Following lackluster sales of the Deftones' self-titled 2004 effort and the band's near destruction in the wake of their 2006 album, Saturday Night Wrist, it's highly probable that this single release is the first you've heard from the band in a long time.
The reasons for this are long and varied, including bassist Chi Cheng's horrific car accident (the bassist contributed to this track before the accident but remains in a coma) and vocalist Chino Moreno's well documented battles with addiction. With the band scheduled to play main stage at Download 2010, it seemed as good a time as any to release this material, which is already a year overdue.
'Rocket Skates' (recorded in 2009) is the first single, and in keeping with Deftones' fan-friendly polices, was released free of charge via the band's official website for a limited time. The sound is a welcome return to the White Pony era, with traditional new wave incorporated into the metal edge the band have become famous for. This single is taken from the forthcoming album New Diamond, and if the material here is any indication, it will be one hell of an album.
Moreno screams with passion and you can feel his hurt, drummer Abe Cunningham outdoes himself with ghost noting, and Stephen Carpenter produces his best work in years - the guitarist's trademark dissonant chord voicings are ever present in the harmony. If anything was to be faulted, it would be the repeatitive nature of the track; there's little or no change in direction, and at times the lyrics can seem almost muffled.
Live, it remains to be seen what can be done to this song, since most of the Deftones' more memorable performances have been their translations from studio to open arena. Again, that poses a problem, since Cheng's accident means a replacement will have to be sought - something the band have spoken out against in the past. Whatever happens, you can be sure of a solid performance.
Rating: 3/5