If you were hanging around a skate park or a dingy basement show in 1997, you smelled it. That specific mix of stale cigarette smoke, damp concrete, and the ozone coming off a tube amp pushed way past its limit. That was the year Deftones Around the Fur dropped, and honestly, the rock world hasn't really been the same since. It wasn't just another "nu-metal" record—a label the band has spent thirty years trying to outrun. It was something more primal. More atmospheric.
It’s heavy. It’s sexy. It’s incredibly ugly in spots.
When Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter, Chi Cheng, and Abe Cunningham walked into Larrabee Sound Studios in West Hollywood with producer Terry Date, they weren't trying to save guitar music. They were just trying to survive their own momentum. Their debut, Adrenaline, had established them as the aggressive kids from Sacramento, but Around the Fur was the moment they found their soul. It’s the record where the "Deftones sound"—that oscillating wave between a whisper and a glass-shattering scream—finally crystalized into a diamond.
The Happy Accident of My Own Summer
You can’t talk about this album without talking about "My Own Summer (Shove It)." It’s the riff. That chromatic, sliding opening that feels like a headache coming on in the best possible way. Stephen Carpenter reportedly wrote it while messing around, almost as a joke or a simple exercise, not realizing he’d just penned one of the most recognizable motifs in alternative metal history.
Chino’s lyrics weren't about politics or some grand manifesto. He was just annoyed. He was trying to sleep in a sun-drenched room, struggling with insomnia, and he just wanted the sun to go away. "Shove the sun aside." It’s relatable, petty, and visceral.
The dynamic range on this track set the template. You have these quiet, melodic verses where Chino sounds like he’s breathing right into your ear, followed by a chorus that hits like a freight train. Terry Date’s production here is legendary because he didn't over-polish it. He let the snare drum—Abe Cunningham’s signature, high-tuned "crack"—cut through the wall of distorted guitars. If you listen to modern metalcore or "shoegaze-metal" today, you are hearing the echoes of this specific production style.
The Mystery of the Cover Art and the Vibe
Let's address the girl on the cover. For years, people wondered who she was. It wasn't a professional model or a staged shoot. It was just a girl named Rick Kwak’s friend (Rick was a pro skater) at an after-party at the Del Mar Chili Cook-off. Photographer Stephen Stickler grabbed a candid shot of her standing by a hot tub.
It’s a weirdly voyeuristic, grainy, and slightly uncomfortable photo.
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That fits the music perfectly. Around the Fur feels like a late-night party that has gone on about three hours too long. Everyone is tired, a little high, and the emotions are starting to fray at the edges. Tracks like "Mascara" lean into this. It’s a slow, brooding song about obsession and a toxic relationship. It’s not "heavy" in the sense of fast drums or loud yelling; it’s heavy because it feels like lead in your stomach.
Why the "Nu-Metal" Label Never Quite Fit
By 1997, Korn was huge and Limp Bizkit was rising. Deftones were lumped in because they had baggy pants and 7-string guitars, but the DNA was different. They were listening to The Cure, Depeche Mode, and Bad Brains.
You hear it in "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)."
This is arguably the most important song the band ever wrote. It’s a road trip song for people who want to disappear. The guitars are lush and shimmering, almost like a wall of sound you’d hear on a My Bloody Valentine record, but underpinned by a rhythm section that’s locked into a heavy groove. It proved that you could be sensitive and atmospheric without losing your edge. This was the bridge. It allowed Deftones to appeal to the goths, the skaters, the metalheads, and the indie kids all at once.
The Raw Power of Chi and Abe
We often talk about Chino’s vocals—the soaring melodies and the "white pony" squeals—but the engine of Deftones Around the Fur is the late Chi Cheng and Abe Cunningham.
Chi’s bass playing on this record is monstrous. On the title track, "Around the Fur," the bass isn't just following the guitar; it’s its own entity, providing a thick, rubbery foundation. And Abe? Ask any drummer about the "Abe crack." His snare sound on this album is the holy grail for a lot of engineers. He plays with a swing that most metal drummers lack. It’s funky. It’s syncopated. It’s what keeps the songs from feeling like a slog.
Then there’s "Lotion."
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It’s frantic. It’s chaotic. It’s the sound of a band that is absolutely firing on all cylinders. The lyrics are cryptic—Chino has often said they were about people who try to act like something they aren't—but the delivery is what matters. When he screams "I feel sick," you believe him.
Max Cavalera and the "Headup" Connection
One of the most intense moments on the album is "Headup." It features Max Cavalera, who had recently left Sepultura. The song was written in the wake of the death of Max’s stepson, Dana Wells, who was a close friend of the Deftones.
The word "Soulfly" actually originated here, before Max ever used it for his next band.
You can feel the grief in the recording. It’s a jagged, violent outburst. It’s the heaviest song on the album, and it serves as a reminder that for all their melodic experimentation, Deftones could still out-crunch anyone in the scene. The riff is a repetitive, sludge-filled hammer that doesn't let up for five minutes. It’s exhausting to listen to, which is exactly the point.
The Hidden Track: "Damone"
If you bought the CD back in the day, you know the drill. You finish "MX," and then there’s about twenty minutes of silence. You’re waiting. Maybe you forgot to hit stop. Then, around the 32-minute mark, "Damone" kicks in.
It’s a fantastic song that easily could have been a single. It has one of Chino’s best vocal performances, ranging from a croon to a desperate howl. It’s a reward for the listeners who stayed. In the streaming era, "Damone" is often listed as its own track, but there was something special about that hidden discovery in the 90s. It felt like a secret shared between the band and the fans.
The Lasting Legacy in 2026
Why are we still talking about an album from 1997?
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Because it’s timeless.
A lot of records from that era sound dated now. The production is too "clicky," or the angst feels forced and "of its time." But Around the Fur feels immediate. It’s a record about being young, bored, frustrated, and deeply in love with the wrong things. It’s an album that sounds like a bruise.
Gen Z has rediscovered this band in a massive way. You see the Around the Fur t-shirts everywhere now, from TikTok influencers to underground hardcore kids. They gravitate toward it because it’s authentic. There’s no "tough guy" posturing here. It’s vulnerable music played very loudly.
How to Experience Around the Fur Today
If you’re coming to this album for the first time, or if you haven't spun it in a decade, don't just put it on as background music. It’s a headphone record.
- Listen for the layers: Pay attention to the subtle electronics and vocal harmonies in the background of "Dai the Flu."
- Check the lyrics: Don't look for a linear story. Chino writes in "colors" and "feelings." The lyrics are impressionistic.
- Watch the videos: The music video for "Be Quiet and Drive" captures the aesthetic of the era perfectly—the grainy film, the city lights, the sense of drifting.
- Look at the gear: If you’re a musician, look into the Marshalls and the 7-string ESPs used during these sessions. It’s a masterclass in tone.
The best way to respect the legacy of Deftones Around the Fur is to recognize it as the turning point. It was the moment a "local band from Sac" decided they didn't want to play by the rules of any genre. They created their own world, and we’re all still just living in it.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Listeners
To truly appreciate the depth of this era, go beyond the standard streaming version. Seek out the B-Sides & Rarities collection to hear the acoustic version of "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)," which features Jonah Matranga of Far. It strips away the distortion and reveals the pure songwriting at the core. Additionally, look for live footage from the 1998 Bizarre Festival; it showcases the raw, unhinged energy the band possessed when these songs were brand new. If you're a guitar player, experiment with Drop C# tuning ($C#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#$) to capture that specific Carpenter tension. This isn't just a nostalgia trip—it's a foundational text for heavy alternative music that continues to influence every "moody" rock band that picks up an instrument today.