“It’s flattering. Do I think that we are? Not necessarily”: Chino Moreno reacts to Deftones being called ‘the Radiohead of metal’

Deftones singer Chino Moreno has reacted to the band being called ‘the Radiohead of metal’.

The US alt-metal band have been compared to the British five-piece multiple times over the years, with many critics pointing out similarities in their introverted-sounding music and constant evolution over an extended career.

Talking to The Irish Times, Moreno takes the comparison as a compliment, but admits that he doesn’t necessarily agree with it.

“It makes me smile, and it doesn’t annoy me at all,” he says. “Can I see the correlation there? It’s hard for me, because I’m a big Radiohead fan, and I think they’re one of the most amazing bands of our generation. So it’s flattering, yes, to be compared to a band as great as them. Do I think that we are? Not necessarily.”

Deftones initially emerged as part of the nu metal movement but strayed from the scene with 2000 album White Pony, not dissimilar to the way Radiohead turned away from their guitar-driven rock roots on OK Computer (1997) and Kid A (2000). Moreno spoke about that desire to change during the interview.

“We could have easily made another Around The Fur or Adrenaline,” he says, referring to his band’s 1997 and 1995 albums. “At that point, considering nu metal was the biggest thing at the time, with the successes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and other bands, our record label thought it would have been the smartest thing to do.”

During a conversation with Zane Lowe in July, Moreno revealed that Radiohead have been a major influence on Deftones.

“Honestly, that band was a huge influence,” he said (via Ultimate Guitar). “I just read today that it's been 30…28 years since OK Computer came out, and that record came out when we were writing Around The Fur, or at least [the single] Paranoid Android just came out “ the cartoon video, and everything.

“And just, I remember we were in the studio, literally writing Around The Fur and watching that video for the first time and just having my mind blown, like how music can be anything.”

Deftones have bristled at comparisons and genre tags over the years, with the band historically not liking the ‘nu metal’ label. In the new issue of Metal Hammer, Moreno learns about the tongue-in-cheek genre ‘baddiecore’ – a style of metal infused with pop influence and a perceived lustful sound – and calls it “another genre we have to escape at some point”.

Deftones released their new album Private Music last month and are currently touring North America. They’ll perform across Europe from January to February and in South America in March. Get details via their website.

Radiohead recently announced their first live shows in seven years. The band will play five different European cities in November and December, with each venue getting four shows across multiple dates.