PUSCIFER’s new album, Normal Isn’t, is out today via Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings/BMG.
The collection marks PUSCIFER’s first new album in five years and finds the trio of Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Carina Round embracing the post-punk influences that shaped their early musical experiences, channeling those roots into a darker, more guitar-driven sound.
Arriving in tandem with today’s album release is an animated video for “Bad Wolf,” directed by AF Schepperd.
“Oral Tradition, the practice of passing down legends, myths, and metaphors, has always fascinated me,” Keenan reflects. “The stories contain history, important lessons, values, social contracts and the like. One of my favorites has always been the Cherokee tale of the Two Wolves. This story serves as a metaphor for our inner battle between good/wise/loving choices and poor/selfish/hateful choices. The wolf that thrives is the wolf you feed.”
Today also sees the kick-off of over 90 independent record store screenings of the band’s concert film: Normal Isn’t: Puscifer Live at the Pacific Stock Exchange, followed by at-home availability beginning Feb. 9 via Puscifertv.com. Filmed at Los Angeles’ original stock exchange, an art deco landmark long rumored to be among the city’s most haunted sites, Normal Isn’t: Puscifer Live at the Pacific Stock Exchange captures the first-ever live performance of Normal Isn’t. The film features an entirely new stage setup, new costumes, and a graphic-rich light show. As tracks like “Self Evident,” “ImpetuoUs,” and “Bad Wolf” pulse through the building’s granite-lined interior, Maynard James Keenan, Carina Round, Mat Mitchell, Gunnar Olsen, and Josh Moreau deliver a visceral, high-energy performance that brings the album to life.
Written and recorded across Arizona, Los Angeles, and on the road during last year’s Sessanta tour, the album blends the dark electronics and sharp humor Puscifer is known for with a more spontaneous creative process. “From the outset, we had discussed an element of rawness and edge, which guitar brings,” shares Mat Mitchell, who co-produced the album. “We got rid of the guard rails and made the music more aggressive.”
“Normal Isn’t reflects this time we are living in,” Keenan adds. “As storytellers and artists, our job is to observe, interpret, and report. We take in our environment and share what we see, and what we see around us does not appear normal. Not by a long shot.”
Album guests include Greg Edwards (bass), Gunnar Olsen (drums), and Sarah Jones (drums) with guests Tony Levin (bass on “Normal Isn’t” and “Seven One”), Danny Carey (drums on “Seven One”) and Mr. Ian Ross (father of Atticus Ross, who narrates “Seven One”).
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.