Deftones - Koi No Yokan [180G]

2012's Koi No Yokan ("Love's Premonition") is the dynamic seventh full-length effort from alternative metal band Deftones, recorded in Los Angeles, CA with Nick Raskulinecz (Alice In Chains, Foo Fighters, Rush) who also produced the band's 2010 album Diamond Eyes. The 11-song set is the second consecutive album without founding bassist Chi Cheng who continues to recover from a near-fatal car accident that occurred in 2008. Deftones' ability to take their sound to the extremes is as accomplished as ever here, ranging from the pounding opener "Swerve City" to the raging lead single "Leathers" to the mesmerizing "Tempest" and the cosmic "Entombed."

Frontman Chino Moreno explained Koi No Yokan to Billboard, "It's not a super fast or slow record. It's very dynamic. Some of my favorite things about Deftones are the dynamics. Yes, we're a heavy band, but we're not just in-your-face aggro the whole time, punching you in the face. There's a lot of aggression in some of the music, but there's also this very soothing element where there's a lot of soundscapes rather than attack, attack, attack the whole time. I understand that's a big part of our sound, but I really feel like we reached a peak on our dynamics on this record with those two qualities, the beauty of something and just straight, ruthless aggression."

1. Swerve City
2. Romantic Dreams
3. Leathers
4. Poltergeist
5. Entombed
6. Graphic Nature
7. Tempest
8. Gauze
9. Rosemary
10. Goon Squad
11. What Happened To You?