Music: Off to the Races

Musically too the band is an amalgam. Its music at points has the emotional delicacy of art-rock bands such as Radiohead; at other times the group's sound has the jagged intensity of punk rockers such as Nirvana. Deejay Delgado's hip-hoppy contributions are often more atmospheric than overt. "If there's anything hip-hop about our band, it's that it's groove-oriented," says Moreno. "Every song we have you can nod your head to like you would to a hip-hop song. But to me, hip-hop is more of a culture. We grew up in a hip-hop environment. But as far as me using words like 'yo' in my lyrics, I'm not about that, and I don't think this band calls for that at all." Instead, Moreno's lyrics come at the listener at odd angles, suggesting emotions rather than announcing them, conjuring strong images without explaining their meanings. "You turn newborn baby blue," he croons on RX Queen. "You're into depression cause/it matches your eyes," he screams on Elite.

White Pony could ride the charts for a long time. But if it doesn't, will the Deftones be disappointed? "I can't tell a lie," says Carpenter. "I'll straight up say it. I love everything I got, and it could all stop tomorrow, and I would be happy. But I want more. That's not because I'm greedy. I just don't want to ever work a job. I'm not gonna be anyone's employee ever. I want to sell a gazillion records so I can have that financial freedom."

Moreno has a different take. "We already have freedom," he says. "We're able to make music and go around the world and play it. Anything else is a bonus." After the interview, Deftones takes the stage and more than lives up to the advance hype, pounding out some of its new songs, including the aching Change (in the House of Flies) with focused ferocity. It's the listeners who are getting the bonus.