Whatever, Forever by Gravegonzo drifts in that hazy space where time feels stretched and slightly unreal. The blend of 808 pulses, melancholic synths, and soft, distant vocals creates a mood that feels both intimate and detached, like watching memories replay from afar. There is a quiet heaviness underneath, a sense of things slipping away while still trying to hold shape. It does not push for impact, it lingers, slowly wrapping around you.
A dreamy, introspective piece that turns emotion into atmosphere, letting it echo rather than resolve.
Synesis Absorption released their 3rd song to date, "Concealed" on February 23rd, 2026. The track features some quite well-known musicians in the extreme metal scene, with drummer Mike Smith (ex-Suffocation) and bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Death) adding to the song.
"Concealed" introduces itself with a sparkling synth pad before abruptly launching into slamming double bass grooves, vibrating bass bends, and explosive guitar chugging. Soon, death metal vocals are brought into the fray, alternating between high screams and deep growls. Slower sections make way for blistering tempos and racing blast beats as the song picks up in intensity. Funky bass adds an extra element of groove to the typical death metal sound, making a fun blend of intensity and funkiness.
At just over 4 minutes, "Concealed" blends thrash, death metal, and an eccentric funk influence that reminded me of a Primus-esque sound. Overall, Synesis Absorption brings to life an equally brutal and grooving death metal sound that stands out from many other death metal bands I've heard. You can stream "Concealed" available on all platforms now!
The best Deftones deep cuts are non-single album tracks that reveal the band’s full identity—led by “Kimdracula” at #1 and “Rosemary” at #2 as the most complete and replayable hidden songs in their catalog.
TL;DR
“Kimdracula” is the most complete Deftones deep cut—melody, atmosphere, and weight in perfect balance
“Rosemary” delivers the band’s most cinematic payoff and converts casual listeners instantly
These songs were never singles—but many fans rank them above the hits
The deeper you go into Deftones, the more consistent and rewarding the catalog becomes
Most people think they know Deftones from the singles.
They don’t.
The songs that actually define this band were never pushed to radio—and once you hear them, it changes how everything else sounds. This list is built for that moment: when you realize the deeper tracks aren’t just good… they’re the reason fans stay.
If you’ve already gone through our full breakdown of every Deftones album ranked, this is where those records open up even further.
Long-term replay value (the songs fans come back to years later)
Emotional weight and atmosphere
How strongly it represents the Deftones sound
Fan recognition as a true deep cut (not a crossover track)
Its impact within the album it lives on
Only non-singles were included. No radio tracks, no crossover hits.
If you’re deep enough into Deftones to have strong opinions on these tracks, the full experience hits different when it’s all flowing together. That’s exactly how it runs on the Loaded Radio stream—no skips, no algorithm, just the kind of rotation where songs like these actually show up.
The Full Ranking (Worst To Best)
13. What Happened To You? (Koi No Yokan, 2012)
This doesn’t feel like an ending—it feels like the album slowly disappearing.
There’s no dramatic final moment here. No closing statement. Instead, “What Happened To You?” fades everything out in a way that feels almost unresolved, like it’s deliberately refusing to give you closure.
That choice is what makes it work.
“Koi No Yokan” builds a dense, emotional atmosphere from start to finish, and this track doesn’t try to top it—it dissolves it. The more time you spend with it, the more you realize it’s one of the most intentional closers they’ve ever written.
It’s not immediate.
But it lingers longer than most.
12. Anniversary Of An Uninteresting Event (Deftones, 2003)
No distortion. No release. No traditional structure.
Just space—and a lot of it.
This is Deftones at their most stripped down, and it’s almost uncomfortable the first time you hear it because there’s nothing to hide behind. Every element is exposed.
Placed within one of their darkest albums, it feels less like a break and more like a moment where everything slows down just enough to sink in.
It doesn’t demand attention.
It earns it quietly—and keeps it.
11. Good Morning Beautiful (Deftones, 2003)
This track moves in a way that feels steady on the surface but unsettled underneath.
There’s a subtle tension running through it that never fully resolves. It doesn’t explode. It doesn’t collapse. It just holds that feeling the entire time.
That’s what gives it replay value.
You don’t fully catch what it’s doing on the first listen. It’s the kind of track that grows slowly until it becomes one you keep returning to without even thinking about it.
10. Combat (Saturday Night Wrist, 2006)
This is instability turned into a song.
“Combat” feels like it’s constantly shifting—building, pulling back, changing direction—and never settling into anything predictable. There’s a sense that it could fall apart at any moment, but it never does.
That tension is the entire point.
“Saturday Night Wrist” is one of the band’s most chaotic eras, and this track captures that energy better than almost anything else on the album.
