Deftones rework Eros without bassist
Years into their inception, Deftones have never once been called consistent. Lead vocalist Chino Moreno has been all over the map doing collaborations with KoRn (”Wicked” on Life Is Peachy) and forming the currently vacant trip-hop project Team Sleep, while the Deftones sound slowly went from Californian experimental rockers to experts with pedals and sound mixing. As a result, news of the outfit’s upcoming release Eros being redone does not seem so out of place or - due to extenuating circumstances - unrealistic.
The past year has been tainted by Deftones bassist Chi Cheng’s automobile accident, one which left him drugged and in a coma. Even with Eros on the cusp of release, members of the band have indirectly honored their fallen comrade by not releasing this version. Instead, this group intends to re-record the entire release with new (or possibly reworked) material and start from scratch, featuring former Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega. According NME, the band claims any original Eros tracks “may see the light of day” at some point.
In the meantime, the official Deftones MySpace speaks of how the band’s overall perspective is different in light of these events, and therefore preempted an implied do-over to preserve and honor the Eros pieces done with Cheng - though the band vehemently denies a direct correlation:
The songs recorded for Eros are very special to us as they are the latest with Chi (and we certainly hope not the last); they have history and significant meaning to us. However, as we neared completion on Eros, we realized that this record doesn’t best encompass and represent who we are currently as people and as musicians.
The decision to hold off on releasing Eros has no connection with Chi’s condition or anything associated. This was, and is, purely a creative decision by the band to write, record, and deliver an amazing product.
For those who are friends, family or fans of the band members our best wishes to you all in this group’s trying times to move forward while also keeping memories fresh.
To me that seems disrespectful to chi if anything. Seems pretty lame to me. An album is finished release it and dedicate it to chi. Seems a shame to waste material
Me too!
i like that they’re making more music and moving forward but i really want to here those tracks recorded with chi. chino and stef had said that it was there heaviest music since adrenaline and had me very excited. i love this band and hope chi eventually gets better.