Deftones - Adrenaline

Originally released in 1995, Adrenaline is the explosive debut that introduced the world to Deftones. Far from the polished sounds of their later work, this record is a "serrated and melodic" masterclass in tension and release. Produced by Terry Date (Pantera, Soundgarden), the album captured the Sacramento quintet—vocalist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, bassist Chi Cheng, and drummer Abe Cunningham—at their most "frenetic and unfettered." It is a foundational document of the 90s alternative scene, blending "jagged guitar textures" with a "pulsating rhythmic grit" that helped shape the vocabulary of nu-metal.

From the "whisper-to-a-scream" dynamics of "7 Words" to the "heavy and hypnotic" groove of "Bored," Adrenaline remains a "major triumph" of atmospheric aggression. Chino Moreno’s "soulful and haunting" vocal delivery dances over Carpenter's "crushing, down-tuned riffs," creating a sound that is both "viscerally abrasive and strangely beautiful." This vinyl pressing is the definitive way to experience the album's "high-contrast energy," preserving the "natural resonance and raw grit" of the original studio sessions in high fidelity.