Deftones

Deftones' fifth studio album continues their dark, visceral journey -- haunting soundscapes full of ominously chiming guitars, crashing percussion, and frontman Chino Moreno's alternately melodic and guttural singing. But the band also takes some risks -- emphasizing artiness over thundering hardness (unlike 2003's often-deadening self-titled effort). They shake the nu-metal shackles with help from System of a Down's Serj Tankian, whose baritone offsets Moreno's breathy vocals on "Mein," and Giant Drag's Annie Hardy, who delivers an explicit monologue about engaging in truck-stop trysts and believing in "the one true power" on "Pink Cellphone." It's a sideways step in the right direction. 

Now Hear This:
Deftones - "Hole In The Earth" WINDOWS MEDIA HIGH | LOW

By Alyssa Rashbaum