Around the Fur is the second studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones, released on October 28, 1997, by Maverick Records.

[8] Lyrically, much of the album addresses topics such as juvenile perception, existential angst, sex, romance, violence, the death of loved ones, and break-ups.

[10] The band had gathered inspiration off of their own internal issues and personal incidents, as the four of them rented an apartment in Southern Seattle whilst they were writing and recording the album.

[11] The singer Chino Moreno and Carpenter recall the band often drank and partied frequently, even recalling random moments of writing where the bassist Chi Cheng and Carpenter would smoke marijuana frequently together and write riffs together; the two later included their voicemail of them smoking out of a bong as a hidden track between "MX" and "Damone".

[19] The album was praised for its loud-soft dynamics, the flow of the tracks, Moreno's unusual vocals, and the strong rhythm section grooves created by Cunningham and Cheng.

[18][20][21] The album was highly anticipated, and propelled the band to fame in the alternative metal scene on the strength of radio and MTV airplay for the singles "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)".

In September 1998, Deftones toured with Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were playing their first shows in over six years with the guitarist John Frusciante.

Greg Corrao of CMJ New Music Monthly remarked in November 1997, "This hard-hitting noise-fest finds the band once again furthering the cause of riff-heavy, bludgeoning rock also championed by the likes of Soundgarden, Helmet and Kyuss",[37] further adding that, "Those heavy sensibilities are paired with vocalist Chino Moreno's yearning whine, allowing the band to create [their] own kind of sub-metal.

"[37] He concluded his review by asserting that, "With Around the Fur, Deftones have carved out their own place in heavy music's hard beaten path toward the year 2000.

"[37] In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Deftones tap into the same alternative metal vibe as Korn and L7, and while they don't have catchy riffs or a fully developed sound, Around the Fur suggests they're about to come into their own".

[38] In 2015, the critic Saby Reyes-Kulkarni of Diffuser stated that "[o]n their landmark second album, Deftones infused elements of new wave and shoegaze to define their future direction.

"[40] He further noted that, while the album "sounds undeniably thicker and heavier" than the band's debut album Adrenaline, Chino Moreno's new wave and post-punk influences became increasingly evident: "On Around the Fur, Moreno's love of new wave groups like Depeche Mode and the Cure began to rear its head in earnest.