Deftones, formed in Sacramento in 1988, are celebrated for blending alternative metal with dreamy, atmospheric elements that often overlap with shoegaze. Fronted by Chino Moreno, the band quickly established themselves as a group unwilling to sit comfortably within a single genre. Their sound moves fluidly between crushing heaviness and fragile intimacy, combining down-tuned guitars with airy, emotive vocals. Few bands have managed to strike such a balance, and it is this duality that has made Deftones one of the most distinctive and enduring acts of their generation.
Albums such as White Pony and Koi No Yokan highlight their mastery of contrast. On one track, guitars roar with punishing weight, drums crash with urgency, and vocals stretch to a visceral scream. On the next, the music might drift into spacious, almost dreamlike passages, Moreno’s voice floating gently above waves of reverb. It is in these shifts that Deftones’ genius lies. They do not simply alternate between soft and heavy, but weave the two together, creating a constant tension between aggression and beauty.
While firmly rooted in metal, the band have never been content to stay within its boundaries. Over the years, their music has absorbed elements of post-rock, dream pop, and shoegaze, layering atmosphere and texture over their harder edges. This willingness to experiment has allowed them to evolve without losing their identity. Their songs feel as though they exist in multiple worlds at once, as much about mood and immersion as they are about riffs and rhythm.
This genre-defying approach has inspired a generation of musicians who see no contradiction in combining weight with delicacy. For artists across rock, metal, and shoegaze, Deftones represent a blueprint for how to channel raw intensity while still leaving space for emotion and vulnerability. Their influence can be heard in countless bands that embrace dynamic contrasts, treating heaviness not as an endpoint but as part of a broader palette.
Wornsteps, one of the new names in the shoegaze-inspired landscape, have openly drawn from this legacy. They have cited Deftones’ use of atmosphere and layering as a key influence, particularly the way textures can shape emotion as effectively as volume. For Wornsteps, as for many others, the lesson is clear: music can be heavy without closing itself off to tenderness. This idea, pioneered by Deftones in the late 1990s and refined over decades, remains central to their continuing relevance.
More than thirty years into their career, Deftones remain vital. Their music resonates with long-time fans who grew up with their records, while also capturing the imagination of new listeners discovering the band’s ability to transform noise into something transcendent. Their legacy is not just about longevity, but about expansion. They showed that heavy music could be immersive, delicate, and timeless, proving that contrast is not a weakness but a strength.
In bridging the gap between ferocity and fragility, Deftones carved a space that no other band has quite replicated. They remain proof that music at its heaviest can also be music at its most human.