It’s not polished.
It’s not comfortable.
And that’s exactly why it works.
9. Rivière (Saturday Night Wrist, 2006)
Short, distant, and almost ghost-like.
“Rivière” doesn’t feel like a full track—it feels like a fragment of something bigger. It doesn’t build toward a payoff. It just exists in a quiet, unresolved space.
That’s what makes it stick.
It’s the kind of song you don’t think much about at first—and then realize later it’s one of the most memorable moments on the record.
8. Rubicon (Gore, 2016)
“Gore” is one of the most debated Deftones albums, but “Rubicon” cuts through that immediately.
There’s clarity here. Direction. A sense of purpose that anchors the track in a way much of the album doesn’t.
It blends melody and aggression without drifting too far into either, which makes it one of the most replayable songs from that era.
For a lot of listeners, this is the track that makes “Gore” click.
Everything from here on out isn’t just a deep cut—it’s the reason people go back and listen to full Deftones albums again.
7. Gauze (Koi No Yokan, 2012)
“Gauze” is built in layers.
It doesn’t hit all at once. Each listen reveals something new—whether it’s a texture buried in the mix, a shift in tone, or the way the vocals interact with everything around them.
That’s what makes it addictive.
“Koi No Yokan” is often praised for its atmosphere, and this track shows exactly how that atmosphere is constructed—not through obvious moments, but through accumulation.
6. Knife Prty (White Pony, 2000)
Overshadowed by the biggest songs on White Pony, but still essential.
The structure alone makes it stand out—the shift in the middle of the track completely changes its emotional direction, pulling it into something far more surreal.
This is one of the earliest moments where Deftones fully leaned into contrast as a defining part of their sound.
Heavy and delicate don’t cancel each other out here.
The intro alone pulls you in, but it doesn’t rush anything. It lets everything breathe, slowly layering sound until it finally opens up.
And when it does, it hits.
“Beware” rewards patience in a way most songs don’t even try to anymore. It doesn’t give you everything upfront—it makes you sit in it.
A song inspired by frontman Chino Moreno’s battles with the bottle, it’s the payoff is what makes it unforgettable.
This Is Where Fans Get Locked In
If you’ve made it this far into the Deftones catalog, you’re not just listening anymore—you’re invested.
These next tracks are where that shift usually happens.
4. Beauty School (Diamond Eyes, 2010)
This is Deftones at their most balanced.
Melodic enough to pull you in immediately, but still carrying enough weight to feel substantial. It doesn’t lean too far in either direction, and that balance is what gives it longevity.
“Diamond Eyes” marked a major turning point for the band, and this track captures that clarity perfectly.
It works instantly.
And it doesn’t fade over time.
3. Mascara (Around The Fur, 1997)
Slow, heavy, and suffocating in the best way.
“Mascara” doesn’t rely on aggression to create weight. It builds it through tone, pacing, and restraint. Every second feels deliberate.
On an album known for its energy, this track pulls everything inward—and that contrast is what makes it hit so hard.
It’s not explosive.
It’s consuming.
2. Rosemary (Koi No Yokan, 2012)
This is Deftones at their most cinematic.
“Rosemary” starts restrained and gradually expands into something massive without ever feeling forced. Every layer builds toward a payoff that feels earned.
This is the track that changes people’s perception of the band.
If someone only knows the surface-level songs, this is the one that pulls them deeper.
1. Kimdracula (Saturday Night Wrist, 2006)
This doesn’t feel like a deep cut.
It feels like the center of the band’s identity.
“Kimdracula” brings together everything Deftones do best—melody, atmosphere, weight, and emotional pull—without leaning too far in any one direction.
Nothing feels wasted. Every section flows naturally into the next.
The more you listen to it, the clearer it becomes:
This isn’t just their best deep cut.
It’s one of the best songs they’ve ever made.
Where These Songs Hit Hardest
There’s a noticeable shift when Deftones drop something deeper into a live set.
Not the obvious tracks. Not the ones everyone expects.
The moments where something like “Kimdracula” or “Rosemary” lands mid-set—that’s where the crowd changes. You can feel who’s actually locked in.
Fans planning to catch them live and see how these songs hit in real time can check current dates at this location.
Yes. None of these songs were released as official singles.
Why is “Kimdracula” ranked #1?
Because it captures the full Deftones sound—melody, heaviness, atmosphere—in one track better than any other non-single.
Is “Rosemary” considered one of their best songs overall?
Yes. Many fans rank it among their top songs, regardless of single status.
Why do certain albums dominate this list?
Because albums like Saturday Night Wrist and Koi No Yokan contain a higher concentration of standout deep cuts.
