2nd chances w/: Deftones

Reppin' "...Sacktown, the Bay Area and back down..."

Welcome to another edition of 2nd chances, where I shine the spotlight on a band/album that I initially felt indifferent toward, let down by, or totally hated on but have since come to peace with. This installment is a little different than the previous two. I'm not only singing a different tune regarding Deftones latest album Diamond Eyes, I'm singing it's praises from the rooftops.

I gave Diamond Eyes a few spins when it first came out in 2010. I liked what I heard, and automatically knew the album flowed better than their self titled Deftones album and their last full length Saturday Night Wrist, but wasn't blown away either. I thought, nice work Deftones. End of story. Well flash forward to early 2011, news broke that Deftones and The Dillinger Escape Plan will embark on a U.S. tour together in Spring after years of failed attempts. To my surprise/horror, the tour has ZERO California dates. This makes no sense seeing as how Deftones and Greg from Dillinger all live in my bankrupt state...needless to say I'm devastated by this. I go on a Deftones kick, spend an evening listening to Diamond Eyes on my iPod and fall in love with the damn album.

So whats so damn great about this record? Well for starters the production is phenomenal. This album sounds amazing on my overpriced iPod earbuds, I suppose my first mistake was only listening to Diamond Eyes on my computer speakers...at a lowered volume....while playing MW2. =/ Yeah. Next, the arrangement. As I said before this album flows extremely well together from start to finish unlike their last two CDs which, IMO had a few curveballs in the order/pace of the overall albums. Finally and most importantly, the bees knees about Diamond Eyes are the songs. Holy feces these songs have some hooks. The band outgrew their Nu Metal origins on 2000's White Pony by transitioning from whiny aggro rock to hauntingly sultry space jams. Diamond Eyes has this in spades. In fact that might be the reason I initially overlooked this record. It's a slow burner, meant to seduce the listener over time. Hell, I'd go back in time and include this in my Top 10 albums of 2010 for sure if I could.

Here are my two favorite songs off the album, which they awesomely enough made legit music videos for.

This song has some sleazy swagger to it, plus the band gets down in a bloody orgy with scantly clad women. You're welcome.


This next one is my favorite song off the album. I think this might even surpass "Digital Bath" in terms of sheer beautiful awesomeness.  


TL;DR: Deftones Diamond Eyes rules. "Sextape," best song on the record.