Deftones are a Grammy award–winning experimental rock/metal band from Sacramento, California. Deftones are: Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), Chi Cheng (bass) and Frank Delgado (turntables/keyboards).

Deftones have often been praised as one of the more innovative and unique rock bands of recent years. Johnny Loftus writes, "Rock critics usually reserve a special place for Deftones above or at least away from the rest of the turn–of–the–century nu–metal movement. While they definitely share the influence of a group like Tool with peers like Korn, Deftones have always seemed more curious, more willing to incorporate traditionally revered sounds like dream pop or D.C. hardcore into their Northern California metal."

Moreno's poetic lyrics–described by a Time magazine critic as "furiously intelligent"–are often evocative, yet sparse enough to allow for multiple interpretations. Moreno has cited Morrissey, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, The Cure's Robert Smith, Bad Brains' H.R., and Depeche Mode's David Gahan among his favorite singers, and, beyond an occasional similarity in vocal technique, these singers' sweeping sense of drama and delicate vulnerability is often evident in Moreno's vocals.