From a small garage in Sacramento, California, to becoming one of the most influential bands in alternative media culture today, the metal alt legends Deftones have finally released their newest anticipated album, “private music.” “private music” is their first release in five years since 2020’s “Ohms,” marking the longest gap between albums in the band’s history. Despite the wait, their delivery is nothing short of marvelous, meeting their creative standards while also capturing the attention of a new audience.

Over the past couple of years, Deftones has amassed a younger fan base, Gen Z listeners otherwise known as zoomers. While not initially popular during the early years of their career, they have since become one of the most recognizable bands of all time, due in great part to their extremely unique sound. Their renewed popularity has fueled appreciation for both their classic albums and more recent projects from throughout the 2010s.

“private music” marks a new age for the band’s sound, bringing back many of the raw emotions like rage, loss and torment that makes their early work so iconic. The vocal performances from Chino Moreno and the instrumental layering create an album that feels more polished around the edges. The flow of one track into the next creates a fluid transition that give the feeling that you’re listening to more of a well recorded live session than just a bunch of tracks heavily pieced and jammed together into a studio album. The band leans into their signature loud and soft dynamics, while also exploring groove metal aesthetics and subtle synthesizer touches. The result is a mountainous soundscape, crushing yet dreamy, intoxicating and emotionally tense.

Initially released as a single alongside another song on the album, the opening track “my mind is a mountain” leads in with thunderous guitars, ferocious vocals and ethereal interludes that set the tone for the record. Some other notable tracks include “ecdysis,” with a more skeletal, stripped back sound and deep sinister baselines, lifted by an anthemic hook. “milk of the madonna,” the second song on the album to release as a single, stands out for its rapid, saturating guitar, echoing vocals, and punk riffs that encapsulate the sound of Deftones to a tee. Other worthwhile tracks include “infinite source” with an angelic, almost celestial vibe that leaves you with a blissfully transcending feeling and “i think about you all the time,” with a sorrowful, and mournful opening with a heavy chorus that makes you feel like having your heart ripped out. Lyrically, the album grapples with mental health struggles, inner turmoil and endurance during hardship. The tension, aggression and passion are felt across the record, both in Moreno’s shrill vocals and in the synthesized instrumentals.

With “private music,” Deftones revisit their roots while still playing to a new, younger audience. Though there isn’t much demand for the band to change their sound, they have made their own improvements and developments to keep themselves relevant, and remain as popular as ever, proving themselves the rightful stewards of their own influential sound.