'This is, without question, the most mature and cohesive record the band has ever recorded.'
Few bands in the modern rock scene have the kind of enduring legacy that Deftones have cultivated over the past 17 years. And to call their new album Koi No Yokan simply "good" is about the biggest understatement one could make regarding this record.
In the years following bassist Chi Cheng's near-fatal car accident (which has left him recovering from a coma-like state since), Deftones have gone through what could be modestly described as a period of soul-searching.
Their early work on Adrenaline (1995) and Around the Fur ('97) were landmarks in their day and stood apart from other rock acts of the era by eschewing the nu-metal scene and employing their own structured, thought-provoking, and unconventional approach to songwriting.
In the wake of their breakout album White Pony (2000), many critics wondered if the band had hit its high water mark. After Cheng's accident in 2008, it seemed almost a certainty that the band was going to call it quits.
Thankfully for us, they didn't.
Koi No Yokan is the band's seventh studio album and the second to feature long-time friend of the band Sergio Vega filling Cheng's shoes on bass duty.
For those familiar with Deftones' sound, please be prepared to check your pretense at the door. If Diamond Eyes was any indication of the direction the group was headed, they've taken that concept and launched it into the stratosphere. This is, without question, the most mature and cohesive record the band has ever recorded. This album is a woven tapestry that takes the most stirring elements of the band's previous work and breathes into it new life and urgency that begs to be listened to as a complete piece. Each track flows into the next like a river — crashing, falling, rushing, cascading and slowing at a pace that lends itself to its neighboring tracks and compliments them naturally without feeling like a put-on.
This is, without question, the most mature and cohesive record the band has ever recorded.
It should be mentioned that the band's influences are laid out for all to see on this record.
Fans of the British shoegaze band My Vitriol will hear subtle nods to its 2000 album Finelines throughout the more melodic moments of this record. On tracks like '”Tempest,” you can distinctly hear singer Chino Moreno's affection for Duran Duran, not only in his Simon Le Bon vocal approach, but also in the song's hook. On "Gauze," hardcore fans will immediately resonate with guitarist Stephen Carpenter's sinister Meshugga-style riffing (listen to "Gauze" alongside Meshugga's "New Millennium Cyanide Christ" and you'll get the drift).
“We had it rough. We are not of privilege. We were literally hungry during the early days of this band."
Plus other outstanding releases of the year, including several extraordinary re-issues from the Fat Boys, Velvet Underground and the soundtrack to the documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man.'
Plus, the Trail of Two Cities, Diva Bingo and the Album of the Week
For some people, punk rock’s mere mention can evoke images of mosh pits and rambunctious young revelers releasing pent-up emotions, but as a musical genre it seems to have become more acclimated into mainstream society.
If the label of hardest working man in show business belonged to the late James Brown, a strong contender for the title of hardest working band might be Flogging Molly. Appearing in Atlantic City fo...
“I was writing and recording through some of the most difficult times of my life. The thing that saved me was that I could put down how I felt on paper and record what I came up with. I had a lot of dark feelings, but I’m not the only one to feel that way in rock. Some great songs have been written when guys have been down."
Morrisville, Pa.’s Asher Roth went from delivering the newspaper to delivering hip-hop tunes. “It’s all true,” Roth tells Atlantic City Weekly. “I had a [newspaper] route when I was a sophomore in high school and I had to be up at 6am. I always hated getting up at that hour.” These days, Roth is more likely to call it a night at daybreak as opposing to rising at dawn.
Depeche Mode Where: Borgata Event Center When: Saturday, Aug. 1, 8pm How Much: Sold Out On the eve of its 30th anniversary, Depeche Mode continues to evolve. Unlike many of its 1980s peers, who are content to ride the wave of nostalgia, the influential British electronic act, continues to break new ground. Vocalist Dave Gahan has added a fresh element to Depeche Mode’s sonic repertoire since he has become a songwriter at mid-life. Gahan’s contributions to the group’s latest album, Sounds of the Universe, which dropped in April and 2005’s Playing the Angel, have made things a little more disparate for the act. Gahan’s lighter lyrics are a nice contrast to guitarist-keyboardist Martin Gore’s dark, subversive but melodic songs. Depeche Mode will showcase cuts from Sounds of the Universe when it returns Saturday, Aug. 1, to the Borgata Event Center; Peter, Bjorn and John will open. Keyboardist Andy Fletcher recently called from Montreal to chat up the disc, detail how difficult it is for the group to come up with a set list after three-decades and why he will hit the blackjack table in Atlantic City. How much of a boost is to add another songwriter’s contributions to the band after all of this time? It’s great...
Article:
Preview: Wasting Away in Margaritaville
Article:
New in June: The Social Concert Series
Article:
Casino Promotions
Article:
A Review: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Article:
A Lavish ‘Gatsby’
Article:
Laughing with George Lopez
Article:
Parrothead Paradise: Margaritaville to Debut at Resorts
Article:
Fight Night at Boardwalk Hall
1. Anonymous said... on Nov 16, 2012 at 05:48PM
“Mmm hmmm (nodding head).
Well written review.”
2. 90028 said... on Nov 16, 2012 at 07:09PM
“New record is DOPE. Review spot on. Playing The Hollywood Palladium next week. Sh!t is ill son.”
3. Anonymous said... on Nov 16, 2012 at 10:34PM
“this album is so f'in good i haven't stopped listening all week!! glad to see these guys back on top. one love for Chi!!!”
4. Ray C. Weekly said... on Nov 17, 2012 at 06:24AM
“Wow, this guy can write too? I thought all he could do was make pretty pictures!”
5. real1 said... on Nov 20, 2012 at 02:54AM
“i love the last track "what happened to you". and i agree that the entire album is so mature and the group as a unit has remaind loyal to their apparent formula for success but has maintained releventcy in this bullshit excuse for a rock scene with the exception of some groups. korns "narcasistic cannible[sic]"song i thought was hard.”
6. Corey said... on Nov 22, 2012 at 04:16PM
“Great review. This not only inspired me to listen to the new album, but also purchase it and become a believer in Deftones once again. Thanks AC Weekly!”