Deftones is an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California… Read Full Bio ↴Deftones is an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, formed in 1988, consisting of Chino Moreno (lead vocals and guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Frank Delgado (keyboards and turntables), and Abe Cunningham (drums and percussion). Vega (formerly of Quicksand) took on bass duties from mid-2009 to ca. 2021 in substitution for Chi Cheng, who was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Santa Clara, California on November 4, 2008. Cheng remained in a coma until his death on April 13, 2013, due to cardiac arrest. Fred Sablan is their current live bassist starting in 2022. Lance Jackman plays guitar during non-US shows since Stephen Carpenter no longer travels abroad as of 2022.
While they were mostly an alternative metal band in their early years, their sound changed into something more complex and experimental in 2000, as a result, they are often coined today as an alternative rock band.
Critics have often praised them as one of the closest to unique rock bands of recent years for their innovative, atmospheric music; as Johnny Loftus writes, "Rock critics usually reserve a special place for Deftones above or at least away from the rest of the turn-of-the-century metal movement [...] Deftones have always seemed more curious, more willing to incorporate traditionally revered sounds like dream pop and DC hardcore into their Northern California alt-metal."
Frontman Chino Moreno’s poetic lyrics—described by a Time magazine critic as “fiercely intelligent”—are often evocative, yet are sparse enough to allow for multiple interpretations. Moreno has cited Morrissey, Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, The Cure’s Robert Smith, and Depeche Mode’s David Gahan among his favorite singers, and beyond an occasional similarity in vocal technique, these singers’ sweeping sense of drama and delicate vulnerability is often evident in Moreno’s vocals.
Deftones members have worked on several side projects, including Moreno’s Team Sleep and drummer Abe Cunningam’s Phallucy. Guitarist Stephen Carpenter works with a group called Kush, featuring members of Fear Factory and Cypress Hill. Turntablist Frank Delgado has a DJ crew with DJ Crook of Team Sleep, DJ Julez, and Matt D called Decibel Devils.
* Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar)
* Stephen Carpenter (guitar)
* Abe Cunningham (drums)
* Chi Cheng (bass, backing vocals)
* Frank Delgado (turntablist/keyboardist/sampler)
(Incidentally, Carpenter is generally credited with “strings”, though if he actually plays anything other than electric guitar it’s not immediately apparent. This most likely refers to his abuse of the guitar strings, making screeching noises inbetween playing riffs.)
Releases:
1992 - like linus (demo)
1995 - Adrenaline
1997 - Around the Fur
2000 - White Pony
2002 - Music in High Places: Deftones - Live In Hawaii (DVD)
2002 - Back to School (Mini Maggit) (EP)
2003 - Deftones
2004 - Deftones extended-release for Tokyo Dome LIVE
2005 - B-Sides & Rarities (with accompanying DVD video library and live footage)
2006 - Saturday Night Wrist
2009 - Eros ( Shelved)
2010 - Diamond Eyes
2011 - Covers
2012 - Koi No Yokan
2016 - Gore
2020 - Ohms
2020 - Black Stallion (White Pony Remix)
Album Around the Fur (1997) features Soulfly’s Max Cavalera on PlayHeadup.
Album White Pony (2000) features Tool’s Maynard James Keenan on PlayPassenger.
Also on Album White Pony (2000) features STP’s Scott Weiland on PlayRX Queen.
Album Saturday Night Wrist (2006) features System of a Down’s Serj Tankian on Mein.
Early years: 1989-1993
When Carpenter was 15 years old he was hit by a car while skateboarding. This left him confined to a wheelchair for several months. It was at this point that he began teaching himself guitar by playing along with bands such as Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death and Metallica. It has been reported that the driver paid Carpenter a cash settlement that allowed the band to purchase equipment, but drummer Abe Cunningham commented in an interview that this was "a myth about how our band was started."
Carpenter, Moreno and Cunningham went to the same high school. They were childhood friends and remained friends through the skateboarding scene in Sacramento. When Moreno found out Carpenter played guitar, he set up a jam session with Cunningham and the three began playing regularly in Carpenter's garage circa 1988. After playing with several bassists, the band settled on Justin Jaramillo and recorded a four track demo soon after. Within two years the band began playing club shows and later expanded their playing territory to San Francisco and Los Angeles where they played shows alongside bands such as Korn. While closing for another band in L.A., after the majority of the audience had left, the band impressed a Maverick Records representative. They were soon after signed to the label after showcasing three of their songs for Freddy DeMann and Guy Oseary.
The name "Deftones" was created by Carpenter who wanted to pick "something that would just stand out but you know, not be all cheese-ball at the same time." Carpenter combined the hip hop slang term "def", which was used by artists he listened to such as LL Cool J and Public Enemy, with the suffix "-tones", which was a popular suffix among 50s bands whose music he also enjoyed (e.g. Dick Dale and the Deltones; The Quin-Tones, The Monotones, The Cleftones and The Harptones). Carpenter said the name is intentionally vague to reflect the band's tendency to not focus on just one style of music.
Adrenaline: 1994-1996
The band's debut album, Adrenaline, was recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle, Washington and released on October 3, 1995. It was produced by Deftones and Terry Date, who would go on to produce the band's next three albums. Initially unsuccessful, extensive touring, word-of-mouth and Internet promotion built the band a dedicated fanbase, as well as helping Adrenaline to sell over 220,000 copies without the singles "7 Words" and "Bored" (as well as their music videos) receiving any airplay. The band contributed the non-album track "Teething" to the soundtrack for the 1996 film The Crow: City of Angels and are also seen performing the song live during one of the film's scenes.
The album spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Heatseekers chart reaching a peak position of 23. When asked what he attributed the album's success to, Cheng responded, "One word: perseverance. We've been together for almost eight years, on the road for two and we do it with honesty and integrity - and the kids can tell." The album was RIAA certified gold on 7 July 1999 in recognition of 500,000 units sold.
Regarding the recording of the album, Abe Cunningham said, "At the time we did the first record - which I really like and think is good - you can tell the band was really young. We'd been playing most of those songs for quite a while, and we were just so happy to be making a record that we didn't really think a whole lot about making the songs better." Moreno felt that Adrenaline was recorded "really fast"[ and performed all his vocals live with the band in the room using a hand-held Shure 58 microphone. A review of Adrenaline praised the album's musical control, precision, overall groove and Cunningham's "surprisingly sophisticated drumming". It was also noted that "there is a bit of sameness in Chino Moreno's whispered vocal melodies, which drags the record down a bit."
Adrenaline was certified platinum on September 23, 2008 by the RIAA
Around the Fur: 1997-1999
Deftones' second album, Around the Fur, was recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, Washington and produced by Terry Date. Released on October 26, 1997, the album included a collaboration with singer Max Cavalera (of Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy) on "Headup", a tribute to Cavalera's late stepson Dana Wells, to whom the album was also dedicated. Although not yet a member of the band, Delgado is credited as "audio" on five of the album's tracks and Cunningham's wife, Annalynn, provides guest vocals on "MX".
