If someone told you something to the effect of, "I am willing to cut through razor wire in order to get to your heart," would you find it endearing or disturbing? Well, it doesn't matter! It doesn't matter because on their newest album release, "Gore", the Deftones (a renowned and insanely-talented Hard Rock/Metal group from Sacramento) craft lyrics with such content, all while disarming any negative connotations with their mind-blowing melodies and hooks. Odd lyrics and song/album names have become part of the Deftones niche, since they broke onto the scene in the mid 90s. Talent, plus weird, often equals powerful in the world of music. But, few bands have mastered such a facet of their work like the 'Tones. "Gore" has been highly anticipated as one of the biggest Rock albums of 2016, especially with singles like "Doomed User", "Hearts/Wires", and "Prayers/Triangles" being leaked to the radio waves. Before they embarked on a worldwide tour, the album dropped on April 8 and debuted at #2 on the Americans iTunes chart. In an interview with Noisey, singer Chino Moreno explained how the much of the album was based off of "juxtaposition". He spoke about this in context to the album art, which depicts a flock of majestic flamingos, juxtaposing the title of "Gore".
There is certainly a theme of juxtaposing beauty and darkness on within the album, not just on the cover. For instance, songs like "Doomed User" have an almost-upbeat chorus in the same song that says to "just leave" because one's "fuse has expired". In addition, on "Hearts/Wires", the very lyrics that were used to pose an opening question at the beginning of this review were used to depict a twisted, yet beautiful love. Still, the part about getting to a lover's heart by passing through razor wire is only the tip of the iceberg. The most truly dismal, yet love-riddled line goes, "I drown in your sea/ I hope that you first save yourself/ And then come for me." Per usual, the Deftones have managed to twist their off-the-wall lyrics so that they are perfectly in-sync with unforgettable riffs that demand your attention. There is an honesty to the Deftones that is evident upon every listen, and this concept is ever-present on "Gore". Support the Deftones by picking up this album in tangible or digital form today! Also, check out our top 5 favorite tracks below:
Hearts/Wires
Acid Hologram
Doomed User
(L)MIRL
Prayers/Triangles
We give this album a 4.5/5! What do you give it? Any opinions or thoughts? Let us know! And...stream the album below:
