DEFTONES - Diamond Eyes

The sixth album from these nu-metal standard-bearers, "Diamond Eyes" is a record with a troubled history. The new Deftones album was supposed to come out the previous year under the title "Eros". But the serious car accident that left bassist Chi Cheng gravely injured pushed the band to scrap the release and record new material with Sergio Vega (ex-Quicksand). Singer Chino Moreno explained that "Eros" no longer represented the band's true essence.

The album marks the move from Maverick, the label that launched the Sacramento five-piece with the seminal "Adrenaline", to Velvet Hammer. The opener (the title track) isn't the most thrilling start, but the band quickly bounces back with the excellent "Royal", classic Deftones style topped off with a powerful finale. The third track, "Cmnd Ctrl", kicks off aggressively before easing into a touch of electronics, the only such moment on the album, unlike on previous records. Things continue with "You've Seen The Butcher", a nice atmospheric piece, followed by "Beauty School", a track similar in structure to the previous one but less convincing. The following "Prince" alternates soft passages with harder ones, with Chino screaming at the top of his lungs in the finale. "Rocket Skates", the first single, is a track that's neither here nor there, followed by the decent ballad "Sextape". The ninth track, "Risk", also moves at a fairly slow pace, as does the following "976 Evil". Both tracks pass by without leaving much of a mark. Closing the album is the menacing-only-in-title "This Place Is Death", a track that barely rises above average.

The overall feeling is that "Diamond Eyes" is the least inspired work of the Deftones' career.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

09/06/2010