music
February 15, 2026
Deftones review
BP Pulse Live, Birmingham The US band’s brawny, pit-inciting riffs come laced with blurry waves of distortion, making for music that is oddly reflective and melancholy
TL;DR
- Deftones are enjoying a significant revival and commercial success, 31 years after their debut.
- Their monthly Spotify listeners have surged from two million to 17 million, attributed largely to TikTok virality.
- The band's live shows now attract a diverse audience, including both long-time fans and a younger generation.
- Deftones' music, while sometimes tagged nu-metal, possesses a wider musical bandwidth, incorporating elements of shoegaze and alternative rock.
- Their sound is characterized by reflective, melancholic moods, achieved through effects-laden guitars and basslines, reminiscent of bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and My Bloody Valentine.
- The band's enduring musical quality and contemporary sound suggest their renaissance is driven by current appeal rather than nostalgia.
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