DEFTONES invented their own genre of music in the late 80s and 90s and no one really noticed.

The multi-platinum selling, Grammy award-winning band made an impact on the music scene and picked up a fanbase almost straight away but they defied categorisation.

Here was a group that made huge, churning, aggressive metal anthems but at the same time they tested – and continue to test – the boundaries of heavy music with shoegaze elements and the incredible range and unique singing style of frontman Chino Moreno.

Along the way, the California band have been involuntarily lumped in with the short-lived nu-metal phase and have never really fitted in with the traditional metal scene.

But after seven albums and 10 million record sales, forging their own path suits Deftones just fine.

Gore sees the five-piece back to basics after a particularly painful period.

Their bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a crash in 2008 which left him in a semi-comatose state for four years before his death in April 2013.

This is the first album since Cheng's death and although three years have passed this 'angry' album gives the sense it is still raw.

Gore also sees the band shrinking back to their comfort zone with much less experimentation than usual.

It is most comparable to 1997's Around The Fur with its straight up, aggressive but immaculately constructed tracks.

But it also rewards repeat listens as the songs work their way into your head. Fans will love it but it is unlikely to see new listeners joining the fold.

Not the band at their best but perhaps at their most raw and honest.

DAVID MORGAN