"When we went in to make this record, we really didn't have a set idea of what we wanted to come out with," said Moreno in a 1998 interview with Chart magazine. However, he felt that the album "fell into place" once the band had settled into the studio. The band expanded its sound, spending more time with Terry Date, and giving more thought to the album's production. Cunningham varied his drum sound and experimented by using different types of snare drum on almost every track. The album was praised for its loud-soft dynamics, the flow of the tracks, Moreno's unusual vocals and the strong rhythm-section grooves created by Cheng and Cunningham. Stephen Thomas Erlewine's review noted that "while they don't have catchy riffs or a fully developed sound, Around the Fur suggests they're about to come into their own."
The album was highly anticipated and propelled the band to fame in the alternative metal scene on the strength of radio and MTV airplay for the singles "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)". Around the Fur sold 43,000 copies in its first week of release, and entered the Billboard 200 at number 29 (its peak position), remaining on the charts for 17 weeks. The band went back to touring, making appearances at the Warped Tour (in the United States, New Zealand and Australia), Pinkpop Festival, Roskilde Festival and Ozzfest as well as releasing a live EP on June 22, 1999. Around the Fur went on to reach RIAA gold status on June 24, 1999.
White Pony: 2000-2002
On June 20, 2000, the band released their third album, White Pony, again produced by Terry Date and Deftones. It was recorded at The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California and at Larrabee Sound Studios, West Hollywood, California. The album debuted at number three in the US Billboard chart with sales of 178,000 copies. Delgado (DJ Speedboat) was now a full-time band member, adding new elements to the band's music. The melancholy "Teenager", for example, was a radical departure in style and mood, a "love song," according to Moreno, which incorporated elements of glitch and trip hop, with programming duties carried out by Moreno's friend and side-project Team Sleep bandmate DJ Crook. A collaboration with singer Maynard James Keenan of Tool is present on "Passenger", and the refrain in "Knife Party" features vocals by Rodleen Getsic. Moreno had also started contributing additional guitar on several tracks.
An interview with the band in Alternative Press explained the recording process of White Pony. After a break from touring, the band spent four months in the studio writing and recording White Pony, the longest amount of time they had dedicated to an album thus far. Moreno explained that the majority of this time was spent trying to write songs, and that the writing of "Change (In the House of Flies)" was the turning point where the band began working as a group. Despite being pressured to release the album sooner, the band decided to take their time making the album. Cheng explained that "We didn’t feel like we had anything to lose, so we made the record we wanted to make." Moreno did not have a common theme in mind lyrically, but made a conscious decision to bring an element of fantasy into his lyrics, explaining that "I basically didn’t sing about myself on this record. I made up a lot of story lines and some dialogue, even. I took myself completely out of it and wrote about other things."
Reviews were generally positive, noting Moreno's increasing sophistication as a lyricist and the group's experimentalism. Of White Pony, one reviewer wrote that "Deftones went soft, but in an impressive way, to twist around its signature punk sound."
The album was originally released as an 11 track version beginning with "Feiticeira" and ending with "Pink Maggit" and featuring gray cover art. A limited edition print of 50,000 black and red jewel case versions of White Pony were also released at the same time with a bonus 12th track entitled "The Boy's Republic". Later, the band released "Back to School (Mini Maggit)", a rap-influenced interpretation of the album's closer, "Pink Maggit". "Back to School (Mini Maggit)" was track 11 on the leaked pre-release version of White Pony in April 2000, but not included on the original (official) issue of the album in June 2000. The leaked version of White Pony also included the slower version of "Pink Maggit" which appeared on the first official White Pony CDs. That song was listed as a bonus track (track 12) on the leaked pre-release version. The song was picked up as a single and placed as the new opening track (with "Pink Maggit" still the closer) of a re-released White Pony on October 3, 2000 featuring altered white cover art. Not entirely happy with re-releasing the album, the band negotiated to have "Back to School" made available as a free download for anyone who had already bought the original album. Chino noted that "Everybody's already downloaded our record before it came out anyway, otherwise I'd be kind of feelin' like, 'Man, why [are] we putting [out] all these different versions of the record?' [...] that's the best way we can actually get this song out to the people who already purchased this record, for free basically. And if they wanna buy the record again, it's cool."
White Pony achieved platinum status, selling over 1.3 million copies in the US, and earning the band a 2001 Grammy award for Best Metal Performance for the song "Elite".
Deftones: 2003-2005
Deftones began work on their fourth album under the working title Lovers. Regarding the album's direction, Cheng commented that "We've proven that we can musically go in any direction we want, and we want to get kind of heavy on this one." Moreno underwent vocal training as a precaution after severely damaging his vocal cords on the band's 2001 summer tour. The band converted their rehearsal space in Sacramento into a fully equipped studio and recorded most of the album there at negligible cost. The band brought in Terry Date to assist with production, and also received input on musical arrangement from Greg Wells on several of the album's tracks. The band later added more material at Studio X in Seattle, WA and at Larrabee Studios in West Hollywood, CA. Overall the album took twelve months and cost roughly $2.5 million to produce with the band being fined by Maverick for missing deadlines.
In January 2003, Deftones left the studio to perform some "one off" shows in Australia and New Zealand as part of the annual Big Day Out Festival. Shortly after, the band returned to the studio to finish their fourth album. The self-titled Deftones was released on May 20, 2003. Deftones entered the Billboard 200 at number two and sold 167,000 copies in its first week. The album remained in the Billboard top 100 for nine weeks, supported by the first single, "Minerva". The band shot a video for their second single, "Hexagram", with fans watching the band play the song in an indoor skatepark in Simi Valley, California. The band made a video for the track "Bloody Cape", but it was never released for play on television. The video was only made available on the band's official website for one day. It was later released on their B-Sides and Rarities DVD.
Reviews were mainly positive, praising the band for the heavy album's progression and originality in the midst of declining creativity in contemporary metal. Moreno was quoted as saying, "It's all on record. We told motherfuckers not to lump us in with nu metal because when those bands go down we aren't going to be with them." In reviewing Deftones, Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes that "Hexagram", the album's opener, "hits hard — harder than they ever have, revealing how mushy Staind is, or how toothless Linkin Park is," but also goes on to say that the album "sticks a little too close to familiar territory." The Onion's A.V. Club similarly called the album "less rewarding than its predecessor, though its peaks rival any in the genre."
The band released a compilation album titled B-Sides & Rarities on October 4, 2005. The CD includes various b-sides and covers from throughout their career, while the DVD contains behind-the-scenes footage and the band's complete videography up to that point.
Saturday Night Wrist: 2006-2007
Deftones performing live in Glasgow, June 2006.The band's latest album, titled Saturday Night Wrist, was released on October 31, 2006. It debuted at number ten in the US Billboard chart with sales of just over 76,000, a significant decrease on the first week sales of their two previous releases.
