††† (Crosses) – †EP

As Deftones pushed past their self-titled release – arguably their last great record – there has always been a notable shift in their sound. A moody atmosphere was wrought into the music, in a new wave way, but not in the typical Deftones way. Even with last summer’s explosive Diamond Eyes, true fans could still note the difference; that odd something askew.

And now, with Chino’s unabashed acceptance of Depeche Mode’s darker moments, †††(Crosses) can officially be understood as that something. It’s often reductive to play the solo release off as an extension of one’s role in the band, but it’s also often true. So we have five songs, part Diamond Eyes Deftones and part New-Wave goth a la The Cure and Depeche Mode. And Chino being the genius that he is, he’s managed to get it very, very right.

From the glitch of the opening track, to the eerie instrumental closer, Chino’s voice transcribes the sonic landscape and demands you come along for the ride. If you love Chino, you’ll love †††(Crosses), but if you love classic Deftones, there might not be much here for you.

The EP’s strengths are Chino’s forays into a subtler sound; the soft sonance of †hholyghs† and the accompanying synth progression mark this short collections best moments, and make it seem as though Chino’s finally created music where the most powerful action can occur without his trademark timbre.

Track Listing:

01. †his Is A †rick
02. Op†ion
03. Bermuda Locke†
04. †hholyghs†
05. †

Run Time: 18:52
Release Date: August 02, 2011

Check out the song: “†his Is A †rick”