Although the group were more heavy metal-based early on, the early '90s saw Deftones expand their sound even further, inspired by such groundbreakers as Tool, Rage Against the Machine, and Faith No More.

They chose the name Deftones and began playing out locally shortly thereafter, going through several different bass players before finding a permanent bassist in the form of Chi Cheng. The group formed in Sacramento, California in 1988, when then high-school students Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Chino Moreno (vocals) first began to jam together. In 2020, they kicked off their fourth decade as a unit with their ninth album, Ohms.

In the 2000s and 2010s, they pushed their sonic boundaries even further, departing from mainstream-friendly song structures in favor of increasingly expansive atmospherics on sets like 2003's self-titled effort, 2010's Diamond Eyes, and 2016's Gore. As one of the first groups to alternate heavy riffs and screamed vocals with more ethereal music and hushed singing, they influenced a generation of musicians with their trio of platinum-certified early albums: 1995's Adrenaline, 1997's Around the Fur, and 2000's seminal White Pony. As one of the progenitors of the '90s nu-metal movement, Deftones quickly evolved beyond the scene, embracing their individual influences to create an artistic alternative metal hybrid that balanced beauty and brutality.

Deftones albums sales