"Ohms" - Deftones New Album

[976-EVIL]

Won't be able to wait any longer, a few minutes before midnight hits, I'll give it a go. Be cool while mods are gone. 

Enjoy it dude, hopefully your patience will be rewarded. Know I'm looking at the clock myself!

[Draken]

"Fuck waves, I'm all about lakes and honey now!" - Chino Moreno circa 2020

lolz. For real? Our boy Chino not singing about earth or waves on this one? C'mon. he said it at least once, right? 

[Hollywoodnixon]

Hi all. Long time lurker new time poster. Heard the album and love it! Still too early to tell where it ranks overall, but I thought it would be fun to list every track and pick 1-2 previous Deftones songs it sounds heavily influenced by. Here is my list:

1. Genesis: Rosemary
2. Ceremony: romantic dreams, feiticeira
3. Urantia: Minerva, doomed user
4. Error: swerve city, entombed
5. Spell: acid hologram, Konami code, phantom Bride
6. Pompeji: pink maggit, passenger,
7. This link is dead: hexagram, when girls telephone boys,
8. Radiant city: gore, rocket skates
9. Headless: you've seen the butcher, mascara
10. Ohms: rubicon, prayers/triangles

[imbrie]

Not that I'm impatient or anything. I'm thoroughly enjoying this new album, but also curious when we might hear the two other tracks they recorded for this album.

It's gonna be released on the same day Crest will.
and by that, I mean never.

They recorded/completed 10 tracks only from what ive read.... where did u get the 12 tracks recorded from? Hope i missed something

It's in this Kerrang article:

https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-secrets-behind-deftones-new-album-inside-the-studio-for-the-first-time/

Says that 12 tracks were worked on with 10 making the album. Doesn't necessarily mean that those two other tracks were completed.

[Visionz]

Not that I'm impatient or anything. I'm thoroughly enjoying this new album, but also curious when we might hear the two other tracks they recorded for this album.

It's gonna be released on the same day Crest will.
and by that, I mean never.

They recorded/completed 10 tracks only from what ive read.... where did u get the 12 tracks recorded from? Hope i missed something

It's in this Kerrang article:

https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-secrets-behind-deftones-new-album-inside-the-studio-for-the-first-time/

Says that 12 tracks were worked on with 10 making the album. Doesn't necessarily mean that those two other tracks were completed.

Thank u. I read this and missed it like i thought! Thanks

[SquealLikeaPig]

I understand why they do it but I really wish bands wouldn't release singles before an album drops or just limit it to 1.  I don't even listen to Genesis or Ohms because I've played them out.  It's like I just got an 8 song album but those 8 songs are straight fire.

[Visionz]

Lakes and "ledges" radiant and headless love the ledge. Love those ledges myself

[theataraxian]

I understand why they do it but I really wish bands wouldn't release singles before an album drops or just limit it to 1.  I don't even listen to Genesis or Ohms because I've played them out.  It's like I just got an 8 song album but those 8 songs are straight fire.

I felt like the context of the rest of the album made Genesis and Ohms (particularly Ohms) even more enjoyable for me. I wasn't sure about Ohms as a closer when I first heard it, but with the rest of the album I think it's a perfect fit.

[theataraxian]

Anyone else hitting F5 for the Vesanic review? No? Just me? *F5*

[mrpelon94]

does the Album come out at midnite tonight if you pre-ordered it?

[BallZDeeP]

One more hour. I might actually hold off until the YouTube stream since this is how they want to roll it out, could be interesting.

they are live streaming the album tonight?

mrpelon94 midnight EST

[White Wrist]

Beutiful feelings! Happy deftones new album release day!

[mrpelon94]

One more hour. I might actually hold off until the YouTube stream since this is how they want to roll it out, could be interesting.

they are live-streaming the album tonight?

mrpelon94 midnight EST

cool

[pannch]

I disagree especially on Error. I think the whole song's great. I love how bouncy the groove and the riff is, and I think the vocal melody is really cool. And it means when it switches up, the chorus and the outro parts soar even more to me.

I really hope I grow to feel the same way. I absolutely love Steph at the end of the track. Some of the best 2 minutes of music they have ever done. Abe kills it too. Love it . Hope the beginning grows on me.

