Deftones’ Private Music Is The Band’s Best Work In 20+ Years…

The Deftones have always been lauded by both their peers and fans. Even in the late-1990s, they had this magnetic pull that set them apart from everyone else. They weren’t posers, they didn’t jump on trends, and as soon as you saw them you knew they were authentic, the real deal.

And now, 25+ years later, this same combination of authenticity, focus on their craft, and a unique alchemy of musical influences has scored the band legions of new fans via TikTok and other Gen Z-heavy platforms.

And with their new record, Private Music, the band has never been better. This record is the best work the boys have done since 2000’s White Pony. I knew it’d be solid from the singles; they both had plenty of fizz. But the album, taken as a whole, is so much more.

There are some filler tracks that don’t land quite as well as the others, but it is a very strong record that gets better with each listen. Tracks I didn’t gel with immediately grew on me after a few spins.

In a wash of nostalgia porn and legacy bands cashing on on come-back tours, Deftones shows us what a proper band looks and functions like.

And more importantly, they’ve demonstrated better than any other band that I can think of what happens when a band captures lightning in a bottle, screws the cap on tight, and only ever opens on very special occasions, like when it needs a new, career-defining album every 25 years or so…

Get Private Music on Vinyl

Critical Reviews: Private Music Hits Different

Louder Sound

“Private Music finds Deftones at their most complete and confident, marrying trademark heaviness with a lush, cinematic sensibility that only they could deliver.”

Highlights:

Cut Hands: Groovy, tech-grind riff that slaps.
I Think About You All The Time: Chino’s “Morrissey-meets-metal” croon shines.
Ecdysis: A weird but awesome blend of Smashing Pumpkins, New Order, and Deftones heaviness.

Boolin Tunes

“Private Music is a late-career masterpiece; Deftones are artists in a league of their own, untethered by expectations or trends.”

Standouts:

Souvenir: “Darkly gorgeous” with a hypnotic riff.
Departing the Body: One of the band’s “most longingly gorgeous” closers.

The Razor’s Edge

“This is Deftones refined to their peak—one of the most cohesive, exciting records of the year and a high watermark in their discography.”

Sees this as “Deftones refined to peak performance.”
Loves the emotional build of Ecdysis and the throwback vibes of Cut Hands.
Thinks Milk of Madonna takes the “wall of sound” aesthetic to new levels.

Heavy Blog is Heavy

“Private Music is experimental yet familiar, showing Deftones still have power and innovation after decades while offering some of their best material in years.”

Notes a tug-of-war between bold experimentation and safer moments.
Points to the second half of the album as the strongest stretch.
Cut Hands is the clear winner—heavy, fast, and totally locked in.

Ghost Cult Magazine

“With Private Music, Deftones cement their place as genre-defining innovators, blending light and dark, heavy and ethereal, with masterful ease.”

Praises the noisier, shoegaze-inspired textures.
Ecdysis, Metal Dream, and Departing the Wave are standout moments of balance between light and heavy.
Applauds the band’s ability to evolve without feeling forced.

🤘 Fan Reactions: What the Community Is Saying

Reddit, r/deftones

Reddit never holds back, and the comments section for Deftones’ new album is a goldmine of mixed feelings, sarcasm, nostalgia, and some oddly touching honesty. From the die-hard fans to the cautiously curious listeners, here’s what the hive mind had to say about the latest chapter in Deftones’ discography.

“It’s Good, But It’s Just… Deftones”

One of the top upvoted takes was pretty on-the-nose:

“It’s good, but it sounds like everything Deftones have ever done. So in that respect, it’s kind of boring, but I appreciate the consistency.”

That right there sums up a big portion of the Reddit response. For some, the album is just too familiar. While nobody’s claiming the songs are bad, there’s a feeling that Deftones might be running on creative autopilot.

Top Vibe: If you’ve been riding the Deftones wave since Around the Fur or White Pony, you’ll feel right at home here. But if you were hoping for left turns or big sonic risks? You might walk away underwhelmed.

Is “Infinite Source” the Standout? Or the Cringe Track?

Redditors couldn’t seem to agree on whether Infinite Source is a masterpiece or a misstep. Some called it an “instant favorite” and even ranked it among Deftones’ best. Others? Not so much.

“Infinite Source might be one of the corniest sounding songs of theirs I’ve ever heard.”

That said, Infinite Source, Milk of the Madonna, and Cut Hands got repeated shout-outs as the most re-listenable. Which makes sense — these tracks lean heavily into that shoegazey texture the band’s been flirting with since Koi No Yokan.

The Album Scores: Reddit Edition

Across the dozens (maybe hundreds) of mini-reviews in the comments, the consensus landed somewhere in the 6 to 8 range out of 10.

“Solid 7/10”
“Not bad, not great – 6/10.”
“Best since Koi No Yokan. 8/10 easy.”
“Mid.”

The average rating feels like it’s hovering around a 7 — which, depending on your expectations, is either reassuring or a little disappointing.

But let’s not ignore the fans who are absolutely loving this record. Some folks even went as far as to say it’s their favorite release since Diamond Eyes.

The Ohms & Gore Debates Are Still Going Strong

If you ever want to light a Reddit thread on fire, just say something nice (or mean) about Ohms or Gore.

One user dropped this hot take:

“Gore was bore. Ohms was OK.”

Another jumped in immediately:

“Highly disagree, Ohms ruled.”

Classic.

What’s clear is that this new album is triggering all the past Deftones discourse again — the fanbase still hasn’t made peace with those mid-era records. Some folks love the band’s lighter, more ambient shift. Others are just waiting for the next Elite.

Old Fans vs. New Blood

This new album seems to have split listeners into two camps:

Lifers: The longtime Deftones fans who are happy the band is still active and consistent — even if the sound hasn’t evolved much.
Skeptics: Those who feel the band peaked a decade ago and have been chasing that high ever since.

But hey, one comment might’ve said it best:

“Standard Deftones is better than 100% of their clones.”

Can’t really argue with that.

What Everyone Agrees On

The Band Still Has It

This isn’t a nostalgia act. Private Music feels fresh, focused, and fully realized.

The Production is Top Tier

Nick Raskulinecz is getting near-universal praise. The sound is big, layered, and intentionally chaotic.

Chino & Carpenter’s Chemistry is Intact

Whether it’s melodic croons or crushing riffs, their interplay is stronger than ever.

Best Tracks on Private Music? Here’s the Consensus:

Cut Hands – The fan favorite and critic darling.
Ecdysis – Shoegaze meets alt-metal.
Souvenir – A dark, winding slow-burner.
Milk of the Madonna – Wall of sound, high energy, and maybe a top-5 Deftones song.
Departing the Body/Wave – A closing suite that hits emotionally and atmospherically.