White Pony

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Total Tracks: 12   Total Length: 52:51

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David Raposa

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David Raposa has been a contributing writer for Pitchfork since 2003, and has also written for the Independent Weekly, the Village Voice, the Hartford Courant, ...more »

08.15.11
Illustrating the group's readiness to graduate
2000 | Label: Rhino

Months after releasing White Pony, Maverick Records reps wanted Deftones to re-record one of the album’s tracks (“Pink Maggit”) to make it more radio friendly. A little downsizing and tweaking of the source material, coupled with some hip-hop scatting by Chino Moreno and more than a little semi-sublimated anger at having to capitulate to this request, and the label had their hit and new lead-off track, “Back to School (Mini Maggit).” There’s nothing wrong with “Back to School,” especially if you’re fond of what Deftones accomplished on their previous two albums. But as the rest of White Pony ably illustrates, the group was ready to graduate.

They could still hit hard when they wanted to — see the Grammy-winning “Elite” for proof of that — but Deftones was interested in more than just throwing haymakers. They wanted to stretch things out (as on the haunting “Digital Bath”), to write new types of songs (like the malfunctioning balladry on “Teenager”), and to see what they could get away with. Turns out their fans felt the same way: While “Back to School” was a success by most standards, it ended up lower on the Billboard Modern and Mainstream Rock charts… read more »

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The Best

Niglet

Honestly, this is my favorite rock album of all time, and one of my top 10 favorite albums, period. I can't say much more than that. I have always been, and will always be, a Deftones fan because of this CD.

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Exceptional

natedogg2277

Arguably the best album from the Deftons, and possibly one of the best hard rock albums of the past ten to fifteen years. I've worn out two copies of this album.

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They Say All Music Guide

Hard rockers Deftones take their heavy post-grunge ways to another level on their third album White Pony. Sensing painful frustrations and personal rediscovery with its allusive microcosm of an album title, the Californian alt-rock five piece were periodically stifled while making White Pony. Their 1997 sophomore effort Around the Fur was hailed to blast out commercially, but such pressure crippled the band musically and personally. The band struggled with leading its direction, trudging through weighed emotion, but White Pony was the tantalizing outcome. Deftones went soft, but in an impressive way, to twist around its signature punk thrash sound. Frontman Chino Moreno is still intense, and his sour vocals throughout the entire record growl and stomp all over mainstream movements. He is bored with it all. “Feiticeira” calls out against authority with textured guitars and gnarling percussive throws. “Elite” is sonically industrial and embryonic, as Moreno’s beer-soaked vocals scream like Ministry’s Al Jourgensen and Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre. Lyrically, Moreno is exquisitely mind-blowing, but his fear is also evident. Check out the fierce ballad-esque “Teenager” — the innocent days when life seemed easy can only be dreams now. Moreno’s duet with Tool’s Maynard James Keenan on “Passenger” is as equally tender. The first single, “Change (In the House of Flies),” is hardening in the way that punk can be sultry and not just pogo-skanking nonsense. It is honest, stripped, and exposed with it’s flowing guitar riffs and haunting orchestral back drops. There aren’t any lackluster similarities to Limp Bizkit and Korn. Deftones have forged ahead, unafraid to delve into the influences of The Smiths and The Cure. – MacKenzie Wilson

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