(Alternative/Rock) A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step

[HydrusGemini]

http://www.aperfectcircle.com/images/album_13th.gif

For a little misc. information, APC is currently composed of Billy Howerdel (composer and guitar) Maynard James Keenan (words and vocals) Josh Freese (drums) Jeordie White (bass guitar) and James Iha (guitar). "Thirteenth Step" is their follow up album to "Mer De Noms (French for "Sea of Names"). For more biographical information checkout--
http://www.aperfectcircle.com
http://www.aperfectcircle.org
http://www.toolband.com

Ok, now here is my breakdown of A Perfect Circle's newest album, "Thirteenth Step" song by song:


"The Package": The lyrics, like most of Maynards, are fairly vague. On the surface, it seems to be about a character (Maynard?) who is struggling (or embracing/justifing) an addiction by "Feeding the monster". The addiction in this case is likely sex or simply taking advantage of others. The song starts off slow with a clean guitar and simple but deep bassline. At the chorus, the song get substancially heavier. Great Song 9/10

"Weak and Poweless": Unless you've been living under a rock for the last month, you've heard this single off the album. Nice bassline, catchy chorus, but also fairly repetetive. One of the least impressive songs on the album. 5/10

"The Noose": Beautiful, relaxing "meditative" intro. This song is nearly entirely driven by Maynard's voice and Josh Freeses drumming. The lyrics (again interpretable) are about someones "rightousness" being lost. People expect so much from this "character" that he/she is unable to follow up their current
deeds, and they are being (figuratively) crucified for it. Pretty song, but not up to "3 Libras" standard. 8/10

"Blue": Probably the worst real song on the album. Other than the chorus, the song is pretty boring. As for lyrics, I've yet to decide whether it's a love song, or about deceiving yourself about a loved one. It could also be about asphyxiating someone you loved/trusted. A very "meh" song. 4/10

"Vanishing": Very vague lyrics. It could be about anything from missed opportunities to death. It's kind of a "Chill-out, relax" type song. Musically, it's very diverse. There are an abundance of sounds, with no leading instrument. Average song. 7/10

"A Stranger": Nice, beautiful, mellow song. Simple guitar picking leads the way with Maynard backing them up. I'm not convinced, but the lyrics could be about someone who is deceived by addictive drugs and "formulate[ing] Denials of your [their] affect on me [him/her]". It could also be about someone is severely antisocial and their thoughts are eating them away emotionally. Another good song. 9/10

"The Outsider": The song that most fits the definition of "rock". Not to say it's generic, but it uses the average rock formula. Lyrically it's about someone who is either falsly suicidal for attention, or just a general anti-sucide song; "Why do wanna throw it away like this, Such a mess, I don't wanna watch you, Disconnect and self-destruct, one bullet at a time. What's your rush now everyone will have his day to die." Another above average song. 8/10

"Crimes": Pretty much filler material, barely even a song. The only lyrics are Maynard counting under his breath. He counts up to eight, then says nine 4 times and then ten 4 times. There's probably a meaning to it, but I leave it up to you to find it (if there is one). 2/10

"The Nurse Who Loved Me": A cover song from the band "Failure". Definitely the most unique (weird) song on the album. No guitar, no drums, just Maynard, a choir, and various orchastral instruments. I'm guessing most wont like it (though it has grown on me), but bonus points for having the balls to put this on the album. 7/10

"Pet": The "Judith" of Thirteenth Step. Heavy and Rhythmic. The lyrics come across corny at first ("Lay your head down child, I won't let the boogeyman come"), but a child fearing imaginary creatures is a good analogy for the likely subject, deception by organized religion. 10/10

"Lullaby": Another filler track. The song is basically Maynard whispering "Go back to sleep." and woman singing "oooh oh oh ooooh oh" over and over. 1/10

"Gravity": Personally, my favorite song on the album. Lyrics touch on the subject of drugs (or possibly deep meditation) giving a depressed/outcasted person a reason to live through a altered consciousness and spiritual awareness. Maynard really shows how beautiful his voice can be in this one, and the instruments emphasize the emotion tenfold. 10/10

I give the album as a whole, 9/10. It's definitely another Maynard masterpiece, though it did take a while for the album to sink in. Whether it's better than Mer De Noms is debatable, but it is worth hearing none-the-less. The above are just my lyrical and musical interpretations of each song. Likely they are absolutely wrong, but I tried.

