Lately, theatrical prog overlord Maynard James Keenan has been busier with his self-aware trio Puscifer than with Tool or a Perfect Circle, his more-famous bands. Puscifer's last album was Existential Reckoning, which came out in 2020. Since then, Puscifer have toured regularly with Primus and with the aforementioned Perfect Circle, and they've released the split EP Sessanta E.P.P.P. They've also shared "The Algorithm," a one-off single for an American Psycho comic series. Now, Puscifer have a new album and a tour on the way.
Early next year, Puscifer will release Normal Isn't, a back-to-basics album that they recorded partly in Arizona, partly in LA, and partly while on tour. Puscifer started out as Maynard James Keenan's solo project, but now it's a trio with Carina Round and Mat Mitchell. For Normal Isn't, those three are joined by bassist Greg Edwards and drummers Gunnar Olsen and Sarah Jones. Peter Gabriel collaborator and session legend Tony Levin plays bass on a couple of tracks, while Tool's Danny Carey adds drums to "Seven One," a song narrated by Atticus Ross' father Ian.
In a press release, Maynard James Keenan says, "We’re definitely leaning into our early influences. It’s the place where goth meets punk. It’s where I came from." Lead single "Self Evitent" is a gnarly riff attack where Keenan and Carina Round operatically growl," We've concluded what is obvious/ You're a bunghole." I wasn't completely sure that they actually said "bunghole," so I played it back, and yes, that's definitely the word that they chose to use, on purpose. I respect it.
Band member Mat Mitchell co-directed the video with María Aceves Diego, and it's got Keenan and Round stomping around in wild outfits and facepaint. Below, you will find that video, the Normal Isn't tracklist, and the dates for Puscifer's upcoming tour with comedian Dave Hill.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Thrust"
02 "Normal Isn’t"
03 "Bad Wolf"
04 "Self Evident"
05 "A Public Stoning"
06 "The Quiet Parts"
07 "Mantastic"
08 "Pendulum"
09 "ImpetuoUs"
10 "Seven One"
11 "The Algorithm (Sessanta Live Mix)"
TOUR DATES:
3/20 - Las Vegas, NV The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas *
3/21 - Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre *
3/24 - Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall *
3/25 - Dallas, TX Music Hall at Fair Park *
3/27 - Nashville, TN The Pinnacle *
3/28 - Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy *
3/31 - Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium *
4/01 - Durham, NC DPAC – Durham Performing Arts Center *
4/03 - Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Event Center *
4/04 - Boston, MA Boch Center - Wang Theatre *
4/07 - New York, NY Terminal 5 *
4/08 - Hershey, PA Hershey Theatre *
4/10 - Mashantucket, CT Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino *
4/11 - Atlantic City, NJ Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort *
4/15 - Niagara Falls, ON OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino *
4/16 - Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre *
4/18 - Detroit, MI Fox Theatre *
4/19 - Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre *
4/21 - Louisville, KY The Louisville Palace *
4/23 - Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre *
4/25 - Chicago, IL The Chicago Theatre
4/26 - Milwaukee, WI Landmark Credit Union Live *
4/28 - Madison, WI The Sylvee *
4/30 - St. Louis, MO The Factory *
5/01 - Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre *
5/01 - Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
5/05 - Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center *
5/08 - Portland, OR Theater of the Clouds *
5/09 - Seattle, WA WAMU Theater *
5/11 - San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Theatre *
5/13 - San Diego, CA San Diego Civic Theatre *
5/14 - Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre *
* with Dave Hill
Normal Isn't is out 2/6 on Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings.
