Call it what you want: emo-core, alternative, sneaker metal...the Deftones seemed the most unlikely quartet to come out on Madonna's Maverick Records. The music is agro, abrasive, and damn near primal from the disc's first few seconds. Tool-like whisperings of frontman Chino Moreno can bring the mood from disconcerting to downright dangerous in seconds. Heavy, chunky guitar riffs, mad raps, and testy tempo changes make this a must-have for fans of whisper-to-a-primal-scream alterna-rock. Killer tracks: "Bored" and "7 Words." --Denise Sheppard

Customer Rating:
Summary: Buen disco de deftones
Comment: Este disco es excelente, como todos los de deftones, a mí me gusta 7 words y bored, son buenisimas.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Lazy + Angry = Kinda Boring
Comment: I thought this album would be a good idea, but the truth of the matter is that Deftones seem to go best in small doses. Laid-back and spacy, yet angry and screaming, the odd combination wears thin after more than two tracks of the exact same sound. I realize they are trying to be unique, and there are some standout tunes here, but as a whole the album just doesn't grab me--it seems to be angry at the world, but too tired and apathetic to do anything about it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Deftones-Adrenaline (1995)
Comment: Deftones debut album, "Adrenaline", was my introduction to Deftones. I had never heard any of their music until I bought this album on a whim back in '97 (i was a sophomore in high school). From the intro of "Bored" to the hidden track "Fist" I was hooked. Chino Moreno's voice sounded nothing like I had heard before. His voice goes from a whisper to a cat-like primal screech. Their music was also a breath of fresh air. They mixed metal with a little bit of punk and it worked. Definately worth the purchase. There is not one bad song on this disc. This cd turned me into a hardcore Deftones fan (I own all their albums).

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Customer Rating:
Summary: "I get bored."
Comment: I've mentioned previously how Deftones was regarded as nu-metal despite being generally much more interesting than the usual band with that label. But White Pony was their third album, while Adrenaline is their first. It still has its moments and is pretty decent for a debut, but there's clearly much work to be done to get their sound to where it ends up. A lot of the songs sound pretty similar and lack the subtle touches that give them a little more quality. It really is basically nu-metal. It's not bad, and pretty good for the subgenre. But this is definitely a band that benefited from stretching out a bit creatively.

The guitar part in "Bored" is a bit typical, but contrasts well with the voice of the singer, which I think is a huge part of their appeal to me. Even though a lot of the songs don't have a whole lot going for them, they still show some potential for the future with extended softer sections, and the rise and fall of tension is handled fairly well throughout. "7 Words" is one of the more aggressive, with a chorus consisting mostly of one word being shouted repeatedly, but it works pretty well. "Fireal" is a very deliberately paced song, and is more interesting for it, as the drawn out buildup makes the whole thing seem more epic and satisfying. "Fist" is a slightly different kind of song, it still has some anger behind it but still has a more mellow feel to it. It's a bit more passively unnerving. Adrenaline isn't bad but shows definite room for the band's improvement.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: An Innovative Thrash Metal Record
Comment: This debut album from the Deftones is a raw, aggressive mix of thrashing guitars and hollow dyna vocals. The album doesn't have many soft spots and plays through like watching a horror movie on Halloween.

Much more stripped down, with less texture and guitar layerings than subsequent Deftones offerings---Adrenaline is rooted more as a hardcore punk record than anything---albeit a smart and provacative punk record.

This was the album that introduced the world to one of the most innovative and beautiful hard rock bands of our time, introduced a new style of soft to loud and a vocal that's as brutal as it is beautiful.

It's hard to skip over any tracks on Adrenaline--but the real standouts have to be: root, 7 words, engine number 9, fireal and birthmark.

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