49. Deftones - "Private Music"

Well it has been one hell of a year for Deftones. They emerged from a three years hiatus (at least in terms of this company) discover that their stock had increased considerably. Summer outside headline shows in several interesting locations were rip-roaring successes and “Private Music” has been their most successful album in a very long time. Couple this with sold-out arena shows next February and a massive outdoor London show next August, the Deftones are riding a wave of popularity that always seemed to elude them. 

“Private Music” is good, really good. It isn’t quite at “White Pony” or self-titled levels, but is certainly the best material they have done since the early noughties. The secret is they are no longer trying to be anybody but themselves. It is a supremely confident album that brings together the different shades of Deftones sounds that we have heard over the last thirty years. As always, the key component is their ability to be simultaneously cinematic and noisy. Heavy but also polished this might be the point where they finally become the big deal many of us have always thought they were.