After a three-year hiatus, metal group the Deftones are back to rock your world. Punch-in-the-face power chords fuse with enigmatic lyrics – and even some ballads – to create Saturday Night Wrist, the band’s sixth album. Far from disappointing, this album kicks proverbial butt and is sure to please both Deftones and general metal fans alike.

The opening track and first single, “Hole in the Earth,” is full of radical riffs and vocals. Lead singer Chino Moreno croons an over electronica-infused backbeat, while the chorus (“Hey, all of my friends/They all attack/Sometimes/There’s a hole in the earth/I’m out …”) provides enough rock to satisfy even the biggest appetite for destruction.

Two tracks on the album feature guest appearances, excitingly from System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian on “Mein” and singer Annie Hardy of Giant Drag on “Pink Cellphone.” The latter song highlights the Deftones’ experimentation with electronic synth-pop, but also features bizarre lyrics about oral and anal sex and could arguably be incredibly offensive to women.

Despite the vaguely awkward “Pink Cellphone,” Moreno still puts forth a solid vocal effort with this album. Although he’s outshined by Tankian on “Mein,” Moreno works best on the album’s dark ballads, namely “Xerces” and “Beware.” “Xerces” especially is less thematic than enigmatic and mysterious, with lyrics such as “I don’t know if the change made was great/Because craving remains the same.”

In contrast, the in-your-face screamers “Combat” and “Rats! Rats! Rats!” feature apocalyptic messages, and the latter song especially delivers no transition between Moreno’s screaming chorus and whispered verses: “You wanted it/Was it like/You dreamed?/You got it and/Was it like/It seemed?”

Overall, the Deftones’ sixth album adds diversity to the band’s discography, breathing a fresh air of electronica into their distinct sound. From “Hole in the Earth” even to “Pink Cellphone,” Moreno and the boys make a solid case for metal – so give Saturday Night Wrist a chance.

Contact Michelle Miller at diversions@dbk.umd.edu.