Deftones - Koi No Yokan

As soon as I hit play on Koi No Yokan and Swerve City kicked in, I knew the new Deftones record was going to be an instant favorite of mine. The beat drops instantly and you're thrown right into the Deftones brand of melodic metal. While Diamond Eyes wasn't as atmospheric as the band's previous two outings, it's obvious from Swerve City that this record is going to be something new and different.

Romantic Dreams is a slicker/sexier riff than Swerve City and has a nice feel to it and the ambient guitar sounds show their head a little but the track has a solid hook and great movement. Abe Cunningham's grooves are as strong as ever. Leathers sneaks in, like there's some left over guitar noodling from Romantic Dreams before the song slams in and Chino's vocals come blasting through your speakers. Poltergeist sounds like an updated version of White Pony. Entombed is the first track on the record that has a similar vibe to Diamond Eyes. But it's short lived as Graphic Nature hits you with a dirty riff and a solid back beat.

Koi No Yokan is solid start to finish. Not that I expected anything different from the Deftones. I loved Diamond Eyes and honestly, I've never not loved a Deftones record. But Koi No Yokan is by far the best record they've put out since White Pony and I'd go as far to say it's the band's best record to date.

In a year with a lot of good records but nothing stellar and super attention grabbing, Koi No Yokan will make you stop what you're doing and pay attention. The Deftones have delivered if not the best, one of the best albums of 2012.