Deftones - Gore

Artist: Deftones
Album: Gore
Year: 2016
Rating: 97/100

Before this album even dropped, there was already a massive fuss about a new Deftones release for 2016, much like there was for its two predecessors, "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan"; perhaps understandably so, given that both of these albums were greeted with a fervour not seen since they first decided to push the envelope back when they released "White Pony". With that out of the way, the big question is: what can we expect from "Gore"?

Well, we the listeners can expect the Deftones not to completely change musical direction, but more a subtle re-plot of their musical co-ordinates. Opening track "Prayers/Triangles" is a blissful, spaced out concoction that evokes "Jupiter"-era Cave In, while "Geometric Headdress" and "Doomed User" are raw, primal slabs of energy that hark back to the Deftones' early days. Elsewhere, "Hearts/Wires" and "(L)MIRL" are massive atmospheric, multi-layered, sprawling slow burners that offer a deviation from the norm; not unlike "Digital Bath" or "Change (In The House of Flies)" from the aforementioned "White Pony", whereas the title track and album closers "Phantom Bride" and "Rubicon" combine the atmospheric elements and the raw heaviness that the Deftones have become so well known for over the last twenty or so years to give us a couple of absolute beauties of tracks to end on.

"Gore" is, without doubt, the most complex and multi-layered album that the Deftones have given us since "White Pony". It isn't a complete change of sound from "Diamond Eyes" and "Koi No Yokan"; much more of a slight re-drawing of the musical co-ordinates of their trajectory whilst simultaneously pushing the envelope further, just as the Deftones are wont to do. Deftones have always been way ahead of the curve when it comes to their musical output, and "Gore" is proof positive of that. A must listen, even by the Deftones' own high standards.

Track list:

1. Prayers/Triangles
2. Acid Hologram
3. Doomed User
4. Geometric Headdress
5. Hearts/Wires
6. Pittura Infamante
7. Xenon
8. (L)MIRL
9. Gore
10. Phantom Bride
11. Rubicon