Rather than work with longtime producer Terry Date, Deftones decided to record with Bob Ezrin. Cunningham says that while the group enjoyed working with Date, "At this point, we just needed to change things up [...] And this is definitely a different style. Working with him [Ezrin] is just putting us fucking upside down. He's cracking the whip."[45] After recording all the instrumentals for the record, Chino Moreno decided to record his vocals separately. Chino thus finished recording the album with former Far guitarist Shaun Lopez as producer. Collaborations on the record include Annie Hardy from Giant Drag on the song "Pink Cellphone" and Serj Tankian from System of a Down on the track "Mein".
The album's first single was called "Hole in the Earth", hitting the radio on October 16, 2006. "Hole in the Earth" was also featured as a downloadable song for the PS3 & Xbox 360 versions of Guitar Hero 3. "Mein" was the album's second single, which aired in Spring of 2007.
As of March 2007, Saturday Night Wrist has sold over 250,000 copies (US).
Deftones spent the majority of 2006 and 2007 touring around the world in support of the album. The band played shows in places including North America, Canada, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia. The band also performed in such tours as Taste of Chaos, Family Values Tour and the Soundwave Festival in Australia.
Eros: 2008-2009
Deftones are currently in the studio writing and recording their next release, Eros, which will once again utilize the production services of Terry Date. Deftones have been writing the album since Fall 2007. As of December 7, 2007, six to eight songs were finished and the album is expected to be released in the winter of 2008. Chino Moreno has described the album as weird, unorthodox, featuring a lot of atmosphere and soundscaping, and having "fuck you, I hope you die!" style aggression. He has also stated that he won't be contributing on guitar, instead focusing on his vocals, and will leave guitar duties entirely to Stephen Carpenter. Carpenter will be utilizing his signature 8-String guitar, the ESP Stef B-8. They started recording the album on April 14th, 2008.
Moreno stated that this album would be more up-tempo (as far as the drumming is concerned), going on to say that the past couple of albums have been more mid-tempo; that Abe Cunningham has been playing faster. He also referred to the album as being "snappy". Moreno stated in an interview that the process for this album would be more raw and simplified after dissatisfaction with the long and "pieced-together" experience of recording Saturday Night Wrist.
On January 14th, Chino Moreno posted an instrumental electronic beat that sounds similar to Team Sleep called "You've Seen The Butcher", on the Deftones' MySpace page, and announced in a bulletin that the album would be called Eros, the Greek word for "love." It was also announced that Eros would be released by Reprise Records, the first time Deftones have released an album not affiliated with Maverick Records.
On September 18, Deftones played a secret show at the Spaceland Club in Los Angeles. The band played a new song entitled Melanie, which they also played at the previously announced headlining show at the Ventura Theater in Ventura, California on September 19 and also at the KUPD's End of Summer Scorcher on September 20 in Peoria, Arizona, where they co-headlined with Alice In Chains.
Also, recently Deftones have been posting a number of videos on MySpace and their blog, documenting the recording process of Eros.
On November 4, bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident in Santa Clara, California. Chino Moreno posted on the band's blog, saying, "It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night. He is currently in a Northern California hospital in serious, but stable condition. I am on my way up north right now to be by his side, along with the rest of our bandmates and family. Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this. Please say a prayer for him as well."[47] Following the accident, Cheng's bandmates and mother, Jeanne, began using the Deftones blog to post updates on Cheng's condition. In a post dated November 18, it was stated that "Chi's condition remains the same - serious, but stable. He still lies in a coma, however his vitals (heart, lungs, and blood pressure) all exhibit very stable functions and doctors have begun removing much of the excess monitoring equipment." In a blog posted dated November 9, it was reported that Chi was attended by three off-duty EMTs who happened upon the accident scene. The post goes on to state that "If not for them, the chances of Chi making to the hospital alive would have been poor." On December 9, it was announced that Chi had been moved into the care of an unnamed hospital that "specializes in the care and management of traumatic and non-trauma related brain injuries".
Diamond Eyes: 2010-2011
It was announced that the new album would be titled "Diamond Eyes", to be released May 18th, 2010. The first single from the album, "Rocket Skates", was released February 23rd; the second single is "Diamond Eyes". And The First Video Release Was "Diamond Eyes", "Rocket Skates", "Sextape", Finally "You've Seen the Butcher". All together Diamond Eyes Has sold 62,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Koi No Yokan: 2012
On March 29, 2012 an interview with Stephen Carpenter was posted on ESP Guitars's YouTube channel. In it, Carpenter talks about his switch to 7-string and 8-string guitars. At the end, he says, "Musically, me and my band, Deftones, are working on a new record and we hope to have it finished and out by Summer of 2012, and when the new record's done we'll start another touring cycle and get out there and play our stuff for those who are interested."
Chino Moreno has also stated that it has resemblance to their 2000 record, White Pony, when it's compared to their previous work. “The songs are very different from each other, not heavier or slower, but more dynamic, going towards several directions, it’s heavy, but beautiful.” In addition, it has been reported that Nick Raskulinecz will return to produce their seventh effort, which is, as of yet, unnamed.
On April 3, 2012 after performing at the Quilmes Rock 2012 festival, Chino was interviewed about Crosses and the new Deftones record. He said that the writing process was completed last week and they start recording after he gets back from South America. "We start recording next week. I love it, I'm so excited about it because Deftones, obviously, that's my life, I've made a career since I was fifteen years old and right before I came last week we finished all the writing so, next week, when I get back, we start recording. We should have a record that comes out in the early Fall, maybe October. Maybe September."
The album was released through Reprise Records on November 12, 2012, in the UK and November 13, 2012, in the United States. Band frontman Chino Moreno characterized the album as "dynamic" with a full range of sound, noting that more contributions were made to the album from bassist Sergio Vega compared to their previous record, Diamond Eyes. On September 19, 2012, the band released the song "Leathers" as a promotional single via a free download on their website. On October 8, 2012, "Leathers" was released as the album's first single. "Leathers" was also released as a limited edition cas-single with "Rosemary" as its B-side. On October 3, 2012, the song, "Tempest", premiered on PureVolume for streaming. "Tempest" was released as a single on October 9, 2012.
Gore: 2016
Gore is the eighth studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones, released on April 8, 2016 by Reprise Records. Its release was met with critical acclaim, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200, it is the band's fifth album to debut within the chart's top-ten and is their highest-charting since their 2003 eponymous album.The album was noted for its creative tension between frontman Chino Moreno and lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter, which was described by Rolling Stone as Moreno "playing Morrissey to the guitarist's Meshuggah"
Ohms: 2020
is the ninth studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones, released on September 25, 2020, through Reprise Records. Musically, Ohms has been described as an alternative metal and dream pop album. It is the first Deftones album since their eponymous 2003 album to be produced by Terry Date, although the last time the band had worked with him was during the sessions of the unreleased album Eros in 2008. It is also their first album on which Stephen Carpenter utilizes a nine-string guitar
White Pony x Black Stallion: 2020
If we go by the wisdom that album anniversary celebrations tend to be the last refuge of the dying creative force, then there was never any reason for Deftones to mark the 20th birthday of ‘White Pony’ this year. In September, the titanic ‘Ohms’ extended to ten years and four albums one of the most remarkable runs of any band this century; a brooding modern masterpiece, it confirmed that they remain close to the peak of their powers as they enter into the fifth different decade of a career that began in 1988. Still, many of their fans continue to contend that ‘White Pony’ is their finest moment, and as a nod to that, the group have finally realised what presumably seemed like a good idea when they first had it; a remix album, originally inspired back in 2000 by frontman Chino Moreno’s love of DJ Shadow’s ‘Endtroducing…’ Shadow himself is one of eleven artists to step up to the plate on ‘Black Stallion’, chipping in with a irritatingly glitchy take on ‘Digital Bath’. The bulk of the record is similarly throwaway; Clams Casino strips down ‘Feiticeira’ so far past its bare bones as to be beyond recognition, Salva’s choppy reimagining of ‘RX Queen’ fails to properly translate the urgency of the original, and Purity Ring’s spacey ‘Knife Prty’ falls awkwardly halfway between cover and remix.
