Deftones Fans Are Split on ‘Private Music’—Where Do You Stand?

Plus Superchunk’s return, farewell to legends, and the cosmic ’93 experiment you voted for

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New Releases

Superchunk – Songs in the Key of Yikes

The band that lead the ’90s indie rock charge alongside Pavement and Sebadoh, while co-founding Merge Records (home to Arcade Fire and Spoon). If you caught them opening for Nirvana in ’91 or heard “Slack Motherfucker” on college radio, you know these Chapel Hill veterans never lost their scrappy edge.

After 35 years, Mac McCaughan still writes like the world’s ending—but now he’s asking if art even matters anymore. The album was recorded during a period when the band questioned whether making music had any point in our fractured times.

What works: Critics are calling it proof that Superchunk “hasn’t lost a step” with songs that turn despair into anthems. The band’s trademark energy remains intact, channeling anxiety into infectious hooks. What doesn’t: Some fans find the bright production smooths out their beloved rough edges, making even songs called “Everybody Dies” sound surprisingly hopeful.

Drop your take in the comments—does Superchunk’s optimism hit different in 2025, or do you miss the raw ’90s bite?

Bill Leeb – Machine Vision

The mastermind behind Front Line Assembly and Delerium, Leeb helped define industrial music in the ’80s and ‘90s. If “Silence” soundtracked your late-night drives or you moshed to FLA at a sweaty club, you’ve been in his synthetic world.

This companion EP to his 2024 solo debut Model Kollapse features five remixes plus one new track, with longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber contributing multiple reworks. At 66, Leeb is reflecting on humanity’s relationship with technology—fitting for an artist who’s spent decades making machines sound emotional.

What works: Industrial purists praise the return to EBM/darkwave roots while maintaining modern production values. Remix treatments breathe new life into already strong source material. What doesn’t: The EP format feels slight for such an influential artist’s statement, leaving fans wanting a full album of new material.

Are these remixes capturing the essence of classic industrial, or does Bill Leeb need to push further into uncharted sonic territory?

Deftones – private music

The Sacramento alt-metal pioneers who somehow made heavy music dreamy and nu-metal sophisticated. From “Change (In the House of Flies)” to their TikTok renaissance, they’ve been the thinking person’s metal band for 30 years.

Their tenth album (yes, tenth!) arrives after the longest gap between Deftones records—five years since Ohms. It’s their first without longtime bassist Sergio Vega, featuring touring member Fred Sablan on record for the first time.

What works: Critics are calling it their most complete album in years, with Metacritic scores hitting 91/100. The Nick Raskulinecz production captures every atmospheric detail while keeping the heaviness intact. What doesn’t: Fan reactions are split—some love the consistency while others find it “predictably Deftones,” wanting more surprises after such a long wait.

Is consistency what we want from Deftones in 2025, or should they be taking bigger risks after three decades?

Three Days Grace – Alienation

The Canadian post-grunge titans behind anthems like “I Hate Everything About You” and “Animal I Have Become.” Adam Gontier’s departure in 2013 left fans wondering if the magic was gone—until he returned in 2024.

For the first time ever, Three Days Grace features two lead vocalists: original frontman Adam Gontier alongside Matt Walst, who kept the band alive for 11 years. They’re tackling themes of isolation and community alienation—perfect for our disconnected times.

What works: The dual-vocal approach creates dynamic tension, with both singers complementing each other naturally. Songs like “Mayday” and “Apologies” already hit #1 on rock radio. What doesn’t: Some critics find the formula too familiar, calling it “musical elevator music” that plays it safe rather than evolving.

Does the return of Adam Gontier justify the hype, or is this reunion just nostalgia bait for aging post-grunge fans?

Goo Goo Dolls – Summer Anthem EP

Buffalo’s finest, who went from punk clubs to arena singalongs with “Name” and “Iris.” Johnny Rzeznik’s voice defined ‘90s alternative radio, and somehow they’re still packing amphitheaters.

After nearly 40 years, the band chose to release a seven-song EP instead of a full album, responding to unprecedented demand from promoters. Recent Deadpool & Wolverine usage of “Iris” sparked a career resurgence they didn’t expect.

What works: The EP format keeps things focused and energetic, with new fans discovering their catalog through TikTok and movie soundtracks. What doesn’t: Song titles like “Nothing Lasts Forever” have fans worried about retirement hints, though Rzeznik insists it’s about life’s fleeting nature, not farewell.

Are the Goo Goo Dolls riding a genuine renaissance, or just cashing in on millennial nostalgia before calling it quits?

Pete Droge – Fade Away Blue

The Seattle singer-songwriter who bridged grunge and alt-country in the ‘90s with “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself)” and collaborations with everyone from Pearl Jam to R.E.M..

