Deftones have long been a solitary force in the metal landscape, standing firmly apart from the nu metal and alternative metal scenes they’re often lumped in with— these days, any band that sounds remotely similar to Deftones only does so because of their inescapable influence. The modern streaming era seems to have pushed the group to newfound levels of recognition and acclaim, though it’s actually been a rather barren decade as far as new music is concerned: in hindsight, it seems clear that 2016’s ‘Gore’ and 2020’s ‘Ohms’ were merely stepping stones, leading us to 2025’s ‘private music.’ What you’ve heard is true— Deftones’ 10th studio album makes a hell of a case to be their very best.

‘private music’ is the culmination of the musical idea that has always defined Deftones: heavy metal made soft. On a surface level, the record is absolutely massive— just listen to the stomping riffs of lead single ‘my mind is a mountain’ or the grinding breakdown of ‘cut hands’ for proof of that— emboldened by sturdy guitar tones and a dependable drum mix. Despite that fact, though, it’s difficult to label ‘private music’ as a metal record, in the same way that the saxophone on ‘Careless Whisper’ doesn’t make it a jazz tune. The album is steeped in reverb and ambience, transforming the driving riffs of ‘milk of the madonna’ into something much more meditative and withdrawn: Deftones’ shoegaze and post-metal influences are a dominating force here, making ‘private music’ one of the most unique and hard-to-pin-down releases of the year. 

Of course, this direction is hardly some bold reinvention for Moreno and company, who’ve been toying with these ideas in various forms across their career— any fans hoping for a radical departure from the group’s trademark style will probably be highly disappointed, as ‘private music’ sees Deftones basking in their usual light. This isn’t ‘just another record’ from the band though: in 2025, those various elements have finally collided in the best of ways, completely transforming the listening experience. It does help, admittedly, that the five-piece are sounding as good as ever in current year, with Abe Cunningham’s ever-reliable percussion and newcomer Fred Sablan’s grounded bass lines providing a welcome contrast to the soaring keys lines Frank Delgado is bringing to the table. As for Moreno, his vocals continue to be a point of contention, often faltering where a more conventional singer would prevail— honestly, it seems a miracle that his mournful whisperings and rabid screams settle in among the chaos so naturally, despite their shortcomings.

The resulting record is one that washes over you, in much the same way that fan-favourite tracks like ‘Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)’ or ‘Sextape’ do— ‘private music’ consistently manages to capture a fleeting magic that’ll have you nodding along rather than furiously head-banging. ‘ecdysis’ will undoubtedly become a concert-staple in years to come, working to remove your soul from your body via its gnarly bass groove and ethereal chorus: the following ‘infinite source’ achieves a similar effect, with its central harmonics-based guitar hook standing out as an instant classic (even among so many instant classics on the record). There are no notable weak tracks to decry, even if closer ‘departing the body’ is a hair more sluggish than was really necessary to capture that thoughtful atmosphere— ‘private music’ really feels like its attempting to be the culmination of the entire Deftones discography.

Moreno tackles a massive range of topics across the record, all of which benefit from that multi-faceted, thoughtful mood. The far-off cries of “I’m hovering in space” on ‘souvenir’ are somewhat humorous, admittedly, but the track’s descriptions of the supernatural pair perfectly with its wide-open soundscapes and heartbreaking bridge section— it’s a beautiful contrast against the straightforward kinship that rings out across ‘i think about you all the time,’ with both tracks somehow feeling equally as important and profound.

“As we sink

Inside of your warship

Lay next to me, our theme plays

And we're out of our minds, singing”

Once again, Deftones are perfecting what they’ve always done by taking the mundane and making it mesmerising— the melancholy of ‘private music’ straddles the line between suffocating and overwhelming, propelled by a variety of gorgeous lyrical portraits. This is the band as you’ve always known them, and yet the subtle refinements are worth far more than the sum of their parts: dramatic moments like ‘milk of the madonna’ or ‘~metal dream’ feel entirely earned on an album of this scale.

“Bloody rain floods these streets, came falling to the earth

Run away, a thunder hangs above me like an eye

Blows a wind, it fills and quakes the houses from above

Wide awake, burning out the foxes from the vines”

Deftones, like most acts at their level of success, will always be compared to their breakout releases: the central question that any subsequent records have to contend with is always “does it live up to ‘Around the Fur’ and ‘White Pony?’” This time around, our answer is an emphatic yes. ‘private music’ melds the beautiful and the crushing, delivering some of the most consistently brilliant material Deftones have ever released— with soundscapes this wondrous, the title of ‘departing the body’ is very much earned.