WHY THE HATE?: Deftones

California's Deftones are a band that are considered one of the Big 4 of the nu metal genre, among the likes of Korn, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. The band would stray from the norm of rapping and turntables of their peers, infusing more electronics and techno elements, along with post-rock, alternative, trip-hop and countless other genres to help the band develop and define their sound as a versatile metal band. They had no fear to play with different genres and take those elements to incorporate them into their music.

After thirty five years, nine studio albums, multiple Grammy awards and gold & platinum albums, why does the metal community not like Deftones? Why is the band frowned upon and discouraged to metalheads? Is it the old debate of "they aren't metal enough"? Too alternative? Is it vocalist Chino Moreno's vocals? Today, I am gonna deep dive into the band's albums, the criticism, and the legacy the band has left behind and try to answer the question: Why The Hate?.

FIRST TOPIC: The Music

The band would release their debut album in 1995 Adrenaline. A hybrid of the up and coming nu metal genre, with tinges of hardcore and alternative metal, the album would gain buzz and attention for the band. Praised by critics for its diverse instrumentation and genre-gymnastics, the band would be compared with fellow innovators at the time like Tool, Helmet, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure and The Smashing Pumpkins. Following the praise and commercial success, the band would tour as opening support for acts like Korn and White Zombie.

Following countless tours and promotion, the band would hit the studio in spring of 1997 to record their much anticipated follow-up. Released that same year, the band would release their second album Around The Fur. With the hype from the album's lead single "My Own Summer (Shove It)", the song would receive radio play across countless rock stations and would help spread the band's diverse and unique sound throughout 1997. The album would also get some metal cred as Soulfly front man Max Cavalera would make a guest appearance on the song "Headup". The following year, the album would release a second single "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)". This would be the first song from the band to appear on the US charts, peaking at number 29 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It would also be the beginning stages of the band slowly beginning to experiment with other genres outside of the metal realm with the song's shoegaze-like atmosphere.

The band would spend the rest of late 1999 working on their upcoming and highly-anticipated third album. Released in the summer of 2000, White Pony would receive widespread acclaim from fans and critics upon release. The band would take the band's alternative/nu metal sound and spin it on its head. With grander production, incorporation of industrial rock, shoegaze, prog rock and many other unique elements that helped make Deftones stand out from their peers. This also included turntable and synthesizers into the band's sound. Many journalists claiming that what White Pony did to metal, was the equivalent of what Radiohead's OK Computer did to rock. The album would also feature guest appearances from Stone Temple Pilots front man Scott Weiland on "RX Queen" and Tool front man Maynard James Keenan on "Passenger". "Change (in The House of Flies)" would be a radio hit, pushing the album to debut at Number 3 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 178,000 copies in the album's first week. With many fans looking at it, both at the time and today, as the band's magnum opus.

The band would return to the studio in 2003 to work on a follow-up. Trying to match the success and magic that they hit with White Pony. Released in 2003, the band's self-titled fourth album marked a tonal shift. Though containing some elements of hard rock and metal, the band began to add elements of trip-hop and shoegaze influences heavily into the album's sound. With synthesizers and keyboards beginning to take a more prominent and effective role in the band's sound at the time. A great example of the band's new direction was showcased on the album's lead single "Minerva". Though it did receive positive reviews, and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, the album was not a smash of a success as White Pony.

Following the commercial disappointment that their label considered their self-titled album, the band would return to the studio in 2004 to regroup and try to rise from the ashes of their self-titled. In 2006, the band would released their fifth album Saturday Night Wrist. The record was a difficult record to write since the band was going through internal issues amongst themselves. Vocalist Chino Moreno was also going through a difficult battle with drug addiction and problems in his marriage. Following the recording of the album, and heading off to work on his solo project Team Sleep, Moreno expressed that he wasn't sure if he would come back to the band following the inner struggles and writing of Saturday Night Wrist. With the single "Hole in The Earth" to help promote the album, along with a guest appearance by Serj Tankian on the album's second single "Mein", the album would receive positive reviews and praise. Along with admiration to Moreno for addressing the difficulties he faced during the making of the album and expressing it through his lyrics.

Deftones originally began work on an album called Eros, originally intended to be the band's sixth album, but was not finished due to the band's bassist Chi Cheng falling into a coma after a serious car accident. The band would decide to shelve the album indefinitely. With Cheng in a coma due to the accident, the band would recruit Sergio Vega to fill in for Cheng while he tried to recover from the accident. Vega would eventually become an official member of the band and Deftones would begin work on their sixth album. Eros has no planned release date at the time of this writing. Cheng would pass away from cardiac arrest on April 13, 2013. He was 42 years old.

With new vigor, and success coming back in the band's direction following Saturday Night Wrist, the band would release their sixth album Diamond Eyes in 2010. The band approached the writing process for the album trying to avoid using Pro Tools, and with the tragedy that happened to Cheng, wanted to write together as a band again in order to achieve a raw, but more polished approach to the album's sound. Receiving positive reviews, the album would be considered a success from fans and critics and that the band was back on track after rebounding with Saturday Night Wrist, continuing that success with Diamond Eyes.

