Chino Moreno the frontman of the Deftones

Being a fan of a band should be like being a fan of a sports team. Many times in the world of musical fandom we turn on musicians as soon as the group kicks out one bad album. Sometimes we’ll stick around for two, but that doesn’t happen often. We should continue to be fans no matter what happens, even if a band changes their sound completely and you wonder why you even liked them at all, because at one time there was a connection and we should never forget that moment.

I am guilty of flip-flopping on most bands that catch my eye, but there has been one group that I have never given up on, even after two subpar albums. The collection of musicians known as the Deftones has been apart of my musical pallet since I was 16 years old. This week it was announced the release their sixth album Diamond Eyes will be May 18th, and again I find myself searching to find any way to get their tones in my ears.

There were three different releases of White Pony, this is the limited "black" album

One might ask why I still look forward to listening to something new from a band who’s last two albums did nothing to improve my musical collection. I would tell them that once a band has made one master piece, you will wait for eternity to see of they can do it again. This masterpiece I speak of is the White Pony album that was released in June of 2000. To this day it remains my favorite COMPLETE album of all time. From track one “Feiticeira” to track 12 “The Boy’s Republic” there isn’t a moment on the album that doesn’t capture my complete attention.

It is true that “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” or “My Own Summer (Shove it)” might be the two best songs ever released by the Deftones, but I don’t think that anyone would argue that Around the Fur is in the same class as White Pony.

Most of my feelings are fueled by nostalgia but isn’t that what makes all older music great? We love associating it with a time in our lives where we thought we had it easier.

Below is a reminder of some of the great songs that came off that legendary album.

“Digital Bath”

“Change (In the House of Flies)”

“Street Carp”

Get well soon Chi