I do fully agree with you that the choruses and the second half of the song are the peaks. I think they'd lose the sense of release without the cool, brooding, bouncy build before.

What's so special about Pompeji ? Apart from the synths, the verse, chorus is repetitive, and vocals don't change much around.

I can say the same for TLID and Radiant City. I feel they could've have done a bit more with 'em. The repetitiveness really irks me, as if there no pay off after the build up

Songs repeat sections. That's usually part of what makes them songs. I'd be more interested reading what you're not quite connecting with in those songs rather than a bland 'repetitive' criticism.

Yeah I guess I didn't articulate it properly. Songs do repeat sections (duh, I know that too), but what I am getting at is that there is no "touchdown" or "resolve", or even if its there, its not convincing enough (by that I mean a certain variation or an inclusion of a passage that signifies a shift or the end or the middle is particularly absent or is a bit weak and unconvincing). 
Now since these "signposts" are not there at all or are not immediately recognizable, it keeps me hanging, and by that time the song is done.

I dunno if I can go on more than this 😅. I hope you get to what I am saying by just listening to those tracks.

[pannch]

[SPOILER ALERT FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN REGIONS WHERE IT'S NOT RELEASED YET]

I didn't really want to review it, kinda feel compelled for some reason.

Keep in mind this is my opinion, fresh off the first listen (which is probably a terrible idea), after I heard the two singles and most of Chino's stream in microphone quality. I also never review music.

Pros:

The band is back in a strong fashion. All of these cuts have something interesting to them, the flow is surprisingly steady and keeps the listener intrigued from start to end. "Ceremony" has one of the catchiest choruses I've heard them do, without falling in a cliche of formulaic composition (to which I see no problem, I just know Deftones care a lot about that). I didn't feel like skipping a single track, I enjoyed them all in a way or another.

"The Spell of Mathematics" still comes to me as the stand out. It is the one song I really, really like from start to end. The second part of the song is the kind of Deftones I wish I could hear more. Ever since songs like "Fist" or "U, U, (etc.)", or the SNW demos, or just about every time I listen to a Deftones instrumental, I have always wanted to see the full potential of this band as a full-on instrumental piece. The bridge of "Genesis", and a couple of moments I couldn't memorise, only reaffirm that wish. The use of the 9-string is really obvious on "The Spell (...)" and makes a lot of sense. The song is majestic!

"This Link is Dead" comes as the angriest song we've heard Deftones do since "Rats!". God damn does it feel good to hear Chino properly SCREAM again even for just a bit, as opposed to shouting in a bunch of saturating filters (sorry Chino, this is just my opinion, and I obviously wouldn't know what it's like to be a vocalist). This is definitely one of the most experimental things they did, the songs go in a variety of influences and styles, probably the biggest distance I've heard them walk through the spectrum.

The chorus of "Headless" had me headnodding big time. The synth solo, as I had already heard on Chino's stream, almost made me cry. They can still create doomy, heartfelt atmospheres while being subtle about it instead out outpouring obvious emotions in your ears. I saw someone drawing a similarity between "Headless" and "Rubicon" and it's no wonder: a specific part of it sounds EXACTLY THE SAME as the couple of seconds before the latter instrumental ending ("oooooh").

The opening riff of "Pompeji" is some of stuff I wish we could hear more. There's just something profoundly Deftones about it. The roll down of the song is very interesting, but that's the stuff I'd loop over and over like an autistic. Would be a beautiful sample.

Vocally, Chino taps more into his oldschool crooning than he did on the post-Chi trinity. That appeals to me because I feel it's just something he's great at. And as stated, some of the screaming performance felt absolutely amazing.

Instrumentally very diverse, very, very well composed, measured. You can tell they were very organised and all of them really into this. As a fan, it's only good things. I'm so happy my favorite band is still making music, and this album will see them riding a beautiful wave, I'm most assured!

Ohms feels like a beautiful, well-planned musical trip through many sonic soundscapes, lots of them are new and absolutely well executed in the case of Deftones.

The title track has become a favorite in the album now hearing it in context. Releasing it and "Genesis" as the singles were awesome moves, as they give you a sense of familiarity and thus, reassurance, as people like me, who have heard those, go through the full record for the first time.

