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Our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list will look at an alternative metal band that formed in 1988. Their music is experimental which made critics coin them the Radiohead of metal. The band has three platinum albums. Adrenaline, Around the Fur and White Pony went platinum. The band has sold over 10 million albums worldwide. They have won five awards and counting throughout their career. The Deftones consider themselves a diverse group. They do rock, hardcore, punk, trip-hop, hard rock as well as other musical genres. They are considered one of the most powerful and experimental bands in alternative music. The band has gone through ups and downs, but they have managed to persevere. Some of their musical influences are the Cure, Depeche Mode, The Human League, Duran Duran, The Thompson Twins, Faith No More, as well as others.
The Deftones like to experiment with their music as well as with their album covers. Their covers are unusual, but they tell a story. They will capture your attention before you listen to the album. Album covers are the first impression for fans listening to music. If you aren’t familiar with Deftones, your first impression of the band would be their album covers. The Deftones give you reason to check out their album covers as well as their music. The photographers capture great photos to promote the band. They don’t stick with ordinary shots. Some may be simple while others are unique. Our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list will look at the different album covers they have had over the years.
# 10 – Covers
The first pick on our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list is Covers. Covers is the Deftones’ second compilation album. This is a covers album. It features cover songs they have recorded over the years. The album cover is a black and white photo. It features a man sitting in a doorway on the floor. He has dark hair. He is smoking a cigarette. There is cigarette smoke coming out of his mouth. The smoke covers up his face so you can’t see what he looks like. He has his right leg up. His hand is touching the wall. The white door is completely open. The band’s name is written in white letters while the album title is written in black letters.
This is a simple album cover compared to the band’s other album covers. This album cover is symbolic. Photographer Frank Maddocks took a picture of a man with smoke in front of his face. It could be a play on the title of the album. The smoke “covers” his face. The band did cover songs so it makes sense that the smoke would cover the man’s face. The use of black and white makes a statement. This doesn’t look like a typical album cover. It looks like a random photo of someone sitting on the floor. There is no mistaking that it would be on a rock album. This is one of the many album covers Frank Maddocks did for the band. In addition to working with The Deftones, he has worked with Linkin Park, The Living End, Static-X, Beautiful Creatures, Alanis Morissette, Madonna, Meshell Ndegeocello, Paulina Rubio, Clear Static, Tyler Hilton, Wiz Khalifa, Seal, Metallica, Bascom Hill, The Used, American Bang, as well as others. Covers was released in Aprill 2011.
# 9 – Gore
The next pick on our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list is Gore. Gore is The Deftones’ eighth studio album. This is the band’s fifth album to debut within the top 10. It is their highest-charting album since their self-titled album. There was tension brewing within the band while they were recording the album. Lead singer Chino Moreno and guitarist Stephen Carpenter had issues with each other while they were working on this album. Luckily for them they were able to get past the tension that built while they were recording the album. They appreciated the tension because it helped them out creatively. The album cover features a picture of flamingoes flying in the air. The sky is pastel blue which means it is a sunny day. The title of the album is written in white letters in the center of the cover. The band’s name wasn’t featured on the cover.
Chino Moreno knew what he wanted when it came to the album cover. He wanted there to be a juxtaposition between the artwork and the album title. The band liked doing provocative things with their albums and their covers. When Chino Moreno hears music, he sees color. When it was time to do the album cover, he knew what he wanted. He let Frank Maddocks know his ideas and he got to work. Frank Maddocks took a breathtaking picture of the flock of flamingoes. It is amazing how he managed to get a close shot of the flamingoes. It looks as if he is right on top of them taking their picture. It looks like something that would be on a nature magazine and not an album cover. Core was released in April 2016. The album peaked at number two on Billboard 200. Core features the singles “Prayers/Triangles,” “Doomed User,” “Hearts/Wires” and “Phantom Bride.”
# 8 – Diamond Eyes
The eighth pick on our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list is Diamond Eyes. Diamond Eyes is the Deftones’ sixth studio album. This album is a lyrical change for the band. They didn’t record songs about how bad life is or complain about anything. They wanted this album to be about the positive things in life. The Deftones wanted to give this album their all. The album cover features a picture of an owl. The owl is white with brown on top of its head and under its beak. The owl has black eyes. The wings are open as if it is about to fly away. The owl is in front of a black background. The band’s name and album title are written on the left side of the cover in white letters.
Owls are usually a message for something. In this case, the owl on the album cover may represent death. Bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured when the band recorded this album. Did the band want to send a message about Chi Cheng who inevitably passed away? Did the band want to send a message about someone else who was passing away? Since the owl is white, could it mean the opposite of death? Could it be something positive? These are just some of the questions you may ask yourself while you are admiring the cover. Frank Maddocks took a picture that could be on a shirt or tattoo. His timing was excellent that he was able to catch a still photo of the owl. The black background makes the color of the album stand out. Diamond Eyes was released in May 2010. The album peaked at number six on Billboard 200. Diamond Eyes features the singles “Diamond Eyes,” “Rocket Skates,” “Risk” and “You’ve Seen the Butcher.” The album sold over 236,000 copies.
