Deftones

A Journey Through Metal's Most Experimental Evolution

From Sacramento Skaters to Metal Legends

Deftones didn't start in some dingy garage with dreams of metal stardom. They emerged from Sacramento, California's skateboarding scene in 1988, when three high school buddies at C.K. McClatchy High School decided to pick up instruments and see what happened. Chino Moreno handled vocals, Stephen Carpenter grabbed a guitar, and Abe Cunningham sat behind the drums. What began as teenage friends jamming together would eventually reshape the entire landscape of alternative metal.

The band's early story has one of those "what if" moments that could have changed everything. When Stephen was just 15, he got hit by a car while skateboarding and ended up confined to a wheelchair for several months. During that forced downtime, he taught himself guitar by playing along to thrash metal giants like Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death, and Metallica. Contrary to the myth that's followed the band for years, the driver didn't provide some cash settlement that funded their equipment purchases. As Abe Cunningham later set the record straight, that's just "a myth about how our band was started."

The name Deftones itself is pretty clever when you break it down. It combines the hip-hop slang term "def" with the suffix "-tones," while also serving as a pun on "tone deaf." After they recruited bassist Chi Cheng in 1990, the classic lineup was complete and ready to start their journey through metal's evolution.

Nine Albums of Constant Reinvention

The Raw Beginning: Adrenaline (1995)

Their debut album "Adrenaline" hit shelves on October 3, 1995, through Maverick Records, and it was exactly what you'd expect from young guys channeling pure aggression into music. This was raw, unfiltered energy mixing 90s alternative metal with unhinged screams and abrasive riffs that felt like they could cut glass.

The album wasn't an immediate commercial success, but that didn't matter. Deftones built their fanbase the old-fashioned way through extensive touring and word-of-mouth promotion. Eventually, they sold over 220,000 copies, spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and the album was even certified platinum in 2008 when people finally caught up to what they were doing.

Finding Their Voice: Around the Fur (1997)

"Around the Fur" was where things started clicking commercially. The album hit number 29 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Heatseekers chart, bringing Deftones fame within the alternative metal scene. This was when they really showed their range, with increased dynamics and depth that got them onto major festival stages and headlining their own tours. Singles like "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" became their first charting hits.

The Game-Changer: White Pony (2000)

Here's where Deftones completely changed the game. "White Pony" wasn't just another metal album – it was a dramatic evolution that moved them beyond nu-metal into experimental territory that nobody saw coming. They started blending post-hardcore with trip hop, shoegaze, and progressive rock in ways that shouldn't have worked but absolutely did.

The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and became their first platinum record. "Change (In the House of Flies)" became their most commercially successful single, while "Elite" won them a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2001. Critics started comparing them to "the Radiohead of metal" because of how experimental and atmospheric they'd become.

This was also the first album to feature Frank Delgado as a full-time member on turntables and synthesizers, and the first where Chino Moreno began contributing rhythm guitar parts. Everything about this album screamed evolution.

The Experimental Years: Deftones (2003) to Saturday Night Wrist (2006)

Their self-titled fourth album "Deftones" reached number two in the US, but sales were lackluster compared to White Pony's success. "Saturday Night Wrist" from 2006 was marked by creative tensions and personal issues within the band. Things got so strained that Chino was actually touring with his side project Team Sleep during recording sessions. Despite all the production difficulties, the album still showed their willingness to keep experimenting.

Tragedy and Triumph: Diamond Eyes (2010)

Everything changed in November 2008 when Chi Cheng was involved in a serious car accident that left him in a coma. The band had nearly completed an album called "Eros," but they made the difficult decision to shelve it and start fresh. They brought in former Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega and created "Diamond Eyes" with producer Nick Raskulinecz.

The result was both a critical and commercial success that reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. It marked a fresh start with a more atmospheric sound that proved they could overcome tragedy and come back stronger.

Artistic Peak: Koi No Yokan (2012)

"Koi No Yokan" – which means "premonition of love" in Japanese – showcased increased collaboration with Sergio Vega and demonstrated the band's most dynamic range yet. The album debuted at number eleven on the Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim. They were incorporating elements from metal, alternative rock, shoegaze, dream pop, and post-rock like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Recent Evolution: Gore (2016) and Ohms (2020)

"Gore" captured the creative tension between Chino Moreno's melodic inclinations and Stephen Carpenter's increasingly heavy approach. Rolling Stone perfectly described it as Moreno "playing Morrissey to the guitarist's Meshuggah." The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, their highest charting since 2003.

"Ohms" from 2020 earned them their second and third Grammy nominations, proving they're still relevant and pushing boundaries in modern metal.

