Team Sleep

After years of chomping at the bit for an official release from this Chino Morena-fronted project, Deftones fans will be on this record like a fat kid on a box of Smarties. Unfortunately, the material is somewhat uneven, mirroring the inconsistencies in recent Deftones work. While the record starts off with immense promise, in the form of the trippy "Ataraxia,” things quickly slide off track, as Moreno’s inability to create a sound with his voice that isn’t either a soulful whisper or pained yelp becomes more and more obvious as the record’s 15 tracks unfold. Thankfully, the band switch things up on occasion, helping elevate the record from what would otherwise be relative mediocrity. Mary Timony’s contributions on "King Diamond” and "Lamb of Liegia” are beautiful, but Rob Crow’s vocals on "Ever Since WWI” sound, regrettably, exactly like Moreno. Certainly, tracks like "Elizabeth” show massive potential and an innovative spirit, but not every song on the record follows suit, leading to an uneven collection that will likely be a letdown for many who been left waiting for so long.