# 7 – Koi No Yokan
The seventh pick on our list is Koi No Yokan. Koi No Yokan is The Deftones seventh studio album. The album title means premonition of love. The band experimented on this album. They used music that they used on previous albums for this album. The intriguing album cover is a picture of a hotel room. It looks like mirrored sections of a dark room. There is a shot of the floor with an orange light shining on it. There are different colors in the reflection. There is a light on the ceiling. The picture creates the image of walking into a room. The band’s name is written on the top left of the cover in white letters. The album title is written on the top right side of the cover in orange letters.
The room in the picture looks as if it was taken in a Japanese restaurant or hotel room. It is different and intriguing. The look goes with the album title. Frank Maddocks took an interesting picture for this album cover. Could the band be welcoming the fans into a world of emptiness? Frank Maddocks took a picture of a real room. This picture looks like a painting that would be hanging in your living room or bedroom. It doesn’t look like a typical rock album cover. Frank Maddocks took a hypnotic cover. You could get lost looking at the picture. He made the picture look authentic by taking it in a real room. Koi No Yokan was released in November 2012. The album peaked at number 11 on Billboard 200 and number five on the rock charts. Koi No Yokan features the singles “Leathers,” “Tempest,” “Swerve City” and “Romantic Dreams.” The album sold over 200,000 copies.
# 6 – Ohms
Ohms is The Deftones’ ninth studio album. The Deftones went back to the basics with this album. They returned to their alternative metal sound. The album has a dream pop with a metallic edge. The album cover features thousands of dots that come together to create a picture. You can see a pair of eyes and eyebrows in the picture. The right eye has a tear falling out of it. The dots are on a black background. The album cover has an 80s feel to it. The album cover looks reminiscent of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” video. The album cover doesn’t feature the band’s name or title. The album cover looks like an ink blot test.
People thought this picture was a tribute to late band member Chi Cheng. They thought the eyes in the picture were his. The band insists that it is a coincidence. It is easy to assume the picture was for Chi Cheng since he passed away. Frank Maddocks had control over this cover. He wanted to go for an 80s vibe with this cover. He wanted to do a picture like Prince’s “When Doves Cry” video. The album cover is like “When Doves Cry.” It is very creative. Frank Maddocks managed to form a picture with dots. He added a tear drop to the picture for effect. This cover will leave you breathless as you listen to the album. This picture is like an optical illusion. It is supposed to be dots, but it turned into a picture. Ohms was released in September 2020. The album peaked at number five on Billboard 200. Ohms features the singles “Ohms,” “Genesis” and “Ceremony.”
# 5 – White Pony
The next pick on our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list is White Pony. White Pony is The Deftones‘ third studio album. The band changed their style for this album. They wanted to take their time writing the music for this album. Chris Moreno didn’t want to make this a personal album. He made up the stories he was talking about on the album. He felt free to write and sing about anything he wanted once he took himself out of the equation. The album cover features a picture of a white pony in a running motion. It has a black background. The band’s name and album title are not featured on the cover. There are other versions of the album cover. There is a version with a gray background. There is also a version where the horse is in the middle of the album against a black background. It contains the band’s name and album title. We wanted to talk about the album cover with the black background.
This is the first album where the band worked with Frank Maddocks. It was an odd choice for the band to use a white pony on the album cover. It doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of the album, so they took a risk by making it the cover. Frank Maddocks took a picture that will grab your attention and have you wondering what the purpose is and how does it fit with the theme of the album. It is a diverse picture that could cover many topics. He took a shot that looks as if it would fit in a magazine instead of an album cover. Whichever album cover you get, you will be amazed by the originality of it. White Pony was released in June 2000. The album peaked at number three on Billboard 200. White Pony features the singles “Change (In the House of Flies)” and “Back to School (Many Maggit).” The album sold over one million copies.
# 4 – Saturday Night Wrist
Saturday Night Wrist is The Deftones’ fifth studio album. The album was stressful for the band because Chino Moreno was battling his personal demons. Recording the album put a strain on the band’s relationship. The album cover features a woman looking up towards the ceiling. Her picture is taken from the shoulders up. The picture is taken from her left side. She has blonde hair and is wearing an earring. Her mouth is open. She appears to be in a club. There are people behind her in the picture. Their pictures are taken from the right side. Their mouths are open. There is a white circle around the main woman in the picture. There is a shot of an eyeball in the background. The band’s name is on the top left in white letters while the album title is on the top right.
