private music
Deftones have a sound you can recognise very quickly. The low guitars, the space around Chino Moreno's voice, the way a song can feel calm and threatening at the same time. private music works because the band still find useful things to do inside that sound.
my mind is a mountain opens with enough weight to make the point immediately. Abe Cunningham's drumming keeps the music active beneath the hazy vocal, and locked club carries that energy forward. The guitars are heavy, but the rhythm gives them movement. It's a strong reminder of how much the drums contribute to this band's identity.
ecdysis and infinite source give the bass more of a driving role. The latter is a particular highlight, with guitar details and vocal harmonies that give its hook a slightly unsettled quality. It's catchy without becoming too neat. Deftones are good at leaving a small amount of friction inside a very appealing melody.
milk of the madonna brings another surge of energy. Moreno's singing rises above the guitars without smoothing them out, and the song gets a lot from that tension. The performances feel connected: the instruments have their own jobs, and none of them seem to be waiting around for the next chorus.
There's a softer side too. i think about you all the time gives the album a more exposed moment, while departing the body takes a wider, darker route towards the finish. Those changes matter because they give the heavier songs something to work against.
The main limitation is also fairly clear. Anyone hoping for a completely different Deftones album will find familiar territory here. The appeal comes from the writing and the band's control of their sound, rather than a major change in direction.
That's enough when the songs are this convincing. private music has weight, atmosphere and hooks, with the rhythm section doing far more than simply supporting the guitars. It makes a familiar sound feel full of possibility again.