His first solo album in 16 years chronicles the deeply personal journey of searching for his birth mother—only to find her recent obituary instead. The resulting songs explore adoption trauma, identity, and healing with Grammy-winning producer Paul Bryan.

What works: Critics praise the emotional depth and veteran musicianship, featuring Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney) and Jay Bellerose (Robert Plant). The autobiographical songwriting feels authentic and hard-earned. What doesn’t: After such a long absence, some wonder if Droge’s introspective folk-rock can find an audience in today’s streaming landscape.

Is there still room for deeply personal singer-songwriter albums in 2025, or has the moment for Pete Droge’s brand of vulnerability passed?

Dizzy Reed – Rock ‘N’ Roll Chose Me

The longest-serving Guns N’ Roses member after Axl Rose, Reed’s been tickling the keys for the world’s most dangerous band since 1990’s Use Your Illusion sessions.

His second solo album tackles mental health struggles, the disillusionment of the American Dream, and music’s unifying power—heavy themes from someone who’s seen rock’s highest peaks and lowest valleys.

What works: The deeply personal lyrics paired with his decades of experience create authentic commentary on fame and survival in the music industry. What doesn’t: Early YouTube reviews suggest the album struggles to escape the shadow of his more famous day job, leaving some wondering if it’s substantial enough to stand alone.

Can a Guns N’ Roses sideman create a meaningful solo statement, or is Dizzy Reed forever destined to be defined by his famous band?

Arcadea – The Exodus Of Gravity

The futuristic synth-rock project featuring Mastodon’s Brann Dailor, who traded progressive metal complexity for danceable electronic psychedelia on their 2017 debut.

Set five billion years in the future where gravity no longer exists, the album explores what happens when love and empathy emerge from machines. Dailor steps into the lead vocalist role full-time, with new member João Nogueira expanding their synthetic palette.

What works: The concept album successfully balances sci-fi ambition with accessible grooves, creating something genuinely unique in rock’s current landscape. What doesn’t: The departure from their proggier debut might disappoint fans expecting Mastodon-level complexity, while newcomers might find the concept too heady for casual listening.

Is Arcadea’s future-shock vision the kind of creative risk rock needs right now, or just an elaborate detour from Brann Dailor’s metal mastery?

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In Memoriam

Terence Stamp (1938–2025)

The chiseled villain who made Superman actually sweat. General Zod’s menacing “Kneel before Zod!” from 1978’s Superman became the gold standard for comic book intimidation—long before CGI made everything feel fake. But if you were deep into the Smallville obsession, you also knew his voice as Jor-El, Superman’s father, creating this beautiful full-circle moment in Superman lore.

Stamp wasn’t just another actor slumming it in genre films. This was a legitimate British theater legend who brought gravitas to everything—from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as Chancellor Valorum to lending his iconic voice to Halo 3 and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. At 87, he bridged the gap between old Hollywood sophistication and the sci-fi/fantasy worlds that define modern pop culture. When actors like Stamp took these roles seriously, it elevated the entire medium.

Tony Romeo (Detroit Punk Legend)

The heartbeat behind Detroit’s most notorious glam-punk band, Trash Brats. If you caught their raucous shows at St. Andrew’s Hall in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, or if “Don’t Wanna Dance” ever made you actually want to dance, Romeo’s bass was the foundation that held the chaos together. Later, he anchored John Brannon’s post-Laughing Hyenas outfit Easy Action, proving his punk credentials ran deeper than hairspray and attitude.

Romeo embodied Detroit rock’s scrappy spirit—the guy who’d stage-dive into an empty crowd just because the music demanded it. After losing his partner Debbie Sipes to cancer, Tony faced his own battle with the disease while the Detroit music community rallied around him with benefit shows and crowdfunding campaigns. His final recording, “Autumn Song” with his old Just Born bandmates, was released as he underwent radiation treatments—a testament to music’s power to provide hope even in the darkest moments.

Brent Hinds (1974–2025)

Co-founding Mastodon, the Atlanta metal band that somehow made progressive sludge metal accessible without dumbing it down. His guitar work on classics like Leviathan and Crack the Skye helped redefine what heavy music could be—complex, emotional, and absolutely crushing. That distinctive voice harmonizing with Troy Sanders created Mastodon’s signature sound for 25 years.

Hinds died in a motorcycle accident at 51, just months after a bitter split with Mastodon where he claimed they “kicked him out” and called them “horrible humans”. The tragedy feels especially raw because their final tribute at the Alaska State Fair showed how much love remained beneath the professional drama. Drummer Brann Dailor’s tearful speech—“we were brothers to the end”—captured the complicated reality of creative partnerships.

Hinds wasn’t just another metal guitarist. He studied classical guitar, loved country music, and brought psychedelic sensibilities to some of the heaviest music ever recorded. Projects like Fiend Without a Face and Legend of the Seagullmen showed his range beyond Mastodon’s epic scope.