Biography
Recognized above all as the lead vocalist for the enduring Californian alt-metal outfit Deftones, Chino Moreno supplies a singular vocal approach that unifies the output of his many separate projects. That approach shifts abruptly from a gentle tenor to a sharp, blood-curdling scream.
Camillo Wong Moreno entered the world in Sacramento, California, and received his nickname through fond references by Mexican relatives to his mother’s Chinese ancestry. Beyond this mixed cultural background, his wide-ranging listening habits left a lasting mark on his personal aesthetic. Drawing from sources as varied as the Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Sade, and the Smiths on one hand and Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, and Cocteau Twins on the other, Moreno’s emphasis on texture, risk-taking, and the quieter registers of feeling gave Deftones a dimension that few nu-metal contemporaries could equal. While many acts that surfaced in the early ’90s faded from view, the band kept refining its sonic identity.
Deftones coalesced in 1988 when Moreno joined Abe Cunningham, Stephen Carpenter, and the late Chi Cheng. The group began by sharing bills with Korn on the California metal-club circuit. Although both bands folded occasional rap passages into their material, Moreno rejected the rap-rock or nu-metal tag that was soon applied to them. After signing with Maverick Records in 1995, Deftones issued their debut album, the raw and aggressive Adrenaline. The follow-up, 1997’s Around the Fur, contained the singles “My Own Summer (Shove It)” and “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),” which showcased the loud-soft vocal contrast that became a band hallmark. Only with the arrival of White Pony in 2000 did Moreno’s new-wave, R&B, and experimental leanings surface fully. Alongside passages of typical intensity, the platinum-certified album introduced entirely scream-free pieces such as “Teenager,” near-ballads such as “Rx Queen,” and electronic textures such as “Digital Bath,” marking a decisive shift in the group’s direction.
During the same period Moreno pursued work outside Deftones. In 2000 he launched Team Sleep alongside Todd Wilkinson and DJ Crook, the latter having already appeared on Deftones’ “Teenager.” The trio’s atmospheric, dreamlike sound—built on electronic and trip-hop elements—surfaced first on the self-titled EP issued in 2005. A second release followed ten years later with the live Woodstock Sessions of 2015.
While Team Sleep operated, Deftones delivered their self-titled fourth album, a collection of B-sides, and Saturday Night Wrist. Plans for the sixth album, Eros, slated for early 2009, were abandoned after bassist Chi Cheng suffered a car accident that left him comatose until his death in 2013. With the band’s original lineup in doubt, the members set Eros aside and instead recorded Diamond Eyes, released in 2010. Moreno simultaneously started two further side projects: the darker, atmospheric Crosses and the dreamy indie-rock outfit Palms. Crosses issued two EPs and one full-length album, while Palms—formed with former members of Isis—produced a lone self-titled LP in 2013. Deftones continued with Koi No Yokan in 2012 and Gore in 2016.
Moreno has also contributed guest vocals to tracks by Sevendust, Dead Poetic, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Korn, Ice Cube, Soulfly, Cypress Hill, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Bad Brains, Tech N9ne, Bassnectar, and Lamb of God, as well as to the Raid: Redemption soundtrack scored by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and Joseph Trapanese.
Camillo Wong Moreno entered the world in Sacramento, California, and received his nickname through fond references by Mexican relatives to his mother’s Chinese ancestry. Beyond this mixed cultural background, his wide-ranging listening habits left a lasting mark on his personal aesthetic. Drawing from sources as varied as the Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Sade, and the Smiths on one hand and Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, and Cocteau Twins on the other, Moreno’s emphasis on texture, risk-taking, and the quieter registers of feeling gave Deftones a dimension that few nu-metal contemporaries could equal. While many acts that surfaced in the early ’90s faded from view, the band kept refining its sonic identity.
Deftones coalesced in 1988 when Moreno joined Abe Cunningham, Stephen Carpenter, and the late Chi Cheng. The group began by sharing bills with Korn on the California metal-club circuit. Although both bands folded occasional rap passages into their material, Moreno rejected the rap-rock or nu-metal tag that was soon applied to them. After signing with Maverick Records in 1995, Deftones issued their debut album, the raw and aggressive Adrenaline. The follow-up, 1997’s Around the Fur, contained the singles “My Own Summer (Shove It)” and “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),” which showcased the loud-soft vocal contrast that became a band hallmark. Only with the arrival of White Pony in 2000 did Moreno’s new-wave, R&B, and experimental leanings surface fully. Alongside passages of typical intensity, the platinum-certified album introduced entirely scream-free pieces such as “Teenager,” near-ballads such as “Rx Queen,” and electronic textures such as “Digital Bath,” marking a decisive shift in the group’s direction.
During the same period Moreno pursued work outside Deftones. In 2000 he launched Team Sleep alongside Todd Wilkinson and DJ Crook, the latter having already appeared on Deftones’ “Teenager.” The trio’s atmospheric, dreamlike sound—built on electronic and trip-hop elements—surfaced first on the self-titled EP issued in 2005. A second release followed ten years later with the live Woodstock Sessions of 2015.
While Team Sleep operated, Deftones delivered their self-titled fourth album, a collection of B-sides, and Saturday Night Wrist. Plans for the sixth album, Eros, slated for early 2009, were abandoned after bassist Chi Cheng suffered a car accident that left him comatose until his death in 2013. With the band’s original lineup in doubt, the members set Eros aside and instead recorded Diamond Eyes, released in 2010. Moreno simultaneously started two further side projects: the darker, atmospheric Crosses and the dreamy indie-rock outfit Palms. Crosses issued two EPs and one full-length album, while Palms—formed with former members of Isis—produced a lone self-titled LP in 2013. Deftones continued with Koi No Yokan in 2012 and Gore in 2016.
Moreno has also contributed guest vocals to tracks by Sevendust, Dead Poetic, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Korn, Ice Cube, Soulfly, Cypress Hill, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Bad Brains, Tech N9ne, Bassnectar, and Lamb of God, as well as to the Raid: Redemption soundtrack scored by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and Joseph Trapanese.
Albums
Singles
