Five years since their last release, Deftones have returned with “my mind is a mountain,” the lead single of their tenth album, private music, which is set to be released on August 22. The track revisits the sonic fusions explored in Ohms and White Pony, but this time there’s a sharper contrast between the metal riffage that defined their early work, such as their debut Adrenaline and their sophomore album Around the Fur; even the ambient-industrial textures of Koi No Yokan and Gore are heard throughout the single, which is eventually known to be their trademark production sound over time.
The single jettisons to the downtuned guitars, layered against white noise that feels closer to a score than a riff. The tension in the arrangement builds around the pacing, with vocalist Chino Moreno’s familiar wail pulling the chorus into something more melodic than abrasive compared to other cuts throughout their back catalog. That balance between chaos and control is what gives “my mind is a mountain” its edge. It still feels like a Deftones track, but it’s not out of reach to hear echoes of Moreno’s side project, Crosses, stitched into its noisy textures. Maybe it’s too early to tell if this marks a permanent blend of their sonic worlds, but the overlap is apparent in between the noise.
“my mind is a mountain” splits the difference between its experimental approach to shoegaze, noise rock, and fuzz, with the traditional metal elements in 2020’s Ohms. The heaviness in this single hits in bursts, but the spaces in between are just as important in terms of pushing the envelope in the metal genre. Its chorus, laced with Moreno’s signature moaning vocals, is less about lyrics and more about tone, something catchier than what recent Deftones records have offered without pulling back on intensity.
For longtime fans, the track offers a familiar anchor. For new listeners, it’s a way in without the nostalgia. It’s not a reinvention, but a refinement. Whether or not private music goes deeper into this blend remains to be seen, but “my mind is a mountain” shows how the band hasn’t lost their grip on what makes them tick: They’re loud when it matters, but always with something menacing underneath.