The low point is a new version of ‘Passenger’ from Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, a baffling choice to begin with given how unfairly ‘White Pony’ was so often lumped in with the nu metal of the time. In fact, though, ‘Passenger’ does not nod to ‘Hybrid Theory’ or even 'Meteora', but instead to Shinoda’s more recent work, meaning no guitar, a boring synth loop and horrible, pseudo-AutoTuned vocals. There are occasional flickers of inspiration - see the maximalist rework of ‘Elite’ from Blanck Mass and the minimalist ‘Teenager’ that Robert Smith contributed - but otherwise, you have to hope that everybody involved enjoyed putting Black Stallion together, because it ain’t much fun to listen to.
While they were mostly an alternative metal band in their early years, their sound changed into something more complex and experimental in 2000, as a result, they are often coined today as an alternative rock band.
Critics have often praised them as one of the closest to unique rock bands of recent years for their innovative, atmospheric music; as Johnny Loftus writes, "Rock critics usually reserve a special place for Deftones above or at least away from the rest of the turn-of-the-century metal movement [...] Deftones have always seemed more curious, more willing to incorporate traditionally revered sounds like dream pop and DC hardcore into their Northern California alt-metal."
Frontman Chino Moreno’s poetic lyrics—described by a Time magazine critic as “fiercely intelligent”—are often evocative, yet are sparse enough to allow for multiple interpretations. Moreno has cited Morrissey, Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, The Cure’s Robert Smith, and Depeche Mode’s David Gahan among his favorite singers, and beyond an occasional similarity in vocal technique, these singers’ sweeping sense of drama and delicate vulnerability is often evident in Moreno’s vocals.
Deftones members have worked on several side projects, including Moreno’s Team Sleep and drummer Abe Cunningam’s Phallucy. Guitarist Stephen Carpenter works with a group called Kush, featuring members of Fear Factory and Cypress Hill. Turntablist Frank Delgado has a DJ crew with DJ Crook of Team Sleep, DJ Julez, and Matt D called Decibel Devils.
* Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar)
* Stephen Carpenter (guitar)
* Abe Cunningham (drums)
* Chi Cheng (bass, backing vocals)
* Frank Delgado (turntablist/keyboardist/sampler)
(Incidentally, Carpenter is generally credited with “strings”, though if he actually plays anything other than electric guitar it’s not immediately apparent. This most likely refers to his abuse of the guitar strings, making screeching noises inbetween playing riffs.)
Releases:
1992 - like linus (demo)
1995 - Adrenaline
1997 - Around the Fur
2000 - White Pony
2002 - Music in High Places: Deftones - Live In Hawaii (DVD)
2002 - Back to School (Mini Maggit) (EP)
2003 - Deftones
2004 - Deftones extended-release for Tokyo Dome LIVE
2005 - B-Sides & Rarities (with accompanying DVD video library and live footage)
2006 - Saturday Night Wrist
2009 - Eros ( Shelved)
2010 - Diamond Eyes
2011 - Covers
2012 - Koi No Yokan
2016 - Gore
2020 - Ohms
2020 - Black Stallion (White Pony Remix)
Album Around the Fur (1997) features Soulfly’s Max Cavalera on PlayHeadup.
Album White Pony (2000) features Tool’s Maynard James Keenan on PlayPassenger.
Also on Album White Pony (2000) features STP’s Scott Weiland on PlayRX Queen.
Album Saturday Night Wrist (2006) features System of a Down’s Serj Tankian on Mein.
Early years: 1989-1993
When Carpenter was 15 years old he was hit by a car while skateboarding. This left him confined to a wheelchair for several months. It was at this point that he began teaching himself guitar by playing along with bands such as Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death and Metallica. It has been reported that the driver paid Carpenter a cash settlement that allowed the band to purchase equipment, but drummer Abe Cunningham commented in an interview that this was "a myth about how our band was started."
Carpenter, Moreno and Cunningham went to the same high school. They were childhood friends and remained friends through the skateboarding scene in Sacramento. When Moreno found out Carpenter played guitar, he set up a jam session with Cunningham and the three began playing regularly in Carpenter's garage circa 1988. After playing with several bassists, the band settled on Justin Jaramillo and recorded a four track demo soon after. Within two years the band began playing club shows and later expanded their playing territory to San Francisco and Los Angeles where they played shows alongside bands such as Korn. While closing for another band in L.A., after the majority of the audience had left, the band impressed a Maverick Records representative. They were soon after signed to the label after showcasing three of their songs for Freddy DeMann and Guy Oseary.
The name "Deftones" was created by Carpenter who wanted to pick "something that would just stand out but you know, not be all cheese-ball at the same time." Carpenter combined the hip hop slang term "def", which was used by artists he listened to such as LL Cool J and Public Enemy, with the suffix "-tones", which was a popular suffix among 50s bands whose music he also enjoyed (e.g. Dick Dale and the Deltones; The Quin-Tones, The Monotones, The Cleftones and The Harptones). Carpenter said the name is intentionally vague to reflect the band's tendency to not focus on just one style of music.
Adrenaline: 1994-1996
The band's debut album, Adrenaline, was recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle, Washington and released on October 3, 1995. It was produced by Deftones and Terry Date, who would go on to produce the band's next three albums. Initially unsuccessful, extensive touring, word-of-mouth and Internet promotion built the band a dedicated fanbase, as well as helping Adrenaline to sell over 220,000 copies without the singles "7 Words" and "Bored" (as well as their music videos) receiving any airplay. The band contributed the non-album track "Teething" to the soundtrack for the 1996 film The Crow: City of Angels and are also seen performing the song live during one of the film's scenes.
The album spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Heatseekers chart reaching a peak position of 23. When asked what he attributed the album's success to, Cheng responded, "One word: perseverance. We've been together for almost eight years, on the road for two and we do it with honesty and integrity - and the kids can tell." The album was RIAA certified gold on 7 July 1999 in recognition of 500,000 units sold.
Regarding the recording of the album, Abe Cunningham said, "At the time we did the first record - which I really like and think is good - you can tell the band was really young. We'd been playing most of those songs for quite a while, and we were just so happy to be making a record that we didn't really think a whole lot about making the songs better." Moreno felt that Adrenaline was recorded "really fast"[ and performed all his vocals live with the band in the room using a hand-held Shure 58 microphone. A review of Adrenaline praised the album's musical control, precision, overall groove and Cunningham's "surprisingly sophisticated drumming". It was also noted that "there is a bit of sameness in Chino Moreno's whispered vocal melodies, which drags the record down a bit."