[metalhed873]

The review above is very accurate, however, I disagree on one point. I think "Weak and Powerless" is one of the best songs on the album. Its more...alive, i guess would be the best way to put it, than some of the other songs, most notably "The Package" and "Crimes"

[ledfloyd_fan]

Originally posted by metalhed873
The review above is very accurate, however, I disagree on one point. I think "Weak and Powerless" is one of the best songs on the album.

I agree, also anyone who likes Tool should give this a try.

[GraveCross]

I agree that the review is fairly accurate. My only gripe would be that I disagree with the poster about Blue. I personally think Blue is a beautiful song, and probably the 4th best on the album (after Pet, Stranger, Gravity).

[Agrotath]

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,9,9,9,10,10,10,10?

That's something I would probably do. The lullaby thing too.

[/spam]

[Prodigal_Suns_Rock]

Good review. When listening to this album I think it's important not to compare it to Mer De Noms. They are two seperate albums with different themes. That's what usually comes of prodject bands. A good album non-the-less. However, I don't like the fact that the second version of Weak And Powerless is not on the album.

[HydrusGemini]

After rereading my review a few days later, perhaps I was a little harsh on "Blue", but I stand by my thoughts on "Weak and Powerless". To me, it's basically a 30 second song repeated over and over again. However, the guitar version (the one Prodigal_Suns_Rock speaks of, I believe) is more dynamic and is substancially better (though it still suffers from repetiveness). I suggest you download it if you can find it (I can't remember where I got it).

[RideTheSpiral]

I agree totally about weak and powerless. Excellent album, maynards voice is in great form.

4/5

[Bartender]

I think Blue is a great song; it uses something that Maynard-related material seems to a lot - I've been calling it the orgasm method - tense, harsher music/vocals giving way to an uplifting "release", which dispels the tension and makes you feel better (or me at least). Its best shown on the Tool song Aenema, the "release" being when the grinding guitar ceases and Maynard comes out with " 'Cos I'm praying for rain/I'm praying for tidal waves" - in Blue, the release, for me, is "Mistook the(ir) nods for an approval/Just, ignore the smoke and smile" - this never fails to hit me really hard, and makes me feel great.

Anyway, I also think Weak and Powerless is a bit better than you make out; it is probably the most conventional sounding track on the album, but its still good, and to me has great value as a song that will get you hooked early on, and so encourages you to explore the album more, rather than discarding it cos its all "difficult".

And I think Crimes and Lullaby shouldn't be taken into account for this album (as Caesaro Summability, etc shouldn't be taken as part of Aenima) - they are part of it, but they are a part which only really works in the context of the rest of the album, whereas the "real" songs work as showcases on their own.

Of course all reviews are opinion, but I mostly agree with you - 9/10 (or 4.5 stars, as mx would have it).

[PeEpHoLe_10]

like alot of people, i think that blue is a very good song.
and i dont mind lullaby, cos instead of a lead in to a song, its sort of a fade out. i think its kinda cool.

[IvortheEngineDriver]

Good review, except you don't know what both "A Stranger" and "Pet" are about...

"A Stranger" is talking about Maynard's relationship with God. At the last part, he talks about the Holy Ghost (Shy away phantom) The Son (Run Away, terrified child) and the Father (Move away, you ****ing tornado)...he is denoucing religion (I'm better off without you, tearing my will down)

"Pet"-This is about Bush and the wars he is committing (Go to sleep to the rythum of the war drums) and Globalization (Swinging to the rythum of the New World Order)

Just to correct you, otherwise, good review

Mer De Noms was better, but Thirteenth Step is very good 9/10

[Bartender]

Good review, except you don't know what both "A Stranger" and "Pet" are about...

"A Stranger" is talking about Maynard's relationship with God. At the last part, he talks about the Holy Ghost (Shy away phantom) The Son (Run Away, terrified child) and the Father (Move away, you ****ing tornado)...he is denoucing religion (I'm better off without you, tearing my will down)

"Pet"-This is about Bush and the wars he is committing (Go to sleep to the rythum of the war drums) and Globalization (Swinging to the rythum of the New World Order)

Just to correct you, otherwise, good review

Mer De Noms was better, but Thirteenth Step is very good 9/10

Are these just your personal opinions (or someone elses) on what the songs are about, or have you read an interview or article or something where Maynard has said that?

[Mojo2004]

hey...gd reveiw, bt i think "weak and powerless" deserves about 7 or 8 out of 10, not 5

[craigmac]

i read in guitar world, an interveiw on APC. aparently the new album is bassed around an adiction with drugs. thus the song the nurse who loved me. "she's got everything i need. pharmacy keys... some pills in a little cup."

however the album keeps a optimistic look about it, with the last words of the last track being, "i chose to live".

i love this album. my ex bought it for me. so cool.

ciao

[craigmac]

Good review, except you don't know what both "A Stranger" and "Pet" are about...

"A Stranger" is talking about Maynard's relationship with God. At the last part, he talks about the Holy Ghost (Shy away phantom) The Son (Run Away, terrified child) and the Father (Move away, you ****ing tornado)...he is denoucing religion (I'm better off without you, tearing my will down)

"Pet"-This is about Bush and the wars he is committing (Go to sleep to the rythum of the war drums) and Globalization (Swinging to the rythum of the New World Order)

Just to correct you, otherwise, good review

Mer De Noms was better, but Thirteenth Step is very good 9/10

interpretations of any song can be formed into many different subjects.
so unless you read it somewhere, your post cant really be justified.

ciao

[br3ad_man]

I agree, also anyone who likes Tool should give this a try.
hmmm, I don't like Tool but I love APC. I dunno, I guess they're not only for Tool fans.

[Led Zeppp]

I really like this album and i haven't heard all of mers de noms so I can't compare it to that. I think 13th step has some great songs but also has some weaker ones, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. The Package is my fav. song.

[snipey]

Alright i thought id give a stab at this cd reviewing :thumb: so i chose one of my favorite bands APC and their new cd..i hope you find it helpful so here goes

1. The Package- 8.0/10.0 A good opener, melodic with nice rim work by josh freese. One of my only complaints with this song is that it seems to drag on a little bit..maybe a bit on the longish side. There's some nice sounding higher/maybe harmonics in the beginning and interlude of the song done by Billy. Maynard's singing is right on as usual..and the crescendo of him saying "Bring this to me" leading into the first loud part is one of my favorite parts of the song. Twiggy has a nice riff..just maybe repeated a little bit to much. James support work complements Billy nicely.

2. Weak and Powerless- 6.5/10.0 Not my first choice for a single..but a good song. The words are really what make this song as the drum part is very repetitive and the guitar doesnt shine through on this song. Twiggy does a nice opening riff but alas..repeats it alot. Maynard saves the song with the lyrics and the way he sings them..its really worth listening to the song just to hear the words.

3. The Noose- 8.5/10.0 One of my favorite songs off the new cd. Nice synth part throughout most..complements the haunting work of Billy. Twiggy doesn't seem to have a big part in this song. The real shining part of this song is the harmony parts with Maynard overdubbing himself on the last Chorus/Outro. Josh Freese shows his creative ability on this song..coming up with quite a unique beat during the verse and lots of ghost notes and ride work during the choruses.

4. Blue- 7.5/10.0 This is a nice overall song. Both guitars and bass seem to fit well together during most of it. Josh does some syncopation for most of it and provides a nice counter-rhythm to the guitar. Maynard and Billy combine for some nice harmonies as they talk about a girl and blue :)

5. Vanishing- 9.0/10.0 One of my personal favorites of the cd. The beginning doesnt seem like much..but it really kicks in about 0:35 and continues to grow from there. Maynard seems to really let his more melodic side show on this song and combines haunting lyrics with beautiful melodies. Josh Freese once again takes the cake on this song..coming through with one of his best performances yet with APC.

6. A Stranger- 6.0/10.0 This song seems out of place sandwiched between Vanishing and The Outsider. Its a nice change of pace..with a nice guitar riff and some well thought out if not odd lyrics.