In 2012, the band would release their seventh album Koi No Yokan. The album would showcase the band pushing technology into their sound even further. Using preamp and effects to create a massive sound with their guitars and bass, which would become a quintessential trait for the band's sound and guitarist Stephen Carpenter's playing style. Creating the definitive and identifiable Deftones tone (no pun intended). The band would continue to play around and integrate genres like doom and groove metal, dream pop, post rock and punk into the sound of the album. The album would receive widespread acclaim from critics at the time of release and ten years later.

While Moreno was touring with his second side-project Crosses (stylized as †††), the rest of the band would begin work on the band's next album Gore. While writing the album, there was again tension amongst the band members. Relating to what direction the album would be going into. With elements of space and prog rock, along with new wave and post-punk, Gore would again receive widespread acclaim from critics. Sites like Metal Hammer and Metal Injection giving it an 8 out of 10. Critics praised the band's continued experimentation and development, and not being afraid to alienate or effect album sales. The album would also feature Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell on the song "Phantom Bride".

The band's most recent record is 2020's Ohms. Though begun work in late 2019, the making of the album faced difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns that were happening across the world. Ohms was heralded as the band's homage to their original core/alternative metal sound. With Carpenter even utilizing a nine-string guitar on the album, adding a lower and heavier sound in his playing. Upon release, the album (as usual) would receive critical acclaim from critics, making countless best of lists in magazines like Kerrang!, Revolver and Spin. Along with online sites like Loudwire.

Musically, does Deftones deserve the hate? This can be difficult to answer because I guess it depends on what era of the Deftones you like. You may like their first two records and really not like their experimental phase past White Pony. If you like the newer records, you might not like the abrasive and aggressive sound of their first two records. As a band, Deftones delivers a little something for everyone with their music. A different record for almost every kind of fan. That's versatility, and that is something a lot of band's don't have really anymore. Personally, I like a lot of the band's material. Regardless of the era or timeframe, the band is talented, creative, and diverse and it almost makes each record they release intriguing. It's that analogy from Forrest Gump that their music is like a box of chocolates and you never know what record you are gonna get from them. For me, I don't think they deserve the hate musically.

SECOND TOPIC: The Criticism

With the band's thirty-plus career, there have been detractors against the band, but it seems to be more predominant in the last couple years. So, I did what I normally do when I don't understand something, I went to the internet for answers. The first point of contention I saw against the band is Moreno's vocals. A lot of comments I saw online are not a fan of his whispering, breathy vocal delivery (like on "Change (in The House of Flies)" and "Digital Bath" for example.) Or when he sings "normally" (according to the internet) his voice is just a "deeper Morrisey". Wailing and whiny sounding in the performance. First of all, I disagree with this statement. Moreno's voice is unique and different, that sometimes fits the tone and aesthetic of the song. Secondly, he does not sound like a "deeper Morrisey". Moreno has pipes when he can sing and when he screams like on "My Own Summer (Shove It)", it is damn impressive and very high. Also, I can't stand Morrisey as he is a pretentious, self-centered douchebag (sorry for going off topic reader).

Secondly, the band's sound has become another criticism. That the band has changed too much and aren't "metal enough". Many critics of the band cite the later records that push the experimentation of soundscape and alt-rock as their main argument. Comparing the band to being "the Radiohead of metal". Which also brings up the other talking point the band's critics have is that EVERYTHING the band does is "critical acclaim", "Best of (insert year)" and the dreaded O word, Overrated. I even saw a joke online that they could record Moreno, breathing into a paper bag for ten minutes, and it would win a Grammy and Album of The Year award on every site and magazine.

Regarding these points specifically, the first point regarding the ol' "aren't metal enough" argument is getting tedious and tiring. Their music is heavy and has elements of distorted guitar and chugging sections. Yes, they have incorporated more atmospheric and techno-elements into their sound, but doesn't every band get to experiment with this element. If there weren't synthesizers and techno-elements, we wouldn't have the post-metal scene with acts like Neurosis and Isis. Their wouldn't be prog rock/metal acts like Coheed and Cambria who insert these elements into their music to help amplify their sound. There wouldn't be the fun metalcore sound of bands like Electric Callboy & Babymetal, or even heavier acts like Children of Bodom. With the critical darling point the internet brought up, I can see some of the points. I even agree that some albums that got critical praise, weren't that good in my honest opinion. Dare I say, even overrated. But then again, I'm not a music critic. Regarding the criticism and vitriol towards the band shortcomings or critiques, I don't think Deftones deserve the hate, but I do see the "critical acclaim" argument and can understand that point of contention.

At the end of it all, do Deftones deserve all the hate towards them? I don't think they do. Not at all in my opinion. This band has really towed the line in what metal and rock can be. Making some interesting, unique, outside of the box modern rock and metal that truly inspired countless acts like Loathe, Architects, Deafheaven, Slipknot and even Suicide Silence. With their origins in alternative and rap/nu metal, to the band's evolution into post rock/metal and further, Deftones are a band that deserve the respect they have earned by the dues they have paid, the bands they inspired and the sound that paved the way to create the legacy they established.

Do you think Deftones deserve the hate? Do you agree/disagree and why? Let us know in the comments on our social media pages. You can also throw in your suggestions on what bands/genres/topics you want us to cover in this series. I'm Justin, You're Friendly Neighborhood Metalhead, and this has been Why The Hate?