After discovering the band Deftones almost two years ago, it has become one of my all-time favorites. I’m not usually a big fan of metal music, but Deftone’s mesmerizing sounds, heavy drums, guitar riffs, and piercing vocals immediately caught my attention. 

I first heard of the band when they were played at a record store. After asking an employee at the store, I found out who was playing and decided to drown myself in their music immediately when I got home. 

Since then, I have listened to them as a release of energy and emotion. Deftones has a song that I can easily connect with my mood, whether I feel angry, nostalgic, overwhelmed, or overwhelmed. Their music is an outlet for me, as are many other artists.

The band was initially formed in the late 1980s by its current members: Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Abe Cunningham, and Dominic Garcia. The band came together when the members were in high school in Sacramento, California, and since then, they have released nine albums, along with various live recordings and covers.

Most people recognize the band for their songs “Change,” “My Own Summer (Shove It)” or “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away).” These songs began to gain popularity and traction on TikTok. I love these songs, which are undoubtedly classic; however, they are not at the top of my list when I consider many of the band’s other songs and albums.

Among their discography is a gem, the album Koi No Yokan. The title, translated from Japanese, means “premonition of love,” or the feeling of love to come. This title captures the album’s themes of love, relationships, devotion, and fantasy.

The album begins with the heavy guitar riffs on “Swerve City,” a song that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The lyrics, while abstract, touch on a feeling of being out of place and being unsure of who you are. I’m sure many of you reading this will be able to relate to that feeling at some point, or you may even be feeling like that right now. Wherever you are in life, you can connect with this song and many others on the album on a personal level.

It is followed by one of my favorite songs on the album, “Romantic Dreams,” a song that also speaks of a sense of belonging. This song is truly the “premonition of love,” as Moreno sings, “I’m hypnotized by your name / I wish this night would never end.” This song talks about infatuation with the idea of a person, disregarding any of their flaws or personalities, like “love at first sight.” This song is about one of the album’s central themes of love and devotion.

The next song, “Leathers,” expands on this love story as it is about connections and “shedding your skin.” In other words, it shows the person behind the name that at first hypnotized us. This developing relationship turns toxic in the song “Poltergeist” in which they are projecting how they want their lover to act. Moreno sings, “I love you to death / Like you love this game.” This relationship turns out to be one-sided, like a puppet and its master.

The sense of belonging and love fades away when they are “entombed.” by their passion. This is one of the slower songs on the album that shows the true colors of the relationship and why it remains. The album continues with the story of toxicity, neglect, manipulation, and being chained to a person. 

“Rosemary” is the ninth song on the album and the album’s top song. I wait impatiently for “Rosemary” to play when I listen to this album. The ethereal combination of guitar, bass, and suppressed vocals pulls me into the melancholic cover of the song. The song opens with a slow guitar riff that sets a dark mood. Moreno’s vocals are gentle and almost whispered as he sings about longing and a need for escape. The lyrics evoke a feeling of yearning for something beyond reach. The chorus intensifies the song as Moreno sings with urgency and desperation. The instruments in the song are airy and light, emphasizing the bass and guitar parts of the song. The song is almost dreamlike, as it shows how Deftones can truly connect you to their genuinely moving lyrics. 

The resolution of the album marks the end of this newfound love. Moreno sings with a sense of love, desire, and frustration as he has recently ended a relationship that he can’t move on from. The guitar riffs and key of the song resonate with a feeling of unease and unrest, which is haunting. 

Koi No Yokan shows how far Deftones can push boundaries and evoke intense feelings through their music. This album is one of the hits that initially caught my attention and captivated me after that day in the record store.