7. The Outsider 9.5/10.0 Ahh my favorite song on the cd. The Outsider gets you hooked from the beginning with Billy playing a clean riff and then a moving drum part leading into the verse. The verse seems like a constant buildup leading into the Chorus which is harder than most of the rest of the cd. Maynard really gets up in the octave range at the end of the chorus as he sings about "everyone having his day to die". The 2nd verse/interlude is a good change with low guitar riffs and an angry sounding tom part behind it. The bridge is a nice guitar feature with Josh laying down a snare groove behind it. Leading into the 3rd chorus is a very effective 16th triplet double bass part. After that maynard screams "Over this!" leading into a guitar solo you might call it. Then the outro..the angriest part of the song. With Maynard half singing/half yelling "If you choose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere, do it somewhere FAR AWAY FROM HERE."

8. Crimes 3.5/10.0 I know it wasnt meant to be a song..but i really dont think crimes should have been on here. It seemed just like a little bit of a filler..but ended up sounding like bad recording quality (which could have been the point). Its sort of novel to hear the first couple of times..but after that you'll prolly skip over it.

9. Nurse Who Loved me 5.5/10.0 One of the strangest songs on the cd..with Maynard talking about an experience with a nurse. Theres a nice synth part going through most of it and Maynard seems to have sort of a muting effect on his voice. It doesnt seem to quite come out as full as normal but it fits the atmosphere of the song very well.

10. Pet 8.0/10.0 Very nice entrance..very punchy. Almost heavy metalish guitar riff with a little bit of squealing and nice drum part behind it. It then goes quiet with Maynard singing about a "precious". The chorus picks back up into the metal feel and has some great lyrics talking about war and its effects.

11. Lullaby 4.0/10.0 Another weird filler..this one with who i presume is Maynard trying to sing about 2 octaves out of his range. (It could be Paz or another girl im not sure). An interesting listen but it sort of grates on your nerves after awhile.

12. Gravity 9.0/10.0 Nice closer song..sets the mood for the end of the cd and wraps up pretty much all thoughts that you might have. Good time sig. 7/8 for the entire song and some creative work through the entire band..Billy and James contribute even more melodic/haunting riffs and Twiggy lays down a nice backbone for the song. Josh comes through with a very unique part to the song and it seems to help push it along. Maynard comes through with some of his best singing to date with APC.

Overall i give Thirteenth Step a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's a good cd..but a couple of songs bring down the overall feeling i think they were going for. In my opinion, it's not quite up to Mer De Noms. However, its well worth the purchase for any APC fan or anyone who loved Tool and wants to hear Maynard show his more melodic side.

[Damrod]

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you:

There is already a review on Thirteenth Step. Sorry... :(

[sting-ray]

i will merge this to the original thread.

[sting-ray]

done.

[Cort2003]

blue is one of the more touching, deep tracks on the album and evan all the fillers are as good as well. i beleive you are dead wrong on all your views. especially the fore mentioned song blue and weak and powerless. thats all have to say mmkay.

oh and ps maynard is God!!! and if you ever give one of his songs anything lower than an 8 ever again i will send you something terrible in the mail. just expect to receive a package to render you weak and powerless and you will pay for your crimes against the nurse who loved me. and you will become my pet and be a very blue man. so there's the gravity of the situation you stranger of an outsider. i hope you wrap a noose around your neck. sing yourself a lullaby and go back to sleep!!! go back to sleep!!! go back to sleep!!! precious.......

[br3ad_man]

hmmm, I can't say that I really disagree with your review, but I really think that The Noose deserves a 10/10. It is my favourite song off the album, and I am getting chills just singing it in my head. I would have done the review differently, but I don't disagree with it, I just have a different viewpoint.

[ieatalotoftacos]

Is Maynard doing the soft humming at the end of Lullaby? It sort of sounds like him. Anyway, this cd is a straight listen through, almost perfect without the fillers. Very underrated, probably my favorite cd of the year.

[nyzfreakx01]

i thought the noose was the best song on the cd. very atmospheric and i like that.

