Preceding bassist Chi Cheng’s tragic car accident in late 2008, Deftones had been hard at work on the follow up to fifth album Saturday Night Wrist. With Cheng still in a semi-conscious state, singer Chino Moreno took the difficult decision to shelve the sessions until further notice and start afresh. Understandably, the release of Diamond Eyes this year carried a remarkable poignancy for the band and their legions of loyal fans, and the good news was that it marked a riotous return to form for the Sacrimento outfit. In fact, filled with a calibre of lacerating alt-metal not heard since White Pony, it was one of our favourite releases of 2010.