Deftones: Romantic Dreams – new video

Showcasing skateboarding prowess of Jason Park, DEFTONES' new video was directed by “filmer, skater and hopeful creator” Brett Novak. ‘Romantic Dreams’ comes off the groups seventh studio album ‘Koi No Yokan’, issued in November 2012 through Reprise Records. ‘Koi No Yokan’, once again recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz, debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Top 200 with first week U.S. sales of 65,000 copies; it entered the Canadian Albums Chart at number 13, the German Albums Chart at number 17, and the UK Albums Chart at number 30. One of my favourite albums of 2012, ‘Koi No Yokan’ awaits you here (Warner Bros store), on iTunes and Amazon:

“ ‘Koi No Yokan’ finds the band returning with a warm, dreamy sound that feels more like heavy dream pop or shoegaze than light metal. Always finding new ways to use old tools, the driving sounds on the album feel more like they’re meant to envelop the listener than enrage them, with a sonic gulf - created by Chino Moreno's soaring vocals and Stephen Carpenter's shuddering, extended scale riffs - so large and inviting, it feels like the only option is to dive in and explore its depths,” [commented Gregory Heaney, AllMusic – more here:]

Childhood friends Stephen Carpenter, Chino Moreno and Abe Cunningham formed DEFTONES in 1988 in Sacramento, California. They have recorded a four-track demo with bassist Chi Chang soon after the band's inception, followed by a debut album, ‘Adrenaline’, released in 1995 through Maverick Records: “Unlike many of their contemporaries, DEFTONES are very controlled even in the midst of chaos. The musical attack is precise and well organized without sounding mechanical or soulless.Simply put, this music is the product of a good old-fashioned band, with every element of the music fitting together nicely,” observed Daniel Gioffre, AllMusic (more here). ‘Adrenaline’ was certified gold in 1999 (500,000 copies sold) and has gone platinum in 2008 (1,000,000 units sold). DEFTONES' second album, ‘Around The Fur’, was released in 1997 and was dedicated to Max Cavalera's (SOULFLY) late stepson Dana Wells. The album had sold 43,000 copies in its first week of release, and had peaked at number 29 on the U.S. albums chart Billboard Top 200. In 2000, the band released their third album, ‘White Pony’, as Frank Delgado (a.k.a. “DJ Speedboat” responsible for turntables, keyboards, sampler) became a full-time band member, adding new elements to DEFTONES' music. The album achieved platinum status in 2002 (1,3 million copies sold in USA alone) and secured the group a Grammy award for the song ‘Elite’:

“The band struggled with leading its direction, trudging through weighed emotion,” [wrote MacKenzie Wilson, AllMusic] “but ‘White Pony’ was the tantalizing outcome. DEFTONES went soft, but in an impressive way, to twist around its signature punk thrash sound. Frontman Chino Moreno is still intense, and his sour vocals throughout the entire record growl and stomp all over mainstream movements. He is bored with it all.” [Read the rest

The group's self-titled 2003 release was followed by 2006's somewhat less successful ‘Saturday Night Wrist’. DEFTONES' sixth album, entitled ‘Diamond Eyes’, was released in 2010 through Reprise Records. It sold 62,000 copies during the first week of its release in the U.S. alone, debuted at number 6 on Billboard Top 200 and had achieved a top 20 charting in many European countries. ‘Diamond Eyes’ introduced new bassist Sergio Vega, substituting Chi Cheng who had suffered severe injuries in a 2008 traffic accident and to which he succombed in April of 2013:

“Given this serious trauma, it’s only logical that ‘Diamond Eyes’ functioned as musical therapy for DEFTONES, but the surprise is that it has little downcast lyrical angst-mining, preferring atmosphere to bloodletting. Naturally, there is quite a bit of roiling darkness here – they’re CURE-loving metalheads, it’s in their blood - but there’s shade and light, control of texture, with the band deepening rather than expanding. Above all, it’s a mature album: DEFTONES skirted the obvious response to their tragedy, realizing that the left turn is a more rewarding journey,” [wrote Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic – read the rest here]

DEFTONES features: Chino Moreno – vocals, Stephen Carpenter – guitar, Frank Delgado – samples and keys, Abe Cunningham – drums and Sergio Vega – bass