[Believeless]

Is Maynard doing the soft humming at the end of Lullaby? It sort of sounds like him. Anyway, this cd is a straight listen through, almost perfect without the fillers. Very underrated, probably my favorite cd of the year.
I think it might be his son. I heard he sings something on it

[Farbio]

I agree that the review is fairly accurate. My only gripe would be that I disagree with the poster about Blue. I personally think Blue is a beautiful song, and probably the 4th best on the album (after Pet, Stranger, Gravity).

I would agree with all this person said. Blue is awesome.

[quidproquo]

http://www.aperfectcircle.com/images/album_13th.gif

For a little misc. information, APC is currently composed of Billy Howerdel (composer and guitar) Maynard James Keenan (words and vocals) Josh Freese (drums) Jeordie White (bass guitar) and James Iha (guitar). "Thirteenth Step" is their follow up album to "Mer De Noms (French for "Sea of Names"). For more biographical information checkout--
http://www.aperfectcircle.com
http://www.aperfectcircle.org
http://www.toolband.com

Ok, now here is my breakdown of A Perfect Circle's newest album, "Thirteenth Step" song by song:


"The Package": The lyrics, like most of Maynards, are fairly vague. On the surface, it seems to be about a character (Maynard?) who is struggling (or embracing/justifing) an addiction by "Feeding the monster". The addiction in this case is likely sex or simply taking advantage of others. The song starts off slow with a clean guitar and simple but deep bassline. At the chorus, the song get substancially heavier. Great Song 9/10

"Weak and Poweless": Unless you've been living under a rock for the last month, you've heard this single off the album. Nice bassline, catchy chorus, but also fairly repetetive. One of the least impressive songs on the album. 5/10

"The Noose": Beautiful, relaxing "meditative" intro. This song is nearly entirely driven by Maynard's voice and Josh Freeses drumming. The lyrics (again interpretable) are about someones "rightousness" being lost. People expect so much from this "character" that he/she is unable to follow up their current
deeds, and they are being (figuratively) crucified for it. Pretty song, but not up to "3 Libras" standard. 8/10

"Blue": Probably the worst real song on the album. Other than the chorus, the song is pretty boring. As for lyrics, I've yet to decide whether it's a love song, or about deceiving yourself about a loved one. It could also be about asphyxiating someone you loved/trusted. A very "meh" song. 4/10

"Vanishing": Very vague lyrics. It could be about anything from missed opportunities to death. It's kind of a "Chill-out, relax" type song. Musically, it's very diverse. There are an abundance of sounds, with no leading instrument. Average song. 7/10

"A Stranger": Nice, beautiful, mellow song. Simple guitar picking leads the way with Maynard backing them up. I'm not convinced, but the lyrics could be about someone who is deceived by addictive drugs and "formulate[ing] Denials of your [their] affect on me [him/her]". It could also be about someone is severely antisocial and their thoughts are eating them away emotionally. Another good song. 9/10

"The Outsider": The song that most fits the definition of "rock". Not to say it's generic, but it uses the average rock formula. Lyrically it's about someone who is either falsly suicidal for attention, or just a general anti-sucide song; "Why do wanna throw it away like this, Such a mess, I don't wanna watch you, Disconnect and self-destruct, one bullet at a time. What's your rush now everyone will have his day to die." Another above average song. 8/10

"Crimes": Pretty much filler material, barely even a song. The only lyrics are Maynard counting under his breath. He counts up to eight, then says nine 4 times and then ten 4 times. There's probably a meaning to it, but I leave it up to you to find it (if there is one). 2/10

"The Nurse Who Loved Me": A cover song from the band "Failure". Definitely the most unique (weird) song on the album. No guitar, no drums, just Maynard, a choir, and various orchastral instruments. I'm guessing most wont like it (though it has grown on me), but bonus points for having the balls to put this on the album. 7/10

"Pet": The "Judith" of Thirteenth Step. Heavy and Rhythmic. The lyrics come across corny at first ("Lay your head down child, I won't let the boogeyman come"), but a child fearing imaginary creatures is a good analogy for the likely subject, deception by organized religion. 10/10

"Lullaby": Another filler track. The song is basically Maynard whispering "Go back to sleep." and woman singing "oooh oh oh ooooh oh" over and over. 1/10

"Gravity": Personally, my favorite song on the album. Lyrics touch on the subject of drugs (or possibly deep meditation) giving a depressed/outcasted person a reason to live through a altered consciousness and spiritual awareness. Maynard really shows how beautiful his voice can be in this one, and the instruments emphasize the emotion tenfold. 10/10

I give the album as a whole, 9/10. It's definitely another Maynard masterpiece, though it did take a while for the album to sink in. Whether it's better than Mer De Noms is debatable, but it is worth hearing none-the-less. The above are just my lyrical and musical interpretations of each song. Likely they are absolutely wrong, but I tried.


