• Reissue
• Includes lyrics sheet
  
  

Deftones released their self-titled debut in 2000 on Maverick, establishing the Sacramento band as architects of a particular strain of nu metal informed by shoegaze textures and alternative rock songwriting. The album marked a significant departure from the rap-metal conventions dominating the genre at the time, prioritizing atmospheric production and melodic sensibility alongside heavier instrumentation. Within their catalog, this record remains the foundation for everything that followed—the template that would evolve across subsequent albums while maintaining the band's signature blend of ethereal and crushing dynamics.

Deftones opens with "Hexagram," a track built on crystalline guitar tones and restrained vocals that immediately signal the band's refusal to simply bombard. "Needles and Pins" follows with syncopated rhythm work and layered production that rewards repeated listening. "Minerva" demonstrates the album's mastery of dynamics, shifting from intimate verses to expansive choruses, while "Good Morning Beautiful" showcases the softer, almost vulnerable side of Chino Moreno's vocal approach. Deeper cuts like "Deathblow" and the closer "When Girls Telephone Boys" reveal an album invested in spatial production and melodic hooks that linger. The atmosphere throughout is cool and slightly removed—processing, reverb, and careful arrangement create distance rather than intimacy, making the emotional content all the more striking.

This European reissue brings the album back to vinyl in its proper format, capturing the production's dimensional quality that digital compression struggles to convey. The package includes a lyrics sheet, white paper inner sleeve, and a tip-on gatefold jacket that houses the original artwork and credits. This pressing is essential for collectors seeking the album in a physical format that honors its studio craftsmanship and allows the quieter details of each mix to emerge.

Tracklist:

A1. Hexagram
A2. Needles And Pins
A3. Minerva
A4. Good Morning Beautiful
A5. Deathblow
A6. When Girls Telephone Boys
B1. Battle-Axe
B2. Lucky You
B3. Bloody Cape
B4. Anniversary Of An Uninteresting Event
B5. Moana