Deftones formed in Sacramento, California in 1988, pairing Stephen Carpenter's downtuned heaviness with Chino Moreno's shifts between intimate melody and full scream. White Pony (2000) is the landmark that bridged nu metal and atmospheric art rock — start there or with Around the Fur (1997). Browse Deftones vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Deftones formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. The classic lineup of Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Chi Cheng, and Abe Cunningham (later expanded with Frank Delgado on turntables and keyboards from 1998) signed with Maverick Records and built a sustained career through the late 1990s and 2000s. Chi Cheng was severely injured in a November 2008 car accident and remained in a minimally conscious state until his death in April 2013. Bassist Sergio Vega (formerly of Quicksand) filled the role through 2021; Fred Sablan joined for Ohms (2020) and continues. The band has been widely cited as a defining alternative metal act with significant influence on later generations of heavy music.
Deftones' sound combines alternative metal, nu metal, post-hardcore, shoegaze, and dream pop with Stephen Carpenter's heavy downtuned guitar work and Chino Moreno's distinctive vocal range moving between intimate melodic singing and screamed vocals. White Pony (2000) is widely regarded as a landmark album that bridged nu metal and more atmospheric, art-rock-adjacent metal aesthetics.
Original Maverick pressings of White Pony are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions, including the 20th anniversary deluxe edition of White Pony (2020) with the remix album Black Stallion, have been released.
Listeners new to Deftones typically start with White Pony (2000) or Around the Fur (1997).
