Chino Moreno described his band’s latest album as “not a happy record”, but what the Deftones’ frontman failed to mention was that it’s not a particularly cohesive one, either.
Gore’s patchy nature doesn’t automatically translate to a bad album, but it does make listening to it an infinitely less pleasurable experience.
At times, the Californian metallers veer dangerously close to their dated nu-metal past, as heard on Hearts/Wires and Rubicon.
The best tracks are where the band put a twist on their default heavy-handed format, whether it's via Moreno's voice floating atop the riffs of Acid Hologram and the mystical (L)MIRL, or the rhythm-oriented title track.
Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell drops in a solo on Phantom Bride, but unless you're a hardcore fan, it's uninspiring stuff overall.