Adrenaline was certified platinum on September 23, 2008 by the RIAA
Around the Fur: 1997-1999
Deftones' second album, Around the Fur, was recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, Washington and produced by Terry Date. Released on October 26, 1997, the album included a collaboration with singer Max Cavalera (of Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy) on "Headup", a tribute to Cavalera's late stepson Dana Wells, to whom the album was also dedicated. Although not yet a member of the band, Delgado is credited as "audio" on five of the album's tracks and Cunningham's wife, Annalynn, provides guest vocals on "MX".
"When we went in to make this record, we really didn't have a set idea of what we wanted to come out with," said Moreno in a 1998 interview with Chart magazine. However, he felt that the album "fell into place" once the band had settled into the studio. The band expanded its sound, spending more time with Terry Date, and giving more thought to the album's production. Cunningham varied his drum sound and experimented by using different types of snare drum on almost every track. The album was praised for its loud-soft dynamics, the flow of the tracks, Moreno's unusual vocals and the strong rhythm-section grooves created by Cheng and Cunningham. Stephen Thomas Erlewine's review noted that "while they don't have catchy riffs or a fully developed sound, Around the Fur suggests they're about to come into their own."
The album was highly anticipated and propelled the band to fame in the alternative metal scene on the strength of radio and MTV airplay for the singles "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)". Around the Fur sold 43,000 copies in its first week of release, and entered the Billboard 200 at number 29 (its peak position), remaining on the charts for 17 weeks. The band went back to touring, making appearances at the Warped Tour (in the United States, New Zealand and Australia), Pinkpop Festival, Roskilde Festival and Ozzfest as well as releasing a live EP on June 22, 1999. Around the Fur went on to reach RIAA gold status on June 24, 1999.
White Pony: 2000-2002
On June 20, 2000, the band released their third album, White Pony, again produced by Terry Date and Deftones. It was recorded at The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California and at Larrabee Sound Studios, West Hollywood, California. The album debuted at number three in the US Billboard chart with sales of 178,000 copies. Delgado (DJ Speedboat) was now a full-time band member, adding new elements to the band's music. The melancholy "Teenager", for example, was a radical departure in style and mood, a "love song," according to Moreno, which incorporated elements of glitch and trip hop, with programming duties carried out by Moreno's friend and side-project Team Sleep bandmate DJ Crook. A collaboration with singer Maynard James Keenan of Tool is present on "Passenger", and the refrain in "Knife Party" features vocals by Rodleen Getsic. Moreno had also started contributing additional guitar on several tracks.
An interview with the band in Alternative Press explained the recording process of White Pony. After a break from touring, the band spent four months in the studio writing and recording White Pony, the longest amount of time they had dedicated to an album thus far. Moreno explained that the majority of this time was spent trying to write songs, and that the writing of "Change (In the House of Flies)" was the turning point where the band began working as a group. Despite being pressured to release the album sooner, the band decided to take their time making the album. Cheng explained that "We didn’t feel like we had anything to lose, so we made the record we wanted to make." Moreno did not have a common theme in mind lyrically, but made a conscious decision to bring an element of fantasy into his lyrics, explaining that "I basically didn’t sing about myself on this record. I made up a lot of story lines and some dialogue, even. I took myself completely out of it and wrote about other things."
Reviews were generally positive, noting Moreno's increasing sophistication as a lyricist and the group's experimentalism. Of White Pony, one reviewer wrote that "Deftones went soft, but in an impressive way, to twist around its signature punk sound."
The album was originally released as an 11 track version beginning with "Feiticeira" and ending with "Pink Maggit" and featuring gray cover art. A limited edition print of 50,000 black and red jewel case versions of White Pony were also released at the same time with a bonus 12th track entitled "The Boy's Republic". Later, the band released "Back to School (Mini Maggit)", a rap-influenced interpretation of the album's closer, "Pink Maggit". "Back to School (Mini Maggit)" was track 11 on the leaked pre-release version of White Pony in April 2000, but not included on the original (official) issue of the album in June 2000. The leaked version of White Pony also included the slower version of "Pink Maggit" which appeared on the first official White Pony CDs. That song was listed as a bonus track (track 12) on the leaked pre-release version. The song was picked up as a single and placed as the new opening track (with "Pink Maggit" still the closer) of a re-released White Pony on October 3, 2000 featuring altered white cover art. Not entirely happy with re-releasing the album, the band negotiated to have "Back to School" made available as a free download for anyone who had already bought the original album. Chino noted that "Everybody's already downloaded our record before it came out anyway, otherwise I'd be kind of feelin' like, 'Man, why [are] we putting [out] all these different versions of the record?' [...] that's the best way we can actually get this song out to the people who already purchased this record, for free basically. And if they wanna buy the record again, it's cool."
White Pony achieved platinum status, selling over 1.3 million copies in the US, and earning the band a 2001 Grammy award for Best Metal Performance for the song "Elite".
Deftones: 2003-2005
Deftones began work on their fourth album under the working title Lovers. Regarding the album's direction, Cheng commented that "We've proven that we can musically go in any direction we want, and we want to get kind of heavy on this one." Moreno underwent vocal training as a precaution after severely damaging his vocal cords on the band's 2001 summer tour. The band converted their rehearsal space in Sacramento into a fully equipped studio and recorded most of the album there at negligible cost. The band brought in Terry Date to assist with production, and also received input on musical arrangement from Greg Wells on several of the album's tracks. The band later added more material at Studio X in Seattle, WA and at Larrabee Studios in West Hollywood, CA. Overall the album took twelve months and cost roughly $2.5 million to produce with the band being fined by Maverick for missing deadlines.
In January 2003, Deftones left the studio to perform some "one off" shows in Australia and New Zealand as part of the annual Big Day Out Festival. Shortly after, the band returned to the studio to finish their fourth album. The self-titled Deftones was released on May 20, 2003. Deftones entered the Billboard 200 at number two and sold 167,000 copies in its first week. The album remained in the Billboard top 100 for nine weeks, supported by the first single, "Minerva". The band shot a video for their second single, "Hexagram", with fans watching the band play the song in an indoor skatepark in Simi Valley, California. The band made a video for the track "Bloody Cape", but it was never released for play on television. The video was only made available on the band's official website for one day. It was later released on their B-Sides and Rarities DVD.
Reviews were mainly positive, praising the band for the heavy album's progression and originality in the midst of declining creativity in contemporary metal. Moreno was quoted as saying, "It's all on record. We told motherfuckers not to lump us in with nu metal because when those bands go down we aren't going to be with them." In reviewing Deftones, Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes that "Hexagram", the album's opener, "hits hard — harder than they ever have, revealing how mushy Staind is, or how toothless Linkin Park is," but also goes on to say that the album "sticks a little too close to familiar territory." The Onion's A.V. Club similarly called the album "less rewarding than its predecessor, though its peaks rival any in the genre."
