Deftones

Formed in Sacramento, CA, in 1988, Deftones, led by vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno, had a fluctuating lineup early on, with the membership falling into place around 1993. In the chaotic world of ’90s alt-rock, they were an underground success, their fanbase steadily growing thanks to constant touring and devoted listeners spreading the word. Their 2000 breakthrough, White Pony, was a creative leap for the band, incorporating shoegaze’s shimmer and post-rock’s sprawl into its sound while spotlighting Moreno’s haunting, soaring vocals. The 2003 release Deftones, highlighted by the fuzzed-out single “Minerva,” and 2006’s Saturday Night Wrist continued their evolution. Longtime bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car crash in 2008, and the band put things on hold for a while, releasing Diamond Eyes in 2010. (Cheng passed away in 2013.) Deftones ascended to elder statesmen of hard rock in the 2010s, recording albums like 2012’s Koi No Yokan and 2016’s Gore that added breadth and depth to their sonic arsenal. Both the anniversary remix release of White Pony and their ninth full-length, Ohms, in 2020 came amid the world-halting pandemic, which scrapped the band’s plans to tour the projects at the time. For the follow-up, they reunited with Diamond Eyes and Koi No Yokan producer Nick Raskulinecz on 2025’s private music—a title intended to be thought-provoking. Through their deep catalog that blends the bludgeoning power of metal with the detailing of shoegaze and the ambition of prog rock, Deftones yield an undeniable influence over the modern-rock landscape.