Frank Maddocks took an interesting photo for the album cover. It is hard to tell if the woman is in pain or in ecstasy. You can interpret the picture in different ways depending on how you feel when you are listening to the album. The picture is dark which fits with the theme of the album. The picture is from a movie called Roxana. It has a 70s vibe just like the movie. If you remember the movie, you might remember the scene. Frank Maddocks used dark colors to give the picture a gloomy effect. The album cover will give you something to talk about while you are listening to the music. The cover looks like a movie poster. Saturday Night Wrist was released in October 2006. The album peaked at number 10 on Billboard 200. Saturday Night Wrist features the singles “Hole in the Earth,” “Mein,” “Cherry Waves” and “Beware.”
# 3 – Around the Fur
Coming in at number three on our list is Around the Fur. Around the Fur is The Deftones’ second studio album. The songs on this album are about relationships, violence, sex, death and angst. The album cover features a woman at a party. The woman is wearing a bathing suit. The picture is taken from the woman’s left side. Her hair is pulled back. She has a tattoo around her navel. Her chest is wet in the picture. She is wearing a necklace. Her right hand is behind her. She is sitting near the edge of a pool. There is a shot of a man’s feet on the right. You can see leaves on her right.
Photographer Rick Kosick was at an after party and happened to have had his camera with him. He took a candid shot of a woman by a pool. He took the picture at four in the morning. He didn’t know who the woman was. He just took a candid shot of the woman. He took one picture of her and the band wanted it. Here is a fun fact. Rick Kosick’s feet are the ones on the cover. His feet were in the shot while he was taking the picture. The woman in the picture is named Lisa M. Hughes. The band tracked her down and got her permission to take the picture. She didn’t like the picture at first but she gave them permission to use it. The picture doesn’t really fit the theme of the album, but it works. It was nice to see a candid shot for the album cover. It makes you think about partying when you look at the album cover.
Rick Kosick is a photographer and cinematographer. He is best known for his work on MTV’s Jacka$$. He has taken pictures of skateboarders. He has done music videos for Roger Allan Wade, Smut Peddlers, Andrew W.K., Wolfmother, Three Six Mafia, Lil Wyte, Chris Pontius and Weezer. Around the Fur was released in October 1997. The album peaked at number 29 on Billboard 200. Around the Fur features the singles “My Own Summer (Shove It),” “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),” “Mascara” and “Around the Fur.” The album sold over one million copies.
# 2 – Adrenaline
Adrenaline is The Deftones‘ debut album. The album has an innovative sound. Critics praised the album for being innovative and diverse. Critics liked their blunt and angry approach to songwriting. The album cover features a picture of an aspirator. The aspirator is pastel pink. It is in the center of the album cover. The aspirator is on an angle in the picture. The background is pastel pink. The band’s name is written in blue cursive letters. The band’s name is on the top left of the album cover. The album title is written on the bottom right in blue cursive letters.
Photographer Victor Bracke chose an odd picture for the album cover. There aren’t too many artists that would use something for babies to represent the album. The aspirator doesn’t fit with any of the songs on the album. This picture will make an impression because you may be scratching your head at the choice for the cover. It was a risk to use the aspirator and not their picture for their debut album since people may not have known who they were. The Deftones could have appeared on the cover, but they chose not to do it. They proved they were risk takers when it comes to their music and artwork. Victor Bracke used bright colors for the picture. The color he used was eye catching. The colors don’t clash with each other. Victor Bracke is a photographer who was worked with The Deftones, Jane’s Addiction, The Black Crowes, Cool for August, Henry Mancini, Warren Zevon, as well as others. Adrenaline was released in October 1995. The album features the singles “7 Words,” “Bored,” “One Weak,” “Minus Blindfold,” “Root” and “Birthmark.” The album sold over one million copies.
# 1 – Deftones
The number one pick on our Top 10 Deftones Album Covers list is Deftones. This is the Deftones’ fourth studio album. The band experimented with different musical styles on this album. The album has trip hop and shoegaze music. The album cover features a picture of a skull. The skull is in the middle of the album cover. It looks as if the top of the skull is missing. There are red and blue roses behind the skull. The skull is against a black background. The band’s name and album title are written in the top left of the album cover. The letters are white and cursive.
This album cover is something you would expect to see from a metal band. Frank Maddocks took a picture that would fit with the band. This album cover stands out from their other covers because it has a dark and spooky look to it. This is arguably the most creative cover in their discography. This album cover shows their scary and romantic side. The skull represents the scary side while the roses show their romantic side. This cover would make a great tattoo or logo on a T-shirt or jacket. Deftones was released in May 2003. The album peaked at number two on Billboard 200. Deftones features the singles “Minerva,” “Hexagram,” “Needles and Pins” and “When Girls Telephone Boys.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
Top 10 Deftones Albums Covers article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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