While fans gathered at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena for what they believed would be a typical Deftones concert on August 22, 2025, they were instead treated to an electrifying surprise as the alternative metal pioneers revealed their tenth studio album, “Private Music,” performing several new tracks for the first time.
The band strategically planned this debut to coincide precisely with the album’s official release date, creating a momentous occasion that blended digital distribution with live performance.
Frontman Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham, keyboardist Frank Delgado, and new bassist Fred Sablan delivered a set that showcased the album’s dynamic range, which critics have since praised for its sonic evolution.
The Vancouver show kicked off their North American tour, featuring support acts Phantogram, IDLES, and Barbarians of California on various dates throughout the schedule.
“Private Music,” released through Reprise and Warner Records, marks Deftones’ first studio album since 2020’s “Ohms,” representing the longest gap between releases in the band’s history.
The 11-track collection, produced by Nick Raskulinecz who previously collaborated with the group on “Diamond Eyes” and “Koi No Yokan,” was recorded across multiple locations including Malibu, Joshua Tree, and Nashville over approximately 18 months.
The album, spanning 42 minutes and 22 seconds, follows the band’s stylistic choice of using lowercase track titles throughout, with the exception of track 6 “cXz.”
The band’s meticulous sound check process allowed them to perfectly calibrate their equipment to the venue’s unique acoustics, ensuring the new material would be presented exactly as intended.
The album has already achieved universal acclaim, securing a 91/100 Metacritic score based on ten reviews.
Publications including Clash (9/10), Kerrang! (5/5), and Pitchfork (7.6/10) have praised the band’s masterful balance between experimentation and their signature sound.
Lead single “My Mind Is a Mountain” has surpassed 25 million global streams and topped Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.
The band plans to explore sync deals for several tracks from the album, potentially expanding their revenue through placement in films and video games.
After the tour concludes in Kansas City on September 17, fans can look forward to the band’s Dia De Los Deftones festival on November 1 in San Diego, featuring an eclectic lineup including Clipse and Rico Nasty.
This Vancouver performance represented more than just another tour date; it offered fans the rare opportunity to experience new material in its purest form before widespread circulation.
The concert highlighted not only the band’s enduring creativity but also their commitment to authentic live experiences, as they shared music that explores themes of nature, mindset, and transcendence with an audience witnessing music history in real time.
