Album Review ~ Puscifer ` 'Normal Isn't'

After six years without any new music Puscifer has released its fifth studio album, Normal Isn’t, the title is fitting because the sound of this album isn’t normal. Formed by Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle), the band is known for theatrical live shows and is as much an artistic endeavor as it is a rock band. The album is accompanied by a film of the first live performance of the album filmed at Los Angeles’ Stock Exchange. I’ll be honest, I haven’t listened to as much Puscifer as much as I have Tool, but this album could change that. The band attributes post-punk music as an influence on the new tracks, while I wouldn’t call it a post-punk album, I can see the obvious influence the genre had on the music with an avant-garde and moody vibe. The album is also more guitar-driven, and depending on your taste, might or might not be a welcome change of pace for the band. Apart from Keenan’s instantly recognizable vocals and intricate layering of sounds, the music just sounds different and for me — that’s a good thing.

On my first listen to the album I had to check a few times that I was still listening to Puscifer because Normal Isn’t is the closest the band has sounded to Keenan’s other bands — in fact —Tool drummer Danny Carey makes an appearance on the song “Seven One.” Although there are more similar sounds resonating throughout the record I have to temper expectations for the Tool fandom, this is still Puscifer.

The album starts off with “Thrust,” it’s an ethrearial and atmospheric start highlighting both Keenan and Carina Round’s vocals, along with a steady understated but complex drums and guitars to fill it out. The lyrics themselves are also a departure from what I normally think of coming from Puscifer — this album is many things, but it’s not light. There is angst and anger bleeding through on the first song and it continues until the very end of the album.

For me the song that stands out the most is about halfway into the album, “A Public Stoning.” Starting off with a bass-and-synth-heavy minute-long intro the song eventually picks up the pace as the drums and finally vocals hit. It’s also the song that most reminds me of Tool (which might be why I like it so much) with Keenan’s vocals going from angry to muted and hushed fast enough to give you whiplash. All said and done, the album comes in right around an hour with 11 new tracks. As someone who admittedly never got into Puscifer as much as other bands, this album has made me curious enough to want to go listen to their back catalog.

For those who haven’t already listened to Normal Isn’t, I suggest giving it your undivided attention because this is not one of those albums you turn on for one song and then change. I am sure most musicians probably want their fans to listen to every song on their album start to finish, but I don’t think most people listen to music that way, at least not anymore unless you’re listening to a vinyl. On their own, I don’t think there’s a single track I would listen to and then call it a day, that’s not because individual songs are not good on their own, they are. It’s just that there is so much complexity and layers to the sound on each track that I found myself wanting to hear the full ‘story’ from start to finish. It’s not a concept album, it doesn’t have an overarching story or anything like that, but the sequencing and the mood throughout makes it a worthwhile hour to dedicate to the intricacies of the music.

I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Music Journalist Michael Praats