Tag Archives: Deftones

I was 13 when Be Quiet and Drive came out. I remember watching the video and being completely blown away by the song. I have been a fan ever since.

In a lot of ways Gore is unimpressive. Unimpressive because, well, we’ve all heard this record before. Lots of great grooves and sexy atmosphere underpinning the record, punctuated by heavy riffs and killer hooks. It reminds me a lot of Diamond Eyes, Saturday Night Wrist, and the self-titled record. It’s what you’ve come to expect from the Deftones. Which doesn’t make it bad. It just doesn’t leave much of an impression other than another really good record from the band.

The album’s opener, Prayers/Triangles , was the obvious and only choice for lead single. It’s really the only remarkable hook on the record. It’s the song you’ll find yourself singing over and over again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Phantom Bride got the single/video treatment. The quiet/loud construct creates a dynamic change and draws attention to the hook, making it a really compelling song. Geometric Headdress has a great hook, but it’s more melodic and serves the music rather than being a hook that’s going to get stuck in your ear.

Doomed User the heaviest track on the record. Proof that the band hasn’t lost it’s edge. Tracks like Hearts/Wire, Xenon, (L)Mirl, all have really great riffs and take a couple of listens to really digest al that’s happening. The title track could easily be a b-side from White Pony. Rubicon is an excellent closer and the Deftones really saved the best for last.

There’s a lot of interesting layers on this record, as there always are on Deftones records. It doesn’t grab me in the same way Koi No Yokan did and it feels more experimental than some previous efforts that had more “hits” on them. But it’s still the Deftones and it’s still a killer record. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.