The band released a compilation album titled B-Sides & Rarities on October 4, 2005. The CD includes various b-sides and covers from throughout their career, while the DVD contains behind-the-scenes footage and the band's complete videography up to that point.
Saturday Night Wrist: 2006-2007
Deftones performing live in Glasgow, June 2006.The band's latest album, titled Saturday Night Wrist, was released on October 31, 2006. It debuted at number ten in the US Billboard chart with sales of just over 76,000, a significant decrease on the first week sales of their two previous releases.
Rather than work with longtime producer Terry Date, Deftones decided to record with Bob Ezrin. Cunningham says that while the group enjoyed working with Date, "At this point, we just needed to change things up [...] And this is definitely a different style. Working with him [Ezrin] is just putting us fucking upside down. He's cracking the whip."[45] After recording all the instrumentals for the record, Chino Moreno decided to record his vocals separately. Chino thus finished recording the album with former Far guitarist Shaun Lopez as producer. Collaborations on the record include Annie Hardy from Giant Drag on the song "Pink Cellphone" and Serj Tankian from System of a Down on the track "Mein".
The album's first single was called "Hole in the Earth", hitting the radio on October 16, 2006. "Hole in the Earth" was also featured as a downloadable song for the PS3 & Xbox 360 versions of Guitar Hero 3. "Mein" was the album's second single, which aired in Spring of 2007.
As of March 2007, Saturday Night Wrist has sold over 250,000 copies (US).
Deftones spent the majority of 2006 and 2007 touring around the world in support of the album. The band played shows in places including North America, Canada, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia. The band also performed in such tours as Taste of Chaos, Family Values Tour and the Soundwave Festival in Australia.
Eros: 2008-2009
Deftones are currently in the studio writing and recording their next release, Eros, which will once again utilize the production services of Terry Date. Deftones have been writing the album since Fall 2007. As of December 7, 2007, six to eight songs were finished and the album is expected to be released in the winter of 2008. Chino Moreno has described the album as weird, unorthodox, featuring a lot of atmosphere and soundscaping, and having "fuck you, I hope you die!" style aggression. He has also stated that he won't be contributing on guitar, instead focusing on his vocals, and will leave guitar duties entirely to Stephen Carpenter. Carpenter will be utilizing his signature 8-String guitar, the ESP Stef B-8. They started recording the album on April 14th, 2008.
Moreno stated that this album would be more up-tempo (as far as the drumming is concerned), going on to say that the past couple of albums have been more mid-tempo; that Abe Cunningham has been playing faster. He also referred to the album as being "snappy". Moreno stated in an interview that the process for this album would be more raw and simplified after dissatisfaction with the long and "pieced-together" experience of recording Saturday Night Wrist.
On January 14th, Chino Moreno posted an instrumental electronic beat that sounds similar to Team Sleep called "You've Seen The Butcher", on the Deftones' MySpace page, and announced in a bulletin that the album would be called Eros, the Greek word for "love." It was also announced that Eros would be released by Reprise Records, the first time Deftones have released an album not affiliated with Maverick Records.
On September 18, Deftones played a secret show at the Spaceland Club in Los Angeles. The band played a new song entitled Melanie, which they also played at the previously announced headlining show at the Ventura Theater in Ventura, California on September 19 and also at the KUPD's End of Summer Scorcher on September 20 in Peoria, Arizona, where they co-headlined with Alice In Chains.
Also, recently Deftones have been posting a number of videos on MySpace and their blog, documenting the recording process of Eros.
On November 4, bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident in Santa Clara, California. Chino Moreno posted on the band's blog, saying, "It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night. He is currently in a Northern California hospital in serious, but stable condition. I am on my way up north right now to be by his side, along with the rest of our bandmates and family. Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this. Please say a prayer for him as well."[47] Following the accident, Cheng's bandmates and mother, Jeanne, began using the Deftones blog to post updates on Cheng's condition. In a post dated November 18, it was stated that "Chi's condition remains the same - serious, but stable. He still lies in a coma, however his vitals (heart, lungs, and blood pressure) all exhibit very stable functions and doctors have begun removing much of the excess monitoring equipment." In a blog posted dated November 9, it was reported that Chi was attended by three off-duty EMTs who happened upon the accident scene. The post goes on to state that "If not for them, the chances of Chi making to the hospital alive would have been poor." On December 9, it was announced that Chi had been moved into the care of an unnamed hospital that "specializes in the care and management of traumatic and non-trauma related brain injuries".
Diamond Eyes: 2010-2011
It was announced that the new album would be titled "Diamond Eyes", to be released May 18th, 2010. The first single from the album, "Rocket Skates", was released February 23rd; the second single is "Diamond Eyes". And The First Video Release Was "Diamond Eyes", "Rocket Skates", "Sextape", Finally "You've Seen the Butcher". All together Diamond Eyes Has sold 62,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.
Koi No Yokan: 2012
On March 29, 2012 an interview with Stephen Carpenter was posted on ESP Guitars's YouTube channel. In it, Carpenter talks about his switch to 7-string and 8-string guitars. At the end, he says, "Musically, me and my band, Deftones, are working on a new record and we hope to have it finished and out by Summer of 2012, and when the new record's done we'll start another touring cycle and get out there and play our stuff for those who are interested."
Chino Moreno has also stated that it has resemblance to their 2000 record, White Pony, when it's compared to their previous work. “The songs are very different from each other, not heavier or slower, but more dynamic, going towards several directions, it’s heavy, but beautiful.” In addition, it has been reported that Nick Raskulinecz will return to produce their seventh effort, which is, as of yet, unnamed.
On April 3, 2012 after performing at the Quilmes Rock 2012 festival, Chino was interviewed about Crosses and the new Deftones record. He said that the writing process was completed last week and they start recording after he gets back from South America. "We start recording next week. I love it, I'm so excited about it because Deftones, obviously, that's my life, I've made a career since I was fifteen years old and right before I came last week we finished all the writing so, next week, when I get back, we start recording. We should have a record that comes out in the early Fall, maybe October. Maybe September."
The album was released through Reprise Records on November 12, 2012, in the UK and November 13, 2012, in the United States. Band frontman Chino Moreno characterized the album as "dynamic" with a full range of sound, noting that more contributions were made to the album from bassist Sergio Vega compared to their previous record, Diamond Eyes. On September 19, 2012, the band released the song "Leathers" as a promotional single via a free download on their website. On October 8, 2012, "Leathers" was released as the album's first single. "Leathers" was also released as a limited edition cas-single with "Rosemary" as its B-side. On October 3, 2012, the song, "Tempest", premiered on PureVolume for streaming. "Tempest" was released as a single on October 9, 2012.
