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REVIEW – 9 years ago we had the last Tool record, since that release we have had so many rumors that there was new music coming that I felt the band was trying to outdo Guns and Roses and their Chinese Democracy. While we await that record, we get Maynard’s side band Puscifer’s latest. While most people prefer his other venture A Perfect Circle, I felt Perfect Circle resembled Tool a little too much, where this band seems to be taking a step out of the Mike Patton book and just create music that they feel at the moment and not care how it fits into their history or what people will think. The beauty of this record is people can hear what a great singer Carina Round is, and how Maynard seems to have found his musical soulmate where they really complement each other very intimately on this record. This record combines a mix of industrial, trip-hop, alt metal and electro pop.
This record opens with “Galileo” which Maynard and Carina really gel with this alt vocal delivery mixed with an electronic groove that is so silently seductive. Tool and Perfect Circle fans are going to really love the slow-moving “Agostina”. Maynard showcases what makes people miss him so much in music with this delivery that just creates this journey that the musicians help lead the listener on. The theme on this record is that it seems that Maynard plays background to the band and also Carina’s vocals. When he does shine on this record it really captures the beauty that people would expect from this band, where they still have the weirdness of past releases but also trying to introduce new fans. Grand Canyon is the song that I feel bridges the past works to this record. Carina deserves people to give her solo work a chance, she is so super talented and I am glad she is on this record and shining so bright. This record as a whole is a good appetizer for the Tool fans while they wait for the next coming.
