Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter recently discussed the ongoing leak of unreleased material from the band in an interview on The Dr. Greenthumb Show. The guitarist acknowledged that leaks have affected nearly every album release since the band’s 2000 landmark album “White Pony.”
“I don’t know if it’s been scraped from the internet or not, and I don’t know to what extent it’s leaked, but every record of ours since ‘White Pony’ has leaked,” Carpenter said. “It happens.”
Once material reaches the internet, controlling its spread becomes impossible in the modern era. Carpenter explained this reality directly: “Yeah, [the leaker is] somewhere in the chain. But I mean the reality is now people have the internet available and you can share stuff instantly. So once it gets on the web, yeah, it’s gone. They’ve been on YouTube though for a long time, that’s how I listen to them.”
A significant leak surfaced earlier in June 2026, affecting the band’s shelved 2008 album “Eros” and unreleased demos from their 2020 album “Ohms.” Carpenter’s candid remarks address this latest incident and reignite discussions about the band’s relationship with unfinished material in the digital age.
The “Eros” album holds particular significance in Deftones history. Its creation was interrupted by a serious vehicle accident involving bassist and vocalist Chi Cheng in 2008. The shelved project represents a lost chapter in the band’s discography. The leaked material reportedly contains 11 songs with working titles such as “Destiny,” “Brenda,” “Melanie,” “Smile,” “Margot,” “Candy,” “Sable,” “Electra,” “Trempest,” “Diamond,” and “Briana.”
The band has maintained that instrumental work on “Eros” was largely completed. However, vocal and lyrical development remained only halfway finished at the time of the album’s abandonment. Band members have expressed skepticism about the leaked material’s quality and completeness. Vocalist Chino Moreno emphasized that the surfaced tracks represent rough drafts and unfinished ideas rather than a polished album ready for public consumption.
The band’s reluctance to release unfinished work reflects a broader philosophy about artistic integrity. They have consistently resisted officially releasing material they consider incomplete or unrefined. This stance stems from a desire not to subject unfinished creative work to public judgment. The band prefers instead to control how their legacy is presented to fans.
The leak also included previously unknown demo recordings and a b-side titled “Sensations” from the “Ohms” sessions. This further complicated the band’s efforts to manage their unreleased catalog. The band had previously released “Smile” from the “Eros” sessions on the one-year anniversary of Chi Cheng’s death. The track was swiftly removed from streaming services by their label due to its unfinished nature. The band later performed “Smile” live at their 2019 Dia De Los Deftones festival, demonstrating their selective approach to sharing unreleased material.
Carpenter’s acknowledgment that leaks have become an inescapable reality reflects broader industry trends in the streaming era. The band’s acceptance of this phenomenon, while maintaining their position against officially releasing unfinished work, underscores the tension between fan demand for unreleased material and artistic integrity. For Deftones, the leak represents another chapter in a long history of unfinished recordings finding their way online. The guitarist views this pattern as simply part of modern music’s landscape.
