Deftones have established themselves over the years as a band full of quality and power that never disappoints. At The Rock Review, we consider them one of those bands with no bad albums, much like Tool or Death, building a discography that is truly worth exploring in detail.
In 2025, the band released Private Music, their tenth studio album and possibly the one that has taken them to their highest level of musical and personal maturity. So much so that they have headlined major venues, such as their solo performance at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico, as well as being one of the main acts at Corona Capital 2025.
What can we listen to?
At The Rock Review, we define this album as a contemporary statement of principles within Alternative Metal—a genre in which Deftones are widely regarded as pioneers. Private Music brings together all the essential elements to make it one of the jewels of modern metal, appealing both to connoisseurs and to those who simply enjoy popular music: passages of calm and pleasing melodies, powerful guitar riffs, atmospheres crafted to create space and balance, and of course, the now-classic voice of Chino Moreno, which has reached a peak level of execution.
We can say that Deftones propose a modern and minimalist concept. The power of the guitar lies in the low strings of Stephen Carpenter, who plays his 7- and even 8-string guitars with impeccable mastery, focusing more on feeling than complexity. In fact, we can even find riffs built around the perfect execution of a single guitar string, as heard in “Locked Club.”
Frank Delgado’s keyboards and turntables provide the perfect pairing for this compelling blend of modern Alternative Metal. His contribution is subtle yet refined, as heard through his exquisite sampling on tracks like “Milk of The Madonna,” “Souvenir,” and “Departing the Body.” Combined with Carpenter’s guitars, these elements give the album a highly atmospheric and forward-thinking sound.
Deftones: The band that keeps nu metal alive
That’s right—let’s remember that Deftones are among the pioneers of Nu Metal, alongside bands like Linkin Park, Korn, and Slipknot. Even though the movement began in the 1990s, 30 years later Chino Moreno and company continue to pay tribute to a genre that has now become a classic. A clear example of this is “Cut Hands,” probably the heaviest track on the album, where we hear Chino delivering a vocal performance that leans toward rap, combined with his signature guttural style.
One thing we loved about Private Music is that Deftones maintain the “progressive” touches that have defined their most recent albums (which, in our opinion, are their best). They achieve this through the outstanding rhythmic approach of Abe Cunningham on drums and Fred Sablan on bass. Standard 4/4 rhythms are no longer enough for the band, which is why they explore new creative accents—without becoming overwhelming for the listener—ranging from subtle drum fills like those in “Mental Dream” to more evident rhythmic shifts in “Locked Club” and “Ecdysis.”
Private Music: The coronation of Deftones as a band
Private Music is an exceptionally intelligent album, where the band stayed true to what they love without having to alter their genre to reach a massive audience. The record connects both with their established fanbase and with new listeners—the latter being the hardest to win over due to the volatility of trends and information.
The band achieved this through pleasing melodies that lean toward Indie Rock and Alternative Rock, creating new hits like “Infinite Source,” “My Mind Is a Mountain,” and even including a ballad on the album with “I Think About You All The Time.”
At The Rock Review, we’re very pleased with this album, which once again places Deftones in a well-deserved, high-profile position driven by quality. Long live Deftones.
