It’s been nine years since the Deftones made their debut with Around the

Fur. The Sacramento-based metal-rock band has since evolved, drifting toward mellow maturity while still holding on to its metallic roots.

For a band that releases new material so consistently, the fourth Deftones album is one hell of a bipolar experience. Instrument use ranges from heavy, distorted power-chord madness to softly melodic three-note keyboard progressions, and vocalist Chino erratically switches from deafening, overly dramatic tantrums to raspy whining. It’s a freakish Jekyll-and-Hyde performance.

Chino’s lyrics also vacillate somewhere between the realms of nonsense and deep poetry. “Pink Cellphone” is polluted with profane garbage referencing foreskin, germs and fecal matter, later softened by the “If you’d just stay down with me, I’ll swim way down with you” whispers of “Cherry Lips.” Some songs sound as if the entire band is completely tone deaf, then counteracted by brilliantly composed instrumentals like “U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, A, B, Select, Start.”

It’s as if the Deftones aren’t sure if they want to be hardcore nu metal or melodic sweet-rock — whichever the band decides to be, it should stick with one instead of half-assing both.

The Deftones perform live at SOMA on Nov. 12.