Yeah, I know, it's an old thread, but I'm new here.

I'll give my 2 cents about the meaning of some of the songs.

I think The Package is about sex, pure and simple.

The Noose seems to be an anti-Christian song. "With Heaven's help, you cast your demons out" and "You stand reborn before us all". He says "How you plan to go about making your amends to the dead", which I think refers to the people who have been murdered in the name of Christianity.

I think Pet does refer to Bush, but I could be wrong. I can definately hear Twiggy's influence in this song. Powerful tune, it is...

Blue is very reminiscent of a Duran Duran song. Scoff if you like, but it has lots of synth, and the backgroung vocals are very simular to lots of Duran Duran songs. The song is like the afore meantioned band crossed with The Cure. Speaking of which, I saw lots of goth people at the APC concert.

Vanishing seems to have a Pink Floyd influence.

Gravity is probably my favorite song on the album. It's the equivelent of "A Warm Place" on The Downward Spiral.

[br3ad_man]

^ Best first post I've seen since I've been here

[quidproquo]

^ Best first post I've seen since I've been here

Thanks! I did forget to meantion how the synth in the beginning of A Stanger reminds me of the sounds or "glossolalia" I heard years ago during mushroom experiences. I wonder if that's what inspired them?

[Cambodia]

This CD is great. Blue is about a drug overdose. Most of the CD is about drugs, 13th step is supposed to represent a relapse. I'm not a fan of Lullabye or Crimes though, and I'm pretty sure its Maynard son humming "Lullabye..". Buy this CD if you havent already.

[OrbDragon]

With exception of "A Stranger" I find this album 'weak and powerless'.

[3074326]

With exception of "A Stranger" I find this album 'weak and powerless'.

Haha, nice use of titles there.

I love this album. Everything about it is great, but for some reason "Crimes" and "Lullabye" strike me as time-fillers. While the album is still a favorite of mine, it receives an 8/10.

Great review though.

[Bartender]

I love this album. Everything about it is great, but for some reason "Crimes" and "Lullabye" strike me as time-fillers.

Probably because they are.

OrbDragon - did you like Mer De Noms?

[3074326]

Probably because they are.

Yes, and I hate time-fillers.

[The JoZ]

I'm going to see APC on the 12th...can't wait...yeah, this doesn't really have much to do with the CD, but I loved 13th Step quite a bit after listening to it a few times...so I think it promises to be a good show

[Kaden]

I can't believe how both of you rated the Nurse who Loved Me! That song is twenty times better than anything else on this cd (not that the rest of the songs are bad, just that the Nurse Who Loved Me rules so much).

[br3ad_man]

^^^ It is awesome. It still doesn't beat The Noose though.

[Bartender]

Yes, and I hate time-fillers.

Yeah, but I don't think the album should be marked down for them. I'm not sure if "time-fillers" is really an appropriate name for them, as the album would have been a good enough length without them, and I think it's a very good album, as I gather you do, ignoring Crimes and Lullaby.

JoZ - enjoy it, I thought they were really good live. Opened with Vanishing, and hearing it live made me like it a lot more than I used to. Same with The Package.

[Cambodia]

I'm going to see APC on the 12th...can't wait...

I saw them in November..It was freakin awesome.

[Dancin' Man]

What bands would you suggest to APC fans? I'd say Tool and Radiohead.

Blue and the Noose are probably my two favorites off this album. Blue has that loving sound but the lyrics suggest otherwise, a nice ironic song. The Noose has a very melancholy feel to it without being emofied.

[Cambodia]

What bands would you suggest to APC fans? I'd say Tool and Radiohead.

Radiohead? I dont think so at all. APC and Tool are two of my favorite bands, but I hate Radiohead.