Gore: 2016
Gore is the eighth studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones, released on April 8, 2016 by Reprise Records. Its release was met with critical acclaim, debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200, it is the band's fifth album to debut within the chart's top-ten and is their highest-charting since their 2003 eponymous album.The album was noted for its creative tension between frontman Chino Moreno and lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter, which was described by Rolling Stone as Moreno "playing Morrissey to the guitarist's Meshuggah"
Ohms: 2020
is the ninth studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones, released on September 25, 2020, through Reprise Records. Musically, Ohms has been described as an alternative metal and dream pop album. It is the first Deftones album since their eponymous 2003 album to be produced by Terry Date, although the last time the band had worked with him was during the sessions of the unreleased album Eros in 2008. It is also their first album on which Stephen Carpenter utilizes a nine-string guitar
White Pony x Black Stallion: 2020
If we go by the wisdom that album anniversary celebrations tend to be the last refuge of the dying creative force, then there was never any reason for Deftones to mark the 20th birthday of ‘White Pony’ this year. In September, the titanic ‘Ohms’ extended to ten years and four albums one of the most remarkable runs of any band this century; a brooding modern masterpiece, it confirmed that they remain close to the peak of their powers as they enter into the fifth different decade of a career that began in 1988. Still, many of their fans continue to contend that ‘White Pony’ is their finest moment, and as a nod to that, the group have finally realised what presumably seemed like a good idea when they first had it; a remix album, originally inspired back in 2000 by frontman Chino Moreno’s love of DJ Shadow’s ‘Endtroducing…’ Shadow himself is one of eleven artists to step up to the plate on ‘Black Stallion’, chipping in with a irritatingly glitchy take on ‘Digital Bath’. The bulk of the record is similarly throwaway; Clams Casino strips down ‘Feiticeira’ so far past its bare bones as to be beyond recognition, Salva’s choppy reimagining of ‘RX Queen’ fails to properly translate the urgency of the original, and Purity Ring’s spacey ‘Knife Prty’ falls awkwardly halfway between cover and remix.
The low point is a new version of ‘Passenger’ from Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, a baffling choice to begin with given how unfairly ‘White Pony’ was so often lumped in with the nu metal of the time. In fact, though, ‘Passenger’ does not nod to ‘Hybrid Theory’ or even 'Meteora', but instead to Shinoda’s more recent work, meaning no guitar, a boring synth loop and horrible, pseudo-AutoTuned vocals. There are occasional flickers of inspiration - see the maximalist rework of ‘Elite’ from Blanck Mass and the minimalist ‘Teenager’ that Robert Smith contributed - but otherwise, you have to hope that everybody involved enjoyed putting Black Stallion together, because it ain’t much fun to listen to.
7 Words
Deftones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll never be the same, breaking decency
Don't be tree trunk; don't fall on my living roots
I've been humming too many words, got weak self-esteem
That's been stomped away from every single dream
But it's something else that brought us fees
Keep it all inside until we feel we can't unleash
I think that you made it up; I think that your mind is gone
I think you shouldn't have glorified; now you're wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck it, bitch
You and me are here alone, face flat along the edge of the glass
But I'm not here to preach; I'm just sick of thugs
My parents made me strong to look up that glass
So why should I try, act like I'm a little pissed off
With all that shit that needs to stay back in the shell?
Because your punk ass made it up, your fucking mind was gone
Should've never glorified; now you're right
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
You don't know me; shut up; you don't know me
Squeal like a pig when you big fuckin', big fuckin', ah
Well, I'll tell you about my smoke stack
What's coming back, Jack
We'll turn back
Curse for in their words in their words
Tell them that you fucking heard
I mean, they know that's what's coming, nigga, and you're a quitter
I thinking 'bout something naughty and won't tell anybody
So thinking of me by now, but you go grab it
I'd like to think for who I down this shit
I belong where they be 'cause we can not get back those lives
We exist to cease, understand
That God hates blacks, shades, and all the players
Mr. P.I.G 'cause I fuckin' see
Sure already done crushed all of my brothers dignity
And to the jury can't be no turn is all; my skin looks colored
Does that mean I'm burnt
'Cause your punk-ass made it up; your fuckin' mind was gone
Should've never glorified
Wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
You bad, boy
Don't be tree trunk; don't fall on my living roots
I've been humming too many words, got weak self-esteem
That's been stomped away from every single dream
But it's something else that brought us fees
Keep it all inside until we feel we can't unleash
I think that you made it up; I think that your mind is gone
I think you shouldn't have glorified; now you're wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck it, bitch
You and me are here alone, face flat along the edge of the glass
But I'm not here to preach; I'm just sick of thugs
My parents made me strong to look up that glass
So why should I try, act like I'm a little pissed off
With all that shit that needs to stay back in the shell?
Because your punk ass made it up, your fucking mind was gone
Should've never glorified; now you're right
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
You don't know me; shut up; you don't know me
Squeal like a pig when you big fuckin', big fuckin', ah
Well, I'll tell you about my smoke stack
What's coming back, Jack
We'll turn back
Curse for in their words in their words
Tell them that you fucking heard
I mean, they know that's what's coming, nigga, and you're a quitter
I thinking 'bout something naughty and won't tell anybody
So thinking of me by now, but you go grab it
I'd like to think for who I down this shit
I belong where they be 'cause we can not get back those lives
We exist to cease, understand
That God hates blacks, shades, and all the players
Mr. P.I.G 'cause I fuckin' see
Sure already done crushed all of my brothers dignity
And to the jury can't be no turn is all; my skin looks colored
Does that mean I'm burnt
'Cause your punk-ass made it up; your fuckin' mind was gone
Should've never glorified
Wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
You bad, boy
The lyrics to Deftones's song 7 Words depict a person experiencing intense emotions and struggling with self-esteem issues. The opening lines "I'll never be the same, breaking decency" suggest that the person has undergone some kind of trauma or violation that has made them feel different and no longer able to maintain a sense of morality or ethical behavior. The line "Don't be tree trunk; don't fall on my living roots" can be interpreted as a plea for others not to harm or damage the person's sense of self, which they see as inextricably connected to their personal beliefs and values.
The lines "But it's something else that brought us fees / Keep it all inside until we feel we can't unleash" suggest a feeling of repression or censorship, as if the person is holding back their true thoughts and feelings out of fear or social pressure. The repeated refrain of "suck, suck, suck" can be interpreted as a condemnation of the way society and others try to force conformity on individuals, suppressing their voices and emotions. The line "You don't know me; shut up; you don't know me" reinforces this idea, as the person feels that others are judging and criticizing them without understanding their true experiences and struggles.
The overall tone of the song is one of frustration and anger, with the person lashing out against those who have hurt or oppressed them. The line "God hates blacks, shades, and all the players" can be seen as a rejection of the idea of a benevolent or just higher power, with the person feeling that they have been unfairly and systematically targeted by society. The final line "you bad, boy" can be interpreted as a sarcastic or bitter remark, directed at someone who has wronged the person in some way.
* Interesting facts about the song "7 Words":
* The song originally appeared on Deftones' debut album "Adrenaline," which was released in 1995.
* It was one of the band's first major hits and helped to establish them as an important presence in the nu-metal genre.
* The song's aggressive and abrasive sound, which blended elements of punk, metal, and hip hop, was a departure from the more melodic and introspective work of many of their contemporaries.
