From​ ​the​ ​first​ ​atmospheric​ ​notes,​ ​​Gore​ ​​is​ ​pure​ ​Deftones​ ​brilliance.​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​slow​ ​burning​ ​engine,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​more​ ​you
listen​ ​the​ ​more​ ​it​ ​grows​ ​on​ ​you.​ ​There’s​ ​no​ ​filler​ ​here,​ ​and​ ​lyrically​ ​it​ ​borrows​ ​from​ ​all​ ​things​ ​frontman​ ​Chino
Moreno​ ​is​ ​well​ ​known​ ​for.​ ​Musically​ ​it​ ​shows​ ​the​ ​growth​ ​and​ ​evolution​ ​of​ ​the​ ​band.​ ​It’s​ ​apparent​ ​they​ ​didn’t
make​ ​this​ ​for​ ​the​ ​fans;​ ​they​ ​made​ ​this​ ​album​ ​not​ ​giving​ ​a​ ​shit​ ​about​ ​the​ ​expectations​ ​of​ ​others.​ ​They​ ​are​ ​at​ ​a
place​ ​in​ ​their​ ​career​ ​where​ ​they​ ​could​ ​take​ ​the​ ​time​ ​to​ ​put​ ​out​ ​an​ ​album​ ​that’s​ ​relevant,​ ​but​ ​this​ ​was​ ​about
internal​ ​conflict,​ ​a​ ​duality​ ​felt​ ​throughout​ ​this​ ​effort.​ ​Chino​ ​brings​ ​his​ ​vocal​ ​influences​ ​from​ ​all​ ​projects,​ ​yet​ ​his
range​ ​is​ ​more​ ​focused.​ ​The​ ​musical​ ​backdrop​ ​and​ ​instrumentation​ ​is​ ​a​ ​more​ ​powerful​ ​and​ ​well-tuned​ ​machine.
There​ ​are​ ​some​ ​epic​ ​and​ ​haunting​ ​moments​ ​here.​ ​It​ ​builds​ ​into​ ​a​ ​rich​ ​tapestry​ ​of​ ​interwoven​ ​musical​ ​feeling,
emotion​ ​laden​ ​lyrics​ ​and​ ​soul​ ​dripping​ ​guitars.​ ​It​ ​has​ ​an​ ​epic​ ​feel​ ​to​ ​it​ ​and​ ​I​ ​highly​ ​recommend​ ​mixing​ ​it​ ​with​ ​a
view​ ​of​ ​crashing​ ​ocean​ ​waves.
I​ ​think​ ​my​ ​only​ ​critique​ ​was​ ​they​ ​somewhat​ ​buried​ ​Abe​ ​Cunningham;​ ​his​ ​percussion​ ​is​ ​the​ ​backbone​ ​of​ ​the
music​ ​and​ ​while​ ​technically​ ​perfect,​ ​could​ ​have​ ​been​ ​highlighted​ ​more​ ​in​ ​the​ ​studio​ ​mix.​ ​​ ​Production​ ​wise​ ​it​ ​has
a​ ​beautiful​ ​tone,​ ​but​ ​overall​ ​the​ ​dynamics​ ​of​ ​the​ ​music​ ​were​ ​perhaps​ ​handled​ ​slightly​ ​better​ ​by​ ​former
producer​ ​Terry​ ​Date,​ ​who​ ​knew​ ​the​ ​band​ ​so​ ​well​ ​he​ ​was​ ​nearly​ ​considered​ ​a​ ​member.​ ​Still,​ ​they​ ​did​ ​an
excellent​ ​job;​ ​it’s​ ​well-polished,​ ​but​ ​herein​ ​lies​ ​the​ ​problem.​ ​It’s​ ​slightly​ ​over​ ​refined​ ​and​ ​while​ ​incredibly
beautiful​ ​and​ ​enchanting,​ ​it​ ​lacks​ ​the​ ​raw,​ ​gritty,​ ​dirty​ ​Sacto​ ​sound​ ​we’re​ ​all​ ​addicted​ ​too.​ ​I​ ​can​ ​hear​ ​the​ ​gear
and​ ​tone​ ​changes​ ​in​ ​the​ ​instruments,​ ​which​ ​might​ ​be​ ​throwing​ ​off​ ​the​ ​signature​ ​Deftones​ ​sound,​ ​but​ ​each​ ​song
is​ ​deeply​ ​personal​ ​to​ ​the​ ​band,​ ​and​ ​left​ ​up​ ​for​ ​interpretation​ ​to​ ​all​ ​else.
For​ ​me​ ​it’s​ ​internally​ ​engaging,​ ​filled​ ​with​ ​unexpected​ ​hooks,​ ​twists​ ​and​ ​turns.​ ​While​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​pack​ ​the​ ​brutal
diverse​ ​punch​ ​2012’s​ ​​Koi​ ​No​ ​Yokan​​ ​did,​ ​​Gore​ ​​is​ ​the​ ​soul​ ​baring​ ​result​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Deftones​ ​struggle.​ ​Standout​ ​tracks
are​ ​“Phantom​ ​Bride”​ ​with​ ​otherworldly​ ​guitar​ ​work​ ​by​ ​Jerry​ ​Cantrell,​ ​and​ ​emotionally​ ​driven​ ​“L​ ​(Mirl)”​ ​which
has​ ​incredible​ ​personal​ ​connection​ ​for​ ​me.​ ​The​ ​band​ ​approached​ ​the​ ​studio​ ​with​ ​nothing​ ​written,​ ​no​ ​plan​ ​or
schedule,​ ​not​ ​relying​ ​on​ ​old​ ​patterns,​ ​spending​ ​time​ ​on​ ​the​ ​overall​ ​ambience​ ​of​ ​the​ ​music.​ ​Master​ ​audio
manipulator​ ​Frank​ ​Delgado​ ​adds​ ​his​ ​layering​ ​to​ ​“Acid​ ​Hologram”​ ​and​ ​rock​ ​rhythms​ ​are​ ​peppered​ ​throughout
“Geometric​ ​Headdress,”​ ​where​ ​drummer​ ​Abe​ ​Cunningham​ ​is​ ​a​ ​beast.​ ​There’s​ ​a​ ​tangible​ ​tension​ ​between
Stephen​ ​Carpenter’s​ ​love​ ​for​ ​the​ ​heavy​ ​and​ ​Moreno’s​ ​love​ ​for​ ​the​ ​ethereal​ ​that​ ​drives​ ​this​ ​album,​ ​but​ ​rather
than​ ​separating​ ​them,​ ​the​ ​musical​ ​battle​ ​and​ ​personal​ ​desires​ ​adds​ ​texture.
Long​ ​waited​ ​for​ ​this​ ​is​ ​the​ ​result​ ​of​ ​years​ ​of​ ​expectations,​ ​grief,​ ​and​ ​LIFE​ ​within​ ​this​ ​innovative​ ​band.​ ​Overall
Gore​ ​​punched​ ​me​ ​in​ ​the​ ​chest​ ​and​ ​curled​ ​my​ ​toes;​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​roller​ ​coaster​ ​ride​ ​of​ ​emotions​ ​through​ ​melody.​ ​It’s
gorgeously​ ​delivered,​ ​full​ ​of​ ​cleverly​ ​crafted​ ​hooks​ ​and​ ​the​ ​brutal​ ​yet​ ​still​ ​beautiful​ ​culmination​ ​of​ ​the​ ​bands
anger​ ​and​ ​passion​ ​towards​ ​each​ ​other​ ​and​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​​ ​​Www.Deftones.Com