What's Next: "Private Music" (2025)

On July 10, 2025, Deftones dropped some major news: their highly anticipated tenth studio album "Private Music" is set for release on August 22, 2025. This marks their first release in five years since "Ohms" and reunites them with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who previously worked on "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan."

The 11-track album was recorded across studios in Malibu and Joshua Tree, California, as well as Nashville, Tennessee. The band describes it as "at once a psychedelic voyage and a skull-rattling wallop," meditating on themes of nature's beauty and peril, cultivating positive mindsets, and visions of journeys beyond the physical realm.

The lead single "My Mind Is a Mountain" dropped alongside the announcement, and it shows they're still evolving. The album features the band's creative core of Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Abe Cunningham, and Frank Delgado, along with new bassist Fred Sablan.

"Private Music" Track Listing:

1. My Mind Is a Mountain

2. Locked Club

3. Ecdysis

4. Infinite Source

5. Souvenir

6. CXZ

7. I Think About You All the Time

8. Milk of the Madonna

9. Cut Hands

10. Metal Dream

11. Departing the Body

The Stories Behind the Music

How Madonna Changed Everything

Here's something that'll blow your mind: Madonna was instrumental in Deftones getting their first major record deal. In 1994, after playing their first Los Angeles show, someone in the audience who knew Madonna passed along their two-song demo tape to the Queen of Pop herself.

Madonna's Maverick Records called Chino at his day job at Tower Records saying "Madonna wants to see you guys play." After performing just two songs in a small rehearsal space, they were immediately signed. Madonna even gave them a naked poster of herself, which Chino apparently still has hanging in his house.

The Tragedy of Chi Cheng

The band faced their greatest tragedy when bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a serious car accident on November 4, 2008, in Santa Clara, California. Chi wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle, leaving him in a coma. Despite showing signs of improvement over the years, he died of cardiac arrest on April 13, 2013, at age 42. His mother was singing songs he liked in his ear when he passed away.

The accident happened just as Chino had finished recording vocals for the "Eros" album, which remains largely unreleased to this day. Only one song from those sessions, "Smile," has been officially released, uploaded by Chino on the anniversary of Chi's death in 2014.

Chino's Musical Adventures

Chino Moreno isn't content to just stick with Deftones. He's been involved in numerous side projects that showcase his versatility as an artist. Team Sleep, formed in the mid-1990s with childhood friend Todd Wilkinson, explores dream pop and trip hop influences. Crosses (stylized as †††), formed with Far guitarist Shaun Lopez, creates minimal, electronic-influenced music. He also formed Palms with former members of Isis, creating post-metal compositions that sound nothing like his main band.

Stephen's Gear Evolution

Stephen Carpenter's approach to guitar has evolved dramatically over the years. He started with traditional six-string guitars but moved to seven-strings in the late 1990s, then eight-strings for "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan," and has been using nine-string guitars starting with "Ohms." This progression reflects the band's constant push toward heavier, more experimental sounds.

Grammy Gold

Deftones have won two Grammy Awards: Best Metal Performance for "Elite" from "White Pony" in 2001, and Best Remixed Recording for "Passenger (Mike Shinoda Remix)" in 2022. They've received additional nominations for "Genesis" and "Ohms" in 2022.

Frank's Unique Approach

Frank Delgado, who became an official member before "White Pony," doesn't use traditional DJ techniques like scratching or beat juggling. Instead, he uses turntables as samplers to integrate subtle sounds and textures, preferring to create his own samples rather than use prerecorded banks. His background in the Sacramento hip-hop group Socialistics brought a completely different perspective to the band's sound.

Recent Lineup Changes

The band has undergone some significant lineup changes recently. Sergio Vega, who served as bassist since 2009, left in 2021 due to contractual disputes, despite never being made an official member. He was replaced by Fred Sablan, former bassist for Marilyn Manson, who joined as touring bassist in 2022 and was inducted as a full-time member in 2025. Lance Jackman also serves as a touring guitarist for non-US shows since Stephen Carpenter stopped traveling abroad in 2022.

The Lasting Impact

Deftones have sold over 10 million albums worldwide and influenced countless bands including Muse, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, and System of a Down. Their ability to constantly evolve while maintaining their core identity has made them one of the most respected bands in modern metal.

From their humble beginnings in Sacramento's skateboarding scene to becoming one of metal's most innovative forces, Deftones have created a catalog spanning nearly three decades of sonic evolution. Their upcoming album "Private Music" promises to be another chapter in their remarkable journey, proving that even after 37 years, they remain as creative and vital as ever.

What makes them special isn't just their music – it's their refusal to be boxed in by genre expectations. They've shown that veteran acts can grow and remain relevant, consistently pushing the boundaries of what metal can be. As they prepare for their next chapter, one thing's certain: Deftones will continue to surprise us.