Although I'm not too familiar with them..Maybe NIN would be a good suggestion?

[Sep]

GREAT review man! :thumb:
I've got this album but it doesn't do too much for me. The Noose is probably my favourite song.

[youcomebeforeyou]

<i>Thirteenth Step</i> is a very good CD. i personally like it more than <i>Mer De Noms</i>. Maynard has one of the greatest voices out there and it really shows on this album. All of the songs are great, especially <i>The Package</i>, the intro is purely mind blowing. it starts off slow and quiet, and the bass roaring through the speakers and progressively gets harder and harder until it "explodes" for lack of a better term. great CD. go buy it. 9/10

[youcomebeforeyou]

Radiohead? I dont think so at all. APC and Tool are two of my favorite bands, but I hate Radiohead.

Although I'm not too familiar with them..Maybe NIN would be a good suggestion?

i'm not sure what to say. radiohead is great, i really like them, but i'm not sure i would reccommend them to all APC fans. they're a lot different than APC and Tool. i'd say NIN is a pretty good reccommendation.

[Theo]

i'm not sure what to say. radiohead is great, i really like them, but i'm not sure i would reccommend them to all APC fans. they're a lot different than APC and Tool. i'd say NIN is a pretty good reccommendation.

And I'd say NIN suck.

[Bartender]

And I'd say NIN suck.

If this is the general content of your posts, you'll get banned pretty soon. Go careful.

[Theo]

If this is the general content of your posts, you'll get banned pretty soon. Go careful.

This is my general response when NIN are mentioned. But I will take your advice.

[Bartender]

This is my general response when NIN are mentioned. But I will take your advice.

It's not a problem if you don't like them, just give reasons if you're going to give your opinion at all. I had a quick look at your other posts though, and so far you're not a troll. So, welcome!

[Dancin' Man]

I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.

[Theo]

I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.

I don't mind the production. And yeah, I like "Closer" and "Hurt". But overall nothing special, especially compared to APC.
I'd recommend Tori Amos and Bjork. :) and maybe Massive Attack.

[Deifekt]

I disagree with you on most of the content of your review. "The Noose" really shows off Maynard's very unique and talented vocals. "Weak and Powerless," though, has a good bass line to it, but even APC admitted they were 'weak and powerless' on their first single. Good review, though. I'd give it a 10/10, it's a very good album fillers included.

[christonastick]

I agree with your review especially on the songs Pet, Gravity and The Outsider but I for one really enjoy Weak and Powerless (it really isnt as repettitive as you make it out to be). Overall i would say that Mer de Noms is a better album mainly because I miss the Christian bashing rage rock (the song Judith comes to mind) that is usually a big part of Maynard's message. Gravity is my favorite song on the album as well because it is so relaxing, almost like a drug. If you put that on late at night it is very intoxicating.


Keep writing good reviews, it is good to hear from someone who has a passion for good music.

[Cambodia]

Christonastick, it wasn't christian 'bashing'. Its about Maynards mother and how she kept her faith through terminal illness. Plus, Mer De Noms is far from 'Rage Rock'.

Also, 'A Stranger' is believed by many to be about christ.

[br3ad_man]

I think NIN are fine but the production could use a lot of work. I guess it has to do with the fact that Trent Reznor is kinda like Billy Corgan in that he is a control freak so anything anyone else says is wrong which means his production sounds good to him and he doesn't care if anyone else likes it. Anyhoo, I think Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Radiohead and Tool are the best bands to combine if you want APC.

I think a bigger problem with NIN are his lyrics. He writes awful lyrics imo, I really don;t like his repetive angst. His music makes up for it, because it's awesome, as are his vocals.

[Deifekt]

I think a bigger problem with NIN are his lyrics. He writes awful lyrics imo, I really don;t like his repetive angst. His music makes up for it, because it's awesome, as are his vocals.

Well, "Hurt" has some pretty good lyrics, but please don't ask me to find another song with good lyrics. I also think Johnny Cash did a better job at it.

