Eyes" isn't a classic but it's a real return to form for the Deftones and a must listen for any heavy music fan.
Highlights: "Rocket Skates", "Beauty School", "Sextape"
Rating: 3.5 spuds out of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment