Deftones’ fourth album is impressive. Because, unlike other metal bands, the Californians know how to write songs, like the late Faith No More. To be convinced of this, just listen to the very beautiful Deathblow, a gem with a melancholic western atmosphere (no doubt due to the harmonica) or the electronic and “Garbagian” nuances of Lucky You (which can be found on the soundtrack of “Matrix Reloaded”). But Chino, the singer, does not forget to scream and Stephen Carpenter’s sub-bass guitars to saturate, as the furious and desperate opening track, Hexagram, proves. It is a fact: mixing melodies and a wall of sound, many try, few succeed. Minerva, a melodic and furious single, shows Deftones’ excellence in this risky register. Likewise, Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event and its piano notes are moving in a register close to Devin Townsend (The Death Of Music). “Deftones” continues the tradition of great self-titled albums.