The band's debut album, Adrenaline, was recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle, Washington and released on October 3, 1995. It was produced by Deftones and Terry Date, who would go on to produce the band's next three albums. While they were initially unsuccessful, extensive touring, word-of-mouth and Internet promotion built the band a dedicated fanbase, as well as helping Adrenaline to sell over 220,000 copies without the singles "7 Words" and "Bored" (as well as their music videos) receiving any airplay. The band contributed the non-album track "Teething" to the soundtrack for the 1996 film The Crow: City of Read more on Last.fm.
The argument I have with myself about the Deftones is neverending. One day I can completely admit that they were standouts in the nu-metal genre (even though I hate genre labels like “nu-metal”). The next, I’m deconstructing their lack of growth as a band. Their utter dependence on sounding like a giant washing machine of sound, with the warm tones and the fuzzy distortion cascading cycle after cycle has grown quite tedious over the course of their career. It’s a an annoying argument.
The best I can give them is a 4 star rating for Adrenaline. Why? Because it was the debut of said washing machine sound, therefore the beginning of an era…sort of. This album was dense, powerful and palpable. Does that make them incredible? I don’t know. Part of me says they ripped off the Cure, abstract art and Helmet. At least it sounds like they put each of those things in a blender and out came their signature sound. Who knows? If you wanna be driven to tears by guitar dirges, Page Hamilton does it much quicker. If you want to linger on your misery, Robert Smith is a MUCH better lyricist. If you find solace in abstract art, you’re a fucking prick. My advice…….choose one of the three. If you must get sucked into The Deftones, leave it at Adrenaline and White Pony and please…whatever you do….don’t call them the best band in the world…..they’re not…and its not an opinion either….they’re just not.