DEFTONES: 'Rocket Skates' Video Released

"Rocket Skates", the new video from Sacramento's DEFTONES, is available for viewing below. The song comes off the band's new album, "Diamond Eyes", which is scheduled for release on May 18 via Reprise.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Diamond Eyes
02. Royal
03. CMND/CTRL
04. You've Seen the Butcher
05. Beauty School
06. Prince
07. Rocket Skates
08. Sextape
09. Risk
10. 976-EVIL
11. This Place Is Death

"Rocket Skates" will be available for purchase on April 17 as an exclusive, limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single pressing with a picture sleeve that supports national "Record Store Day."

In a recent interview with SPIN.com, DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno stated about the forthcoming CD, "The dynamics DEFTONES are known for — aggressive overtones and lush openness. They're on opposite sides of the spectrum, but we meld them together without sounding contrived. There are a few heavy songs, too, like our first couple records, and there are also experimental tunes — but there's not a minute on this record that feels like it doesn't need to be there. Each sound complements the other. I'll straight-up say it: it's definitely one of our best albums."

Regarding he lyrical direction of the new album, Moreno said, "Well, I've been wanting to record a fantasy album like 'White Pony', where the lyrics are less, 'This is my life and this is what we're going through.' It helps take us away from reality. I don't like listening to people's problems — I like music. Music has been smothered with that complaining since the early-'90s. It gets old. Instead of going to the opposite side of the spectrum and listening to BLACK EYED PEAS, which is just straight silly, I choose to listen to more instrumental music. I do very little singing about myself on this record. I love songs where I can totally take myself out of being human. I can sing about really odd things, and they don't necessarily have to pertain to me at all. It paints a picture. Those are the kind of lyrics I grew up with — like THE CURE. Really visual images and no storytelling."

"Diamond Eyes" is DEFTONES' first album first since bassist Chi Cheng's life-altering car accident, which has left him in a comatose state.

During a recent interview with AOL's Noisecreep, Moreno explained that, after Chi's accident, the band nearly called it quits, but later, decided to work on an entirely new batch of songs with their friend Sergio Vega filling in on bass. They hired producer Nick Raskulinecz to work with them, and in just two months, they'd recorded an entirely new album. "I honestly think it's one of the best, if not the best records we've ever done," Moreno said. "My favorite record is 'Around the Fur'. It was written and recorded in four months, which was the fastest, easiest and funnest record we've ever made. This record totally has that feel to it."