Koi No Yokan
Untitled | |
---|---|
Koi No Yokan is the seventh studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones. The album was released by Reprise Records on November 12, 2012 in the UK and November 13, 2012 in the United States.[1][2] Koi No Yokan was met with acclaim from professional critics on release and debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, with sales of 65,000 copies. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold over 200,000 copies to date in the US. Koi no yokan is a Japanese phrase translating to "premonition of love".[3]
Background
Band frontman Chino Moreno characterized the album as "dynamic" with a full range of noise, noting an increased contribution of ideas by bassist Sergio Vega compared to their previous record, Diamond Eyes.[4] Deftones recorded Koi No Yokan differently than their previous studio releases, leading to a more rhythmic sound.
A major change in the recording process came with the use of the Fractal Audio Systems Axe-Fx preamp/effects processor, which creates the sound of multiple outboard amps and pedals and allowed for different tones. Vega said the group was able to "bring Fractal into hotel rooms and run it into software and record ideas and flesh them out later". The group tracked guitar, bass and vocals, then recorded drums and replaced the guitar, bass and vocals. Vega confirmed that "everything was organic".[5]
Koi No Yokan marked the second album without longtime bass player Chi Cheng, who was injured in a car accident in November 2008 that left him comatose or in a partially conscious state until his death in 2013.
Composition
Described as having an "alternative metal vibe",[6] the music incorporates experimental elements from the band's previous albums Saturday Night Wrist (2006) and Diamond Eyes (2010),[7] with elements from metal, alternative rock, shoegazing and dream pop.[3][8][9][10][11]
Release
On September 19, 2012, the band released the song "Leathers" as a promotional single via a free download on their website.[12][13][14][15] On October 8, 2012, "Leathers" was released as the album's first single.[16] "Leathers" was also released as a limited-edition cassingle with "Rosemary" as the B-side.[17]
On October 3, 2012, the song "Tempest" premiered on PureVolume for streaming.[18] "Tempest" was released as a single on October 9, 2012.[19]
Koi No Yokan was released on vinyl in four versions: a standard retail version pressed on 140-gram black vinyl (3,000 units), a direct-to-consumer version on 180-gram black vinyl with foil-stamped numbered jackets (1,000 units), an international edition pressed on 180-gram vinyl and an exclusive edition sold through Hot Topic retailers pressed on 140-gram clear-colored vinyl (1,500 units).[20]
This was also the first album released through HDtracks.[21]
Tour
The band launched a tour on October 9, 2012, which ended on November 21 in Los Angeles. The band played at venues with capacities between 1,000 and 4,000 with the goal being to allow fans to experience the music before the album was even released.[22]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 86/100[23] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AbsolutePunk | 9/10[24] |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
BBC Music | favorable[25] |
Drowned in Sound | 9/10[26] |
Kerrang! | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Loudwire | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 8/10[1] |
Slant Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10[30] |
Sputnikmusic | 4.4/5[31] |
The album was met with overall critical acclaim. The aggregate review site Metacritic assigned an average score of 86 to the album based on 18 reviews, indicating "Universal Acclaim".[23] With this score, Koi No Yokan was among the eight best reviewed albums of 2012.[32] Gregory Heaney of AllMusic wrote, "While a lot of bands out there have been tinkering with the loud/quiet dynamic for decades now, what makes Deftones so special is their ability to do both at the same time, effectively blending the calm and the storm into a single sound."[9] Mischa Pearlman of BBC Music wrote, "It transcends the boundaries and expectations of its genre--even those previously set by the very band that made it."[25] Al Horner of NME said of the album, "It's a shotgun blast of cranked guitars, bruising hardcore and canyon-sized choruses, and it's mesmerising."[1] Greg Fisher of Sputnikmusic called it "a remarkably consistent effort" that "glitters with supreme melodies as much as crushes with massive riffs showcasing the quintet's most accomplished material in over a decade."[31] Rolling Stone called the album "adventurously aggressive" and stated, "Koi No Yokan ranges from brutal, blunt-force trauma ('Gauze') to epic prog-rock atmospherics (the sprawling, enchanting 'Tempest'). Opener 'Swerve City' sets the tone immediately with a bludgeoning riff, but Deftones also take nuanced approaches to angsty tension, weaving meticulously crafted cosmic rock on 'Entombed' and wading through murky, jagged textures on 'Rosemary'".[33]
In May 2013, Revolver named Koi No Yokan the "Album of the Year" at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods Award Show.[34]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Chino Moreno; all music is composed by Deftones
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Swerve City" | 2:44 |
2. | "Romantic Dreams" | 4:38 |
3. | "Leathers" | 4:08 |
4. | "Poltergeist" | 3:31 |
5. | "Entombed" | 4:59 |
6. | "Graphic Nature" | 4:32 |
7. | "Tempest" | 6:05 |
8. | "Gauze" | 4:41 |
9. | "Rosemary" | 6:53 |
10. | "Goon Squad" | 5:40 |
11. | "What Happened to You?" | 3:53 |
Total length: | 51:50 |
Personnel
Koi No Yokan album personnel adapted from the CD liner notes.[35]
- Deftones
- Abe Cunningham − drums
- Stephen Carpenter − guitar
- Frank Delgado − samples, keyboards
- Chino Moreno − vocals, guitar
- Sergio Vega − bass
- Technical personnel
- Nick Raskulinecz − production
- Matt Hyde − production, engineering
- Steve Olmon − engineering
- Rich Costey − mixing
- Eric Isip − mixing
- Ted Jensen − mastering
- Chris Kasych − protools mix engineering
- Frank Maddocks − art direction, package design
- Futura − photography
- 13th Witness − band photograph
Charts
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canadian Albums Chart[36] | 13 |
