PUSCIFER have released "Normal Isn't" via BMG, their first new album in over five years and arguably the most sonically adventurous entry in the project's catalog. The 11-track, 55-minute record channels the post-punk and new wave influences that shaped Maynard James Keenan's earliest musical experiences into something darker, more guitar-driven, and more immediate than anything PUSCIFER have attempted before.
The album's guest roster reads like a who's who of progressive music royalty. TOOL drummer Danny Carey brings his signature polyrhythmic complexity to several tracks, creating rhythmic foundations that are simultaneously groove-oriented and mathematically intricate. Legendary bassist Tony Levin, whose fretless work with KING CRIMSON and Peter Gabriel defined an entire era of progressive music, contributes bass parts that add warmth and melodic depth. Ian Ross rounds out the guest list, adding additional instrumental textures.
At its core, PUSCIFER remains the creative vehicle of Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Carina Round. The interplay between Keenan's weathered baritone and Round's ethereal soprano has been a defining element of the project since her involvement began, and "Normal Isn't" pushes that dynamic further than ever. Mitchell's guitar work takes center stage, driving the songs with angular riffs and atmospheric textures that owe as much to BAUHAUS and SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES as they do to heavy metal.
Tracks "Thrust," "Normal Isn't," "Bad Wolf," and "A Public Stoning" showcase the trio at their most inventive, while "The Algorithm (Sessanta Live Mix)" bridges PUSCIFER's studio and live identities. A companion film, "Normal Isn't: Live at the Pacific Stock Exchange," arrives February 9, continuing PUSCIFER's tradition of pairing albums with visual counterparts. Keenan has described the project as channeling the post-punk spirit of his formative years into a modern context, and the result is a record that feels both nostalgic and utterly contemporary.