Chino Moreno Reflects on Deftones Being Called ‘The Radiohead of Metal’

Decades into their career, multi-platinum alternative metal pioneers Deftones have experienced a resurgence in popularity, fueled in part by younger generations discovering their catalog on platforms like TikTok. That renewed attention was also reflected in a series of new gold and platinum certifications the band received this past July.

With their tenth studio album, private music, garnering critical acclaim, Deftones have long been praised for pushing boundaries—a trait that has led fans to frequently dub them ‘the Radiohead of metal.’

The comparison is understandable: both bands built careers by stepping outside their initial genre confines, crafting influential, genre-defining discographies along the way.

In a recent interview with The Irish Times, vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno shared his thoughts on the label:

“It makes me smile, and it doesn’t annoy me at all. Can I see the correlation there? It’s hard for me, because I’m a big Radiohead fan, and I think they’re one of the most amazing bands of our generation. So it’s flattering, yes, to be compared to a band as great as them. Do I think that we are? Not necessarily.”

Much like Radiohead, who transitioned from 90s alternative rock into the experimental electronic soundscape of Kid A, Deftones consciously evolved beyond the nü-metal sound of their first two albums. Their 2000 record White Pony marked a pivotal shift in the band’s sound. Moreno reflected on that decision, saying:

“We could have easily made another Around The Fur or Adrenaline. At that point, considering nu-metal was the biggest thing at the time, with the successes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, and other bands, our record label thought it would have been the smartest thing to do.”

He continued:

“As much as people love that record now, when White Pony came out a lot of people didn’t understand it. In retrospect, it is probably one of our most important records. We followed our instincts and did what we wanted to do, and that’s part of the reason why, almost 40 years on, we’re still able to have people be curious about our musical output.”

For Deftones, the comparison to Radiohead is a compliment—but one that speaks more to their shared spirit of experimentation and evolution than direct equivalence.

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