In the world of metal, few bands are as flexible and varied as Deftones. They quickly became nu-metal heavyweights with their colossal record Around The Fur in 1997 with songs like “My Own Summer (Shove It) becoming metal anthems in an instant.
That, however, is not the case with the band’s entire discography. As Deftones continued, they also evolved and grew into a band that takes on a plethora of musical influences, from rap, to trip-hop, and even to the broad, warm soundscapes of shoegaze. In this article, however, we’re here to focus on the heavy side of Deftones.
Without further ado, here are the 10 heaviest Deftones songs!
1. My Own Summer (Shove It)
Album: Around The Fur
Released: 1997
Kicking off our list with the 90s ferocity you would expect from Deftones is their unmistakable titan of a track, “My Own Summer (Shove It)”. This grunge, anger-filled anthem became a staple for their sound and the primary reason their legendary album Around The Fur became a benchmark of nu-metal for years to come.
Despite its immense heaviness, Chino Moreno still manages to tap into the unmistakable Deftones sound with his cleaner chorus that immediately makes this track a singalong hit.
2. Change (In The House Of Flies)
Album: White Pony
Released: 2000
Where Around The Fur mainly comprised of rage and nu-metal frustrations, Deftones’ 2000 effort White Pony saw the band begin to experiment with atmospherics. The intoxicating and slightly seductive air of “Change (In The House Of Flies)”’s introduction carves the way for the heavily distorted crunch of Deftones’ guitar tones beautifully.
In terms of distortion and general tonality, it is by far their heaviest effort, but the switch from atmospheric to gargantuan makes “Change…” worthy of this list.
3. Gore
Album: Gore
Released: 2016
Despite this record’s attractive and colorful album cover, Deftones had hardly lost their touch in creating ridiculously heavy hits. The experimentation we began to see develop itself in White Pony resurfaced and took full control in 2016’s Gore.
The carefully disguised transitions and hooks of this record are captivating enough, but when the band blends funky drum beats and bridges with no-nonsense heaviness and screams, you simply can’t fault it.
4. Lhabia
Album: Around The Fur
Released: 1997
One theme that becomes present in Deftones’ earlier material is drugs and the impact they have on all aspects of life. “Lhabia” is one such track, which explores the use of drugs and the craving one can sometimes feel for their effect to set in.
Despite the devastating impact that drugs can have on people, some continue to take them out of boredom or apathy toward the world. The heaviness of this track’s guitar tones and its explosive chorus match the chaos of the lyrical content well.
5. Engine No. 9
Album: Adrenaline
Released: 1995
Many cite Around The Fur as the central point of Deftones’ success and arguably the focal point of their popularity, but I would instead argue that 1995’s Adrenaline cemented them as a tour de force of nu metal from the outset.
“Engine No. 9” is a perfect example of this. It has the prime nu-metal punch that almost sounds like it could be a mix of Black Flag and The Melvins with its slight punk edge.
6. Sextape
Album: Diamond Eyes
Released: 2010
With Deftones, sometimes the heaviest tracks aren’t necessarily the most obvious. As the band progressed through their career, their sound evolved tenfold in multiple directions. This is clear in “Sextape”; a beautiful, melodic soundscape where Chino Moreno’s clean vocals truly shine and become their entity.
The chorus of this track is immensely heavy when we consider the remainder of the track. The angry crunch might not be there, but this massive wall of serene sound crushes me just the same.
7. Poltergeist
Album: Koi No Yokan
Released: 2012
Koi No Yokan might not be Deftones’ most successful record or their most popular amongst their fans, but it was an important milestone in their musical career. It saw the band experimenting and blending styles further, seemingly incorporating a more progressive and borderline djent style to their sound.
“Poltergeist” is arguably the strongest track on this record, and also the heaviest. The combination of crunchy, proggy guitar riffs and chaotic drums with Moreno’s signature vocals is a Deftones concoction nobody can ignore.
8. Diamond Eyes
Album: Diamond Eyes
Released: 2010
I’m not sure how official this is, but it seems to be quite clear to me that Deftones are also massive fans of the melodic doom outfit Katatonia. The massive chorus of “Diamond Eyes” sounds like it could be straight from the mouth of Katatonia’s The Great Cold Distance, matched with the immense riffs in between to add a gargantuan weight to Deftone’s crushing sound.
This might not be the heaviest track in terms of vocals, but the overall sound has a significant weight to it thanks to those crunchy guitar tones in between the chorus. Also, the width of the soundscape in “Diamond Eyes” makes it heavier than you’d think.
9. Around The Fur
Album: Around The Fur
Released: 1997
The title track of the record that truly blew Deftones’ career to the limelight, “Around The Fur” makes its way into this list for very good reason.
There is such a no-nonsense nature to this track that even the uninitiated in nu-metal would be able to spot its significance from a mile off. The intoxicating aroma of nu-metal angst and the explosive guitar tones make it an immovable force in metal’s history.
10. Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)
Album: Around The Fur
Released: 1997
Finishing off our list of the 10 heaviest Deftones songs is another one which you might expect. “Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)” might be softer around the edges and have an overall calmer sound than other songs on this list, but the subject matter and the shifts in sounds make this an incredibly heavy song overall.
This song is about trying to enjoy the silence after moving from a problematic town but being unable to due to the person that you’re leaving with. A niche situation, but one which must come with an immense feeling of both sadness and elation.
Justin is an audio engineer with years of experience in the field. He has been creating and playing music his entire life, but he really found his passion for engineering when he was introduced to Logic Pro at age 10. Justin has spent countless hours perfecting his craft and now works as a freelance engineer out of Boston, MA.