Rolling Stone selected Private Music, the tenth album by Deftones, as the best metal album of 2025. The choice is based on how the record keeps the band’s core sound while still feeling current.
In their review, Rolling Stone points out that Private Music balances heavy alt-metal riffs with a more emotional and atmospheric side. This contrast is compared to the approach the band explored around the era of White Pony, but without sounding stuck in the past.
Specific tracks are mentioned as key moments on the album. “Cut Hands” is described as jagged and unsettling, “I Think About You All the Time” as a woozy power ballad, and “Ecdysis” as an anthemic track. According to the review, these songs feel like natural additions to the Deftones catalog.
The text also places Private Music in the context of the current heavy music scene. With many newer bands openly showing the influence of Deftones’ earlier work, the album is presented as proof that the band is still producing new material that fits into the present moment of metal.
Check the full breakdown at: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-metal-albums-2025-1235484417/
