Deftones’ long-shelved and unreleased album Eros is essentially the alt-metal band’s proverbial ‘white whale’ among their fans. But to commemorate one year since the passing of their former bassist Chi Cheng, the band have released a sole track from the Eros sessions to honour his memory.

Though it was nearing completion, Eros was locked into the Deftones archives in late 2008, shortly after Cheng was involved in a car accident that put him in a coma for nearly four and a half years, while the band moved forward with (now permanent) member Sergio Vega and a new album, 2010’s Diamond Eyes. The status of the album and the recordings has been the #1 question that’s dogged the five-piece in interviews since.

Fans can now finally hear one of the fabled last Deftones recordings to feature Chi Cheng in the form of ‘Smile’, as the band posted to a link of the unreleased Eros cut on their social media with a simple message: “Chi, We miss you today and everyday.”

Frontman Chino Moreno’s vocals and lyrics are also tinged with a new significance considering the tragic circumstances, as he bellows “We cruise together/It’s me and you ’til the end” over some of Deftones’ characteristically searing guitar works and dense rhythm drive.

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