Cons:

I just don't like the mix. Abe is too much in the back of the mix yet again. Where's that pop? I can't hear it. His even simpler drumming on Adrenaline or Around the Fur always amazed me by its presence and its sonic fidelity. There is almost nothing like that on Ohms in my opinion (don't get pissed, it's just my opinion). It is definitely an improvement from Gore, but this is not even close to what I expected from them working with Terry Date. And I'd be bold to criticise Terry's work: I think that's the best he could achieve with Sergio replacing Chi. Don't get me wrong: Sergio is a great bassist, I respect and admire his contribution as a band member and the enormity of the challenge in replacing Chi. I guess a part of me will never get used to pick-play over fingerplay. The sound of the band used to bathe in Chi's sound, now the bass is a complementary layer. I'll just never get used to that, this warm sound was, to me, essential to their sound. That's not saying they didn't do their best and the album is bad.

I actually like Chino's performance a lot on the record, but I'm not a fan of how loud he is on almost the entirety of the record. I don't feel like there is enough room for the music to breathe. I saw a couple of comparisons made between "When Girls Telephone Boys" and "This Link is Dead", and I think they're bogus: "WGTB" had Chino properly losing his mind screaming, the vocal effect was there only to add grit to it, the way I see it at least. "This Link is Dead" feels like the filter was put there to make sure Chino sounded heavy. And I guess I selfishly wish Chino would become again the vocalist he was during the "White Pony" days. It might be just me but the high notes on "Error" felt like Chino actually wanted to go full head voice, a la "Digital Bath", "Birthmark" or the end of "Root", instead of falsetto. I miss that stunning aspect to his vocal performance. Again, that's not to say it is bad. I just honestly have been more amazed with Chino in the past, and of course I'm just proud of that history, as a fan. I think his performance was great nonetheless and he should be really proud of it.

I didn't really feel anything listening to "Radiant City", although I enjoyed it to an extent. I wasn't really feeling "Urantia" on the leak, and that's not really changed. Probably my least favourite of the bunch.

Strongest cuts:

- The Spell of Mathematics
- Ceremony
- Headless
- Error
- Ohms
- The synth interlude of Pompeji

Ones I might skip over time:

- Urantia
- Radiant City


Again, that was my review off the first listen of the full thing. I hate reviews, but there you go. I won't compare it to other albums or anything. The fact Deftones are still making music is most amazing and this is beyond what fans could expect from a band with such longevity. I honestly would be very happy if they called it quits and this was their exit piece, obviously I hope it isn't!

I 100 % agree with your review of the mix. The first time I heard the title track I was like "why isn't the snare loud enough as it was in WP and SNW ?"

[Draken]

good review Ves

only a few more hours for me... I'm literally foaming at the mouth rn

[Hidalgo]

i'll have to listen for Abe's drums more next time i listen to the album. i'm always focused on Chino and the guitars, but really after Chino and his unqie voice, lyrics/style and his awesome vocal range (4 octaves, 2-1/2 notes) Abe is clearly the 2nd most talented, and is well above average drummer. he's a cyborg! and i do miss hearing him crystal clear. i know the drums sounded great on the first 4 albums. maybe drums are hard to get right in a mix? so this is a big improvement mix wise, but was Abe left out a bit? hmmm

[976-EVIL]

Good stuff Ves, well written and articulate. Still got about 2 1/2 hours here, gonna be a late night! So excited and optimistic!

[RaptureWS]

Anyone else hitting F5 for the Vesanic review? No? Just me? *F5*

I'm not quite F5 territory, but I am extremely curious. More than anything I just hope he enjoys it. God knows he's been through hell this last month dealing with all of us. I'm almost certain there will be at least a few songs that will make it all worth it for him. Or so I hope


Edit-there it is:)

[ANattyRat]

That was a great review, Vesanic. Urantia was a song I was kind of neutral to on my first listen, and now it's one of my favourites lol.

People talking about the mix and everything just makes me glad that the whole thing is lost on me. I can listen to Gore and not really tell the difference in how they're mixed. Which is a good thing for me, since it means none of that can ruin an album for me like Gore did for a lot of people, sadly.