By Owen Galloway
When asked about my favourite era for alternative music, I’ll always point to the late 90s going into the early 00s. While the landscape at the time was arguably a strongly mixed bag of cheap imitations and MTV garbage, the period from 1995 to around 2005 produced some genre defining art in the heavy music scene, from the twisted hip hop and hardcore inspired works of Korn and Slipknot to the clearly shoegaze influenced sounds of Siamese Dream (try listening to Loomer and tell me Billy Corgan doesn’t emulate that exact vocal style). One band from that time for me stands out above all else however.
Deftones. Deftones catapulted themselves into the forefront of the alternative metal movement, defying conventions and reshaping the sonic landscape of the era. With an innovative approach that seamlessly fused elements of post-grunge, shoegaze, and nu-metal, solidifying their status as one of the most influential and enduring bands of the era.
For me, Deftones emerge as the quintessential alternative metal band of the late 1990s, a title earned through a combination of sonic innovation, artistic fearlessness, and enduring influence. In a landscape teeming with some seriously heavy hitters, the band distinguished themselves by seamlessly blending aggression with ethereal textures, crafting a sound that transcended the limits of conventional metal. At the core of Deftones' significance is their ability to forge a distinctive sonic identity. While their contemporaries often adhered to established norms, Deftones ventured into uncharted territory, weaving atmospheric layers and dreamlike vocals into the fabric of their music with songs such as “Digital Bath” seamlessly combining ascendant soundscapes with crushingly distorted and low tuned guitars. Even though a large part of their ethos revolved around experimentation, Deftones never became inaccessible with songs such as “My Own Summer” and “Change (In the House of Flies)” being enormous commercial hits.
It is therefore no surprise that Deftones’ indelible impact on the alternative metal scene has reverberated further into the subsequent decade, shaping the sonic landscape for modern bands in the 2010s to the 2020s. A prime example of this would be the inimitable Loathe, Liverpool’s best offering to music since the Beatles. Their music often defies easy categorization, blending elements of metalcore, industrial and progressive metal. The band is known for its dynamic and atmospheric soundscapes, which feature a juxtaposition of heavy, aggressive moments and more ambient, ethereal passages. The influence from Deftones is unmistakeable and clear nods to the groove-oriented aspects of traditional nu metal can be heard all over their discography, with other tunes mirroring the heavenly ambience Carpenter and Moreno are known for, in particular through the song “A Sad Cartoon” and its subsequent reprise track.
But is it any surprise that this is the case? Clearly Deftones are one of the defining bands of the time, but outside of this there seems to be an ongoing longing within the alternative scene, a fondness for a bygone era. With the resurgence of Y2K fashion, CRT filtered music videos and the rising popularity of self-appointed “Nugaze” artists such as Split Chain, nostalgia for the late 90s and early 00s seems to be in full swing again. Could we be on the precipice of a full-blown nu metal revival which ushers in this generation’s pioneers? One can only hope.
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