6th studio album from Sacramento metal gods, Deftones. Though the band had written what was to be their 6th studio album, a car accident that left original bassist Chi Cheng in a coma caused the quintet to find another direction feeling the now shelved album didn't feel it represented who they really were. With former Quicksand bassist and longtime homie stepping in for the hospitalized Cheng, the band quickly wrote a grip of new tunes and subsequently recorded what became Diamond Eyes. The focus was much more positive in Chino's writing and the band felt the best they had in years. Diamond Eyes sounds like the middle ground between Around The Fur and White Pony with scores of music critics claiming this to be their best. While the Deftones had unfortunately been slumped into the late 90s Nu Metal genre, their style is much more lasting. They came before and have stayed much more relevant than their dreadlocked, red dickies wearing peers. All in all, you won't be disappointed from beginning to end. This is Deftones at their purest.

• black vinyl pressing
• printed insert
  
• original release year: 2010
• music label: Reprise Records 2021

reviewed by Around The Plur 06/2015