I’ve been a Maynard fan since high school, especially his work with A Perfect Circle. For some reason, I never connected to Puscifer until recently. Something about 2020’s Existential Reckoning grabbed me by the throat, and their upcoming Normal Isn’t has increased the pressure. It releases February 6th.
Puscifer has been around for a while now. I remember back in 2007 when I thought the debut was just a one-off side project. But here they are almost twenty years later still producing, still touring. The band consists of Maynard James Keenan on vocals and synths, Carina Round on vocals, sampling, and synths, and Mat Mitchell on bass, guitar, synth, and stick. You’ll also hear Gunnar Olsen and Sarah Jones on drums, Greg Edward and Tony Levin on bass, Danny Carey on drums, and Ian Ross on narration.
I won’t deny that Normal Isn’t is my favorite Puscifer album by a significant margin, and I’m not ashamed of the reason: this album is guitar-forward. The music here is ethereal, angular rock with goth and punk vibes, and lots of strange, stuttering, complex rhythms. I won’t call it “progressive rock” because that would make Maynard angry, but it’s certainly a complicated, atmospheric, and riveting sound that gets deeper and bolder each time I hear it.
And you know, watching the live videos they’ve released has convinced me the musicians are having the time of their lives. Their chemistry is one of friendship and teamwork, and I love watching that. On the other hand, Maynard has delivered once again with some biting, hyper-relevant lyrics that are both sobering and playful. He holds nothing back addressing the current state of the US and the people groups tearing it to pieces, and it’s an incredible thing to behold. Yes, even though he uses the word “bunghole” multiple times in one song. I particularly relate to the tracks which address religious hypocrisy and dogmatism.
The album is remarkably consistent through its ten tracks. I think I like the second half a little more, but only just barely. It opens with two songs of sheer solidarity with how some of us have been feeling: “Thrust” with its stumbling beat and haunting harmonies from Carina, and the title track, an incredibly warm and instantly likeable song with fantastic vocals, synths, and bass. It’s so easy to catch the groove. Right away, I love the balance between Maynard and Carina’s vocals, hers almost acting like a ghostly siren in the mix.
Next is “Bad Wolf” about bad actors run amuck in our country and online, and it is razor-sharp and progresses and opens up little by little. “Self-Evident” follows, one of the singles, and I call it the “Bunghole Song”, but I love how riffy and yet spectral it feels. The first half ends with “A Public Stoning”, one of my favorites; this piece is so damn groovy, and the synth is exquisite. It’s a breathy and percussion-heavy song that I liked immediately.
The second half starts with another favorite, “The Quiet Parts”, being more reserved and ambient, but with lyrical energy; the song gets fuller and louder as it progresses, and it’s wormed its way into my brain. Next is “Manstatic” which feels a bit more aggressive and sinister in all the best ways. “Pendulum” follows and is my favorite on the album; I absolutely adore the amazing groove, the way Maynard delivers the lyrics, the meaning behind the words, and the way the song picks up and smooths out near the end. So damn cool.
The last couple tracks are great, too. “ImpetuoUs” slides in with guitar licks and flittering vocals, its rhythm a little more subtle yet rich and strangely comforting. The closer “Seven One” is fascinating. It’s somehow both a narrative, voiceover style piece about the importance of the number 7 throughout history, but it’s also catchy with terrific drums and bass, little accents that bring it to life, and some dark vocals at one point. It’s a weird and wonderful way to end the record.
Puscifer, for my tastes, are getting better and better. I absolutely adore Normal Isn’t from start to finish, not only for its musical prowess and goth attitude, but also for its powerful lyrics that make me feel less alone. Fans of Maynard’s music and prog rock in general should give this a shot.
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The PROG Mind 