Hungarian Albums Chart[37] | 40 |
UK Albums Chart[38] | 30 |
U.S. Billboard 200[36] | 11 |
U.S. Rock Albums[36] | 5 |
U.S. Alternative Albums[36] | 5 |
U.S. Hard Rock Albums[36] | 2 |
German Album Charts[39] | 17 |
Year-end charts
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
2013 | US Billboard 200 | 174[40] |
References
- ^ a b c Horner, Al (November 8, 2012). "Koi No Yokan review". NME. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Alex Young (August 30, 2012). "Deftones announce new album: Koi No Yokan". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
- ^ a b Wheeler, Brad (November 16, 2012). "Ruth Minnikin's new album invites you into her heart and hearth". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
Koi no Yokan is a Japanese phrase referring to the feeling, upon first meeting someone, that you will eventually fall in love. Though it might be facile to suggest that the phrase applies equally to the music on this album, it wouldn't be far from wrong. The Deftones have always had a way with instrumental sound, pulling elements from metal, alt-rock and shoegaze to create an emotionally evocative wall of guitars, but this time around the textures are even more closely tied to the songwriting. Perhaps that's why the songs seem more deeply engrossing, from the darkly churning textures of Gauze to the almost pop-flavoured melodies of Entombed. -J.D. Considine
- ^ Gary Graff (July 2, 2012). "Deftones Racing Through Next Album, Hoping for October Release". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
- ^ Micallef, Ken. "Deftones - Modeling For Mayhem". Electronic Musician. New Bay Media. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ "Deftones, 'Koi No Yokan' – Album Review". Loudwire. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
Overall, if the Smashing Pumpkins were heavier, ballsier and angrier, they'd make albums that sound like this, since Deftones do have an alt-metal vibe. Moreno's lyrics are often from-the-journal-page and stream of thought, making them entirely open-ended and capable of attracting the disaffected.
- ^ "Deftones - Koi No Yokan [Album Review]". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
[...] the band is taking the experimental elements of Saturday Night Wrist and evolving it with the sound they created on Diamond Eyes. Unlike its predecessor however, this album has more of bassist Sergio Vega's handprints over it, as he and drummer Abe Cunningham's percussion skills give Koi No Yokan its backbone throughout. Carpenter will keep listeners guessing with the twists and tempo changes within his guitar work.
- ^ "Album Review: Deftones – Koi No Yokan". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
Koi No Yokan sees the Deftones fully embracing the shoegazer elements that were only experimented with on past albums.
- ^ a b c Heaney, Gregory. "Koi No Yokan". AllMusic. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
- ^ Fisher, Greg. "Deftones, Koi No Yokan". Sputnik Music. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Rowe, Riley. "Gore – Deftones". Metal Injection. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- ^ Josh Hart (September 20, 2012). "Deftones Premiere New Song, "Leathers"". Guitar World. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ Carlos Ramirez (September 19, 2012). "Deftones, 'Leathers': Stream New Track, Download it for Free". Noisecreep. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
- ^ Graham "Gruhamed" Hartmann (September 19, 2012). "Deftones Release New Song 'Leathers' as Free Download + 'Koi No Yokan' Track Listing". Loudwire. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
- ^ Brian Kraus (September 19, 2012). "Deftones release free single, "Leathers"". Alternative Press. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ "Leathers - Single - Deftones". iTunes. October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ ""Leathers" & "Rosemary" Cas-Single". Retrieved November 14, 2012.
- ^ "WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Stream New Deftones Single "Tempest"". PureVolume. October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Tempest - Single - Deftones". iTunes. October 9, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- ^ "Deftones To Release Vinyl Edition Of 'Koi No Yokan'". Blabbermouth. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
- ^ "Koi No Yokan | HDtracks". HDtracks. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ^ Zemler, Emily. "So So Deftones". Billboard. Prometheus Media LLC. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Koi No Yokan - Deftones". Metacritic. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ^ Beringer, Drew (November 15, 2012). "Deftones - Koi No Yokan". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ a b Pearlman, Mischa (November 12, 2012). "Deftones Koi No Yokan Review". BBC Online. BBC Music. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ Brown, Michael (November 9, 2012). "Deftones- Koi No Yokan". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ Kerrang! magazine issue November 7, 2012
- ^ Sciaretto, Amy. "Deftones, 'Koi No Yokan' – Album Review". Loudwire. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ "Slant review".
- ^ Weber, Theon (November 16, 2012). "Deftones, 'Koi No Yokan'". Spin. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Fisher, Greg (November 18, 2012). "Review: Deftones - Koi No Yokan". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
- ^ Jason Dietz (December 21, 2012). "The best albums of 2012". Metacritic. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- ^ "Deftones Unleash Angst and Tension in New Album 'Koi No Yokan' - Premiere". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^ Zach Shaw (May 3, 2013). "And The Winners of the Revolver Golden Gods Awards 2013 Are…". Metal Insider. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ^ Koi No Yokan (CD liner). Deftones. Reprise Records. 2012.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e "Koi No Yokan - Deftones". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- ^ "Deftones - UK Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "Deftones German music charts" (in German). Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ "Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2016.