* The song has become a popular live track for the band and is often played as an encore or during high-energy moments in their shows.
* The lyrics have been praised for their rawness and honesty, with many fans relating to the feelings of anger and frustration expressed in the song.
* The song's video, directed by Paul Fedor, features footage of the band performing in a dingy, underground club, interspersed with images of people engaged in violent and destructive behavior.
* The song's title, "7 Words," is a reference to a seven-word sentence famously uttered by comedian George Carlin, which was considered by many to be a subversive and controversial statement about free speech and censorship.
* The song has also been covered by a number of other artists, including Linkin Park and Hollywood Undead.
* Deftones have cited the song as an important example of their early sound and style, and have expressed a continued fondness for it in interviews.
* Despite its controversial lyrics and themes, "7 Words" remains a popular and influential track in the nu-metal canon, and continues to resonate with fans who value its message of defiance and self-expression.
Chords:
The chords for "7 Words" are: C#5 - B5 - F#5 - G#5 - C#5 - B5 - E5.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never be the same, breaking decency
I have changed and lost my moral character.
Don't be tree trunk; don't fall on my living roots
Don't be a burden on me or harm me in any way.
I've been humming too many words, got weak self-esteem
I have been overthinking and doubting myself, leading to low self-esteem.
That's been stomped away from every single dream
My self-esteem has been crushed by failure and negative experiences.
But it's something else that brought us fees
The current situation has led to negative consequences.
Keep it all inside until we feel we can't unleash
We hide our emotions until we can no longer keep them inside.
I think that you made it up; I think that your mind is gone
I believe that you are lying and have lost your sanity.
I think you shouldn't have glorified; now you're wrong
I think you shouldn't have celebrated something that was not real, and now you are proven wrong.
Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck
I am frustrated and angry with the situation and people involved.
They fuck with my head
They are causing me mental distress and confusion.
You and me are here alone, face flat along the edge of the glass
We are here in isolation, feeling trapped and helpless.
But I'm not here to preach; I'm just sick of thugs
I am not here to teach or preach, but I am tired of violent people.
My parents made me strong to look up that glass
My upbringing taught me to be resilient and keep looking towards a better future.
So why should I try, act like I'm a little pissed off
Why should I even bother pretending to be angry or upset anymore?
With all that shit that needs to stay back in the shell?
Why should I repress or hide my true feelings?
Because your punk ass made it up, your fucking mind was gone
You are responsible for creating this false reality, and you are not in your right mind.
Should've never glorified; now you're right
You should have never celebrated something that was not real, and now you are proven to be right.
You don't know me; shut up; you don't know me
You have no idea who I am, so stop pretending that you do.
Squeal like a pig when you big fuckin', big fuckin', ah
You will beg for mercy when you face the consequences of your actions.
Well, I'll tell you about my smoke stack
Let me tell you about my personal struggles and experiences.
What's coming back, Jack
The negative consequences are coming back to you.
Curse for in their words in their words
Curses and negative comments are directed towards me.
Tell them that you fucking heard
Let everyone know that you are aware of the situation.
I mean, they know that's what's coming, nigga, and you're a quitter
They know that negative consequences are coming, and you are giving up.
I thinking 'bout something naughty and won't tell anybody
I am thinking about something inappropriate and keeping it to myself.
So thinking of me by now, but you go grab it
You are thinking of me, but you are still going after what you want.
I'd like to think for who I down this shit
I want to believe that I am taking this pain for a worthy cause.
I belong where they be 'cause we can not get back those lives
I belong with those who have been affected by loss, as we can never get back what we have lost.
We exist to cease, understand
Our existence is temporary and will eventually come to an end.
That God hates blacks, shades, and all the players
There is a belief that God hates people who are black, different shades, or who engage in certain behaviors.
Mr. P.I.G 'cause I fuckin' see
I see through the lies and realize that someone is manipulating and controlling the situation.
Sure already done crushed all of my brothers dignity
Someone has already destroyed the dignity and self-respect of people that I care about.
And to the jury can't be no turn is all; my skin looks colored
The jury is biased and will not turn the situation in my favor because of my skin color.
Does that mean I'm burnt
Am I being judged or punished unfairly based on my skin color?
You bad, boy
You are a troublemaker or a criminal.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ABE CUNNINGHAM, ABRAN CUNNINGHAM, CHI CHENG, CHINO MORENO, CHINO CAMILO MORENO, STEPHEN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@Pride317
Lyrics
I'll never be the same,
Breaking decency
Don't be tree trunk,
Don't fall on my living roots
I've been humming too many words,
Got a weak self-esteem
That's been stomped away
From every single dream
But it's something else
That brought us feaze
Keep it all inside till
We feel we can't unleash
I think that you made it up,
I think that your mind is gone
I think you shouldn't have glorified,
Now you're wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck it, bitch
You and me are here alone
Face flat along the edge of the glass
But I'm not here to preach,
I'm just sick of thugs
My parents made me strong
To look up that glass
So why should I try,
Act like I'm a little pissed off
With all that shit that needs
To stay back on the shelf
Because your punk ass made it up,
Your fucking mind was gone
Should've never glorified, now you're right
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck it, bitch
You don't know me, shut up,
You don't know me
Squeal like a pig when you're a
Big fucking, big fucking, ape
Well, I'll tell you about my smoke stack
What's coming back jack?
We'll turn back
Curse, following their words in their words
Tell them that you fucking heard
I mean, they know that's what's coming,
Nigga and you're a quitter
I'm thinking about something
Naughty and won't tell anybody
So, thinking of me by now,
But you go grab it
I'd like to think, for who I down this shit
I belong where they be,
Because we can not get back those lives
We exist to please, understand
That God hates blacks shades
And all the players
Mr. P.I.G., could I fucking see?
You're already done,
Crushed all of my brothers' dignity
And to the jury can't be no turn is all,
My skin looks colored
Does that mean I'm burnt?
Because your punk ass made it up,
Your fucking mind was gone
Should've never glorified, wrong
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
They fuck with my head
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck, suck
Suck, suck, suck it, bitch
@mareDBS
I'm 36 and Deftones are still my favorite band of all time, after all this years.
@ericchristman9924
I'm 34 and they're music is still relevant, hell probably even more now than ever.
@mareDBS
Eric Christman
you're right :-)
@ericchristman9924
***** Pretty complex music for a 12 year old, but then again I was jamming The doors, and metallica at 12, never the less, your parents are doin things right.
@mareDBS
*****
I remember as if it happened yesterday. I watched a local TV metal rock show and then they played music video Bored. I was shocked how this band sounds interesting. It was sometime in 1997. I was lucky to see them once live. My favorite album is Around the Fur.
@JDeissreVIEWSFROMHELL
I just turned 13. Deftones are one of my favorites.
@gnnylme
Deftones is an aquired taste
But once you get into it
You can't get out
@niggamymelon
dude, deftones are the most basic choice of music for the most basic people, you say it like its hard to listen for 90% of the people
@natasanj6472
@@niggamymelon they're actually pretty unique
@draga_
i LOVE deftones, but they are NOT an acquired taste lol, they're quite popular