Gore

[ANattyRat]

1. Geometric Headdress.
2. (L)MIRL.
3. Acid Hologram.
4. Hearts/Wires.
5. Xenon.
6. Pittura Infamante.
7. Gore.
8. Phantom Bride.
9. Rubicon.
10. Prayers/Triangles.
11. Doomed User.

[snw9]

Got to be Terry Date and ONLY Terry Date for the next record.

Yea especially if this next one is their last. I'll be forever bummed if they don't do one more with Terry. Especially after posting that pic with him during the writing of Gore.. that got me so excited for nothing.

I doubt the next one will be there last, there is no reason for it to be. Thought Terry Date would be great, I don't mind the a new redefined sound each record.

[ANattyRat]

...

Ah, it's you. The weirdo who thinks Geometric Headdress isn't even a song just because he doesn't like it. Get out of my site, you foul beast. Seriously though, what's wrong with it??? It's a glorious song!

[RaptureWS]

Geometric and Rubi are not only my favorite songs from Gore but from their entire catalog. Even after all these months I am still a bit shocked about how much I enjoy this album. Prayers and Doomed had me kind of worried. They are my two least favorite tracks on the album. Also, Pittura and Xenon are really high up there too in terms of their entire catalog (even though Xenon is pretty repetitive). ATF is my favorite album ever. Adrenaline is my least fav Deftones album with DE second (I still adore these albums though). Other than that I can't really rank Deftones albums, but Gore easily has some of my favorite work by the band to date- minus the production.

[BewareTheWater]

Why exactly do Prayers and Doomed get so much hate ?

[Inkblades]

Why exactly do Prayers and Doomed get so much hate ?

I can't speak on Prayers because I love that song, but Chino's verse vocals on DU are a little too yelpy for me. Also, the bridge that feels like it's going to be epic and then just kind of fizzles out. The rest of the song is good, though.

[laurapalmer]

1. LMIRL
2. Hearts/Wires
3. Rubicon
4. Phantom Bride
5. Geometric Headdress
6. Prayers/Triangles
7. Acid Hologram
8. Doomed User
9. Xenon
10. Pittura Infamante
11. Gore

[snw9]

Why exactly do Prayers and Doomed get so much hate ?

I can't speak on Prayers because I love that song, but Chino's verse vocals on DU are a little too yelpy for me. Also, the bridge that feels like it's going to be epic and then just kind of fizzles out. The rest of the song is good, though.

I think the verses of DU is what makes the song stand out, plus for a really heavy Step song, its a little unconventional.

P/T is a great opener to remind the listener of what Deftones really is.

[sing blue silver]

Why exactly do Prayers and Doomed get so much hate ?

I can't speak on Prayers because I love that song, but Chino's verse vocals on DU are a little too yelpy for me. Also, the bridge that feels like it's going to be epic and then just kind of fizzles out. The rest of the song is good, though.

Agreed about the vocals on DU. Also, it feels like it sticks out a little bit on the album. Doesn't really fit with the rest of the record for me.

I like Prayers/Triangles but I feel like the vibe that song is going for is executed far better in other places on the album.

[N0S3BLEED976]

1. (L)MIRL
2. Pittura Infamante
3. Prayers/Triangles
4. Gore
5. Xenon
6. Rubicon
7. Geometric Headdress
8. Acid Hologram
9. Doomed User
10. Phantom Bride
11. Hearts/Wires

This album, along with Saturday Night Wrist, is the pinnacle of their entire discography, for sure.

[TheyCallMeP]

I think Gore is their most balanced album, stylistically, to date. Hearts/Wires incorporate the post rock influence in the introduction similar to Rosemary and Goon Squad (intro). Acid Hologram sounds like something I'd find on S/T or ATF from a vocal standpoint along with the dreary guitar. Prayers/Triangles is an upbeat opener similar to the past two records, but thankfully has better instrumentation and is much catchier/spacey. Gore and Geo prove Chino can still scream. (L)MIRL reminds me of Team Sleep.

Bottom line, this record is well made if you are a fan of the bands entire discography.

Rant over.

[sooniletugo]

Great post.

[wkcwkc]

For me, after months of listening, this is the order of favorites:

1) Acid Hologram
2) Geometric Hologram
3) Prayers / Triangles
4) L/MIRL
5) Pittura Infamante
6) Rubicon
7) Gore
Hearts/Wires
9) Xenon
10) Phantom bride
11) Doomed User

[pelican fly]

Rubicon has slowly become one of my favorites

[snw9]

Rubicon has slowly become one of my favorites

Power closer to the record

[NYRexall]

1. LMIRL
2. Geometric Headdress
3. Doomed User
4. Gore
5. Acid Hologram
6. Prayers/Triangles
7. Hearts/Wires
8. Pittura Infamante
9. Rubicon
10. Xenon
11. Phantom Bride

lol

[ANattyRat]

1. LMIRL
2. Geometric Headdress
3. Doomed User
4. Gore
5. Acid Hologram
6. Prayers/Triangles
7. Hearts/Wires
8. Pittura Infamante
9. Rubicon
10. Xenon
11. Phantom Bride

lol

Same for the first two. I find that my top two switch between (L)MIRL and Geometric Headdress. Although Acid Hologram grew on me a great deal.