Deftones Bio
Deftones formed in Sacramento, California in 1988 and became one of the most influential bands in alternative metal. Known for blending heavy riffs with atmospheric textures and emotional depth, they redefined the genre through albums like Around The Fur, White Pony, and Diamond Eyes, and continue to evolve while maintaining a distinct identity.
(Here we present Wil Cifer’s review of a new album by Texas-based Portrayal of Guilt, which will be released on April 24th by Run For Cover.) If you had to ask me what band would be the future of heavy music, I would say Portrayal of Guilt. They are not hampered by being tied to […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUBRIS UNLEASH RELENTLESS BLACK METAL ONSLAUGHT “ACTS OF SEDITION” — OUT NOW
Buffalo, NY — Black metal veterans Hubris have officially unleashed their long-awaited full-length assault, Acts of Sedition , available now for extreme music fans worldwide.
https://truehubris.bandcamp.com/album/acts-of-sedition
Since erupting from the Buffalo underground in 2008, Hubris—founded by brothers Hellskald and Lichfiend alongside Melkorpse, with Deragore joining on drums in 2010—have delivered a high-octane, uncompromising brand of black metal fused with death metal’s punishing intensity. From Shadow Woods Metal Fest IV to tours across the Eastern US with appearances at Hell Over Akron and Slutfest, the band has left audiences in smoldering ruins with their searing live performances. Fans of Gorgoroth, 1349, and Tsjuder will feel right at home in the band’s unrelenting sonic warpath.
Acts of Sedition stands as Hubris’ definitive statement: nearly an hour of scalding black metal tracked across multiple states beginning in late 2022, with final mastering completed in 2025. Following the debut single “Lightless Lantern,” praised by No Clean Singing as “a destructive warzone of bloodthirsty delirium,” the full album delivers 54 minutes of relentless blast beats, razor-sharp riffs, and venomous vocals that cut straight to the core of humanity’s darkest instincts.
The album’s cover art, created by Triple Seis Design (Santiago Jamarillo), depicts the ruin of a petty tyrant amid the infernal rise of a new dawn—perfectly capturing the atmosphere of Hubris’ sonic devastation.
Now available on all major platforms, Acts of Sedition marks a new peak in the band’s evolution and a must-hear release for fans of uncompromising extreme metal.
Production Credits:
Drums & guitars: Select Sound, Buffalo, NY (engineered by Joe Leising) Bass: Lichfiend’s home, Buffalo, NY Vocals: Hellskald tracked by Dave Parkins, Chapel Hill, NC; additional vocals by Lichfiend, Melkorpse, Deragore engineered by Hellskald Mixing: Dave Kaminsky, Studio Wormwood, Asheville, NC Mastering: Ryan Williams, Augmented Audio, Los Angeles, CA
All music and lyrics written and performed by Hubris
For interviews, promo requests, or more information, contact: zach@metaldevastationradio.com
It’s a good day for some soft, soothing music, right? I mean, it’s not really a good day for anything other than a sudden and complete change of American leadership, but as long as we’re living through all this fucking shit, we might as well sooth ourselves. To that end, there’s a new runo plum…
Skaphos’ fourth full-length album adorns the robes of a deep sea leviathan–imposing, frightening, and mind-bending. The Descent is planted firmly in the death metal lane, that of the dense and dissonant variety, though cuts like the title track fold black metal into Skaphos’ murky waters.
Astral Spectre bend time and space to show what it’d sound like if young Judas Priest, Deep Purple, and Venom formed a supergroup. If Cosmic Mirage released in 1978, it’d easily be one of metal’s most influential records. 50 years later, and it’s heavily indebted to its predecessors while being quite inspired in its own right.
Immolation continue to play coy about their access to the Lazarus pit. There’s no way you can be this tight, polished, and invigorated nearly 40 years into your career after releasing the same album a dozen times. They still sound like they’re in their 20s. Descent sounds exactly how you’d expect it to, and that should piss you off if you’ve ever struggled with inconsistency.
Speaking of long-tenured death metal bands, Vomitory are as sharp as ever on their tenth record. In Death Throes is about as measured and adventurous as a greatest hits album, with as few surprises as possible.
Life and Other Horrors, ironically, is dedicated to “living life passionately.” This oxymoron is the record’s engine. Paisaunt’s debut thrives in contrast, like the tension between the optimistic melodies and the harrowing vocals, or the ramshackle production and the lyrics taken from Emily Dickinson and Sara Teasdale, among others. None of it quite makes sense, but that’s the point of absurdism, isn’t it?
photo by Andrea Riva Italian avant/cinematic noise rock act BARATRO â formed by current/former members of Unsane, Council Of Rats, and more â presents the second single from their impending second album, No Comply, nearing […]
