10 Perfect Albums Where Metal Went Alternative

Throughout most of nu metal's time in the spotlight, Deftones always tended to get put on the side just a little bit. While their formation was actually long before the likes of Korn had taken over the rock scene, these guys were always about doing their own thing no matter what kind of whiny metalhead was on MTV at the time. There was more to metal than just detuned guitars though, and White Pony was when we started to realize how soothing the genre could be.

Being just as inspired by Korn as they were by acts like The Smiths and My Bloody Valentine, White Pony was a mix of shoegaze elements into metal, putting ragers like Elite right next to a song like Digital Bath, with a backing track that feels like it could have come out of an ambient pop album. The real game changer on this record though is Frank Delgado, bringing in different lush soundscapes to create a gloomy atmosphere behind these songs, like the lonely sounds of Change or the harsh distortion on a song like Knife Prty.

For all of the soothing moments though, this album is not an easy pill to swallow by any stretch, with the band being out of their minds on drugs while recording and putting some of that sinister edge into the songs. In that respect, you're not listening to metal music that's supposed to help you relax. This is the kind of music that you hear just before you start to OD.