[LG95]

1. Rubicon
2. Prayers/Triangles
3. Pittura Infamante
4. (L)MIRL
5. Phantom Bride
6. Hearts/Wires
7. Acid Hologram
8.Gore
9. Xenon
10. Geometric Headdress
11. Doomed User

Such a quality record.

[O]

They actually mixed the record more than once and still weak!

[Fred Bob]

Been taking a long time to process this album, some days thinking its excellent the whole way through and other times thinking there are some parts that are not so much. Still do not have a final judgment in my mind but would like to open it up to discuss ideas a bit more. Anyway, to give it context, the hype for this beforehand was major, over 500 of the current 584 pages on this thread were made before the release so it has tapered off since the release. Did the fans get something that they were not expecting or were they in general a bit disappointed. Are they as many layers in the sound to dissect as we were led to believe before the release? Chino stated that he recorded the lyrics in order as per the tracklist as there was some sort of narrative throughout, then cuts Crest as the opening tune?? Then Stef is vocal about his input or lack thereof and how his band has moved away from him, hinting that dynamic chemistry that has helped create this special sound between members may have run its course. I always saw the response to this as damage control and once I heard the album felt that was exactly that. This was furthered by news of delayed release dates and issues with mixing, allegedly bringing back Terry Date to mix only to discard it and go with something in between.

So lots of drama before we heard any music. What was the music like? Well this is where my personal opinion comes in. I think as a major plus it feels like some air has been let in, the production sheen of DE and KNY which neutered those album to some extent (love KNY, it's like their shoegaze album) has been removed. I think using a producer who has been involved in more modern metal albums has loosened up the feel, and makes this a more visceral album. The guys themselves are seasoned at this stage, so if they want to incorporate different textures such as in P/T, they don't necessarily need the producer to engineer it.

On the flip side of this, is something I want to see what other people on the board feel about, namely Stef's input. While I think Chino has advanced as a songwriter and guitar player, he does not have the skills that Stef has in the guitar department. Songs where the riff is central such as DU and Gore, make this really apparent and the riffs do not snap in the way Stef makes them. The chorus riff in Gore is so rudimentary, I can imagine Stef biting his lip and just going, look this is how its done!! The omission of his hammering riffs works to their benefit on Phantom Bride, when it does come in after the solo it album chases away the atmosphere created earlier (to great effect) and also Pittura Infamante, lovely tight playing brings a lovely dimension to the 'On top of the Crux' part. Other than that, the tones used really remind me of 90's guitar sound and that's probably what Chino was going for to make room for more from the bass and keys.

What can I say about the drums? Abe is off the chart, really a consistent player and elevates so many songs. His fills on P/T are amazing but Xexon is great, flipping from the trippy New Wave verses to like 80's stadium rock chorus... love it. Many complaints about the mix relate to how high the drums are. I think they are perfect, however the snare is looser than previous albums which flattens the impact. Listening back to earlier albums, especially up to Self Titled, it's really tight. What I am really surprised with for the type of album that it is, is that Frank seemingly has so little input. I have strained my ears to find little spaces he makes his own, and there is definitely room for it. Don't know where Sergio fits into all of this, as Chino said he had more of a hand in the songwriting but I think its Chino's album in that regard. I don't think he has made his mark in Chi's space, but Chi was a cornerstone, and as with any Deftones album, his presence is felt by his absence.

So to Chino, bringing it back to the lyrics and what you all think. Is there more to the narrative or are they standard Deftones themes? I like the dry distortion that he uses for his screeches now, his voice probably could not take the heavy distortion that he has used previously. This balances against the great vocal harmonies throughout the album, which make songs like L(MIRL) work. I believe there was talk of Fleetwood Mac elements to songs like that, but whatever, its great work. There are a few cringey moment like when he sings 'I'll put this gun to my head...' I find jarring. You're 43 years old man! I can see a 15 year writing that and being like 'That will show them for grounding me...'

Anyway, this is not a review, just my thought and I would love to hear what other people think. They have definitely changed their trajectory with this album which has wrong footed a lot of people. Personally, I love the album, for the very fact after all these months I am still figuring it out. Different things stand out to me each time I listen to it. The last 3 songs blow me away, and finish this strange yet familiar album on a strong, defiant moment about how they are stronger sticking together.