[dracomordag]

I dissagree with most of that review (except for the high ratings of the songs :)) The tracks are in this order (best to worst)
The Noose
Gravity
Weak and Powerless
Pet
The Package
The Outsider
Blue
Vanishing
The Nurse Who Loved Me
Crimes
A Stranger
Lullaby

I hate putting Crimes and A Stranger so low (because they're great songs) but they are not as good as the rest of the album. A million dollars is always better than 999,999 dollars. *nod*

[incubliss]

a great album, and two accurate reviews.

i know i know, everyones opinion is different, but i would still rate Weak and Powerless a little higher. i do find myself at times, changing to The Noose, because i just can't be bothered with it at times, but on other times, i really love it. A Stranger, Pet and Gravity are the best songs on the album for me, the vocals on The Noose and A Stranger are near perfection.

i can't wait to hear the new Tool stuff, i'm sure it will amaze us all.

[Bartender]

I second that. Penned for early 2005, isn't it?

[incubliss]

yeah, or the summer of 2005 i heard aswell.

hopefully, they will then tour the UK, and i will finally get a chance to go see them live.

[Bartender]

Yeah, last time they played in the UK was right in the middle of my AS exams, I think. Since I now know what I got in the exam I had the day after, I would've gladly risked missing it.

[ambush]

With exception of "A Stranger" I find this album 'weak and powerless'.

I don't mind "The Noose", but other than that this album does absolutely nothing for me as well. Mer De Noms blows this album away.

[HeReTik]

The nurse who loved me is a great song, and I can't understand how it got so low rankings from you reviewers.
But I think The Outsider is the best song.....aw heck, theyre all good!

[Dark Hero]

"Weak And Powerless" and "Blue" deserve a higher rating than that.

[Zipperface]

A Perfect Circle rocks. Maynard is a very talented vocalist and i like his vocal style. great review. Mer de Noms kicks 13th step in the *** though i must say. although PET IS AWESOME!!!!

[Theo]

A Perfect Circle rocks. Maynard is a very talented vocalist and i like his vocal style. great review. Mer de Noms kicks 13th step in the *** though i must say. although PET IS AWESOME!!!!

Mer De Noms is a good album, 13th Step is better. Sure, some awesome tracks on the debut, "Judith", "3 Libras", "Orestes", "Magdalena". But 13th Step is overall a better album. It really is a question of whether you like more heavy songs(mer de noms) or more laid-back stuff(13th step).

[dieandrockhard6]

I give the album as a whole, 9/10. It's definitely another Maynard masterpiece, though it did take a while for the album to sink in. Whether it's better than Mer De Noms is debatable, but it is worth hearing none-the-less. The above are just my lyrical and musical interpretations of each song. Likely they are absolutely wrong, but I tried.



hey uhm i just have 2 say that i luve this album its so original and different, it sets them apart. "blue" is an awesum song, i think its onw hose meaning will always be undefined, but if u just sit and listen 2 the lyrics thy're rele moving. When i heard "Crimes" i thought that maybe it was just an intro or a warm-up for the next song, but they had absolutely no relation wutsoever. I do like "Lullaby" tho. his voice and that ladys voice r kinda creepy, but i thot it turned out rele good newayz. i havent heard their other album so i cant compare the two, ill have 2 look it up now.

[dieandrockhard6]

haha wtf ru giys talking about? tool and apc sound xactly the same. thats like saying u like korn, but u dont like slipknot??? confusing :confused: oya and i think i did this wrong sum1 let me noe if i did. gratzie.
~s.b.

[mexicanfloydian]

hey...gd reveiw, bt i think "weak and powerless" deserves about 7 or 8 out of 10, not 5

I agree, it isn't the best song on the album , but it deserves at least 7/10.

[Dominic]

Good review, I won't get into my personal ratings of the songs, that would just take up unnecessary space. To Christonastick, why the self degradation? How can you claim to be a fan of TOOL and then want to hear christian bashing music?

[evilcornflakes]

Just a sort of opinion I guess... Er... "The Noose"- I think that it is talking about Judas from the bible. The song is I guess Jesus talking in sorts... You know, Judas is in heaven, all fine and well having been forgiven and accepted again- but it seems a matter of time before it goes wrong... "Recall the deeds as if they're all someone else's atrocious stories. Now you stand reborn before us all, so glad to see you well."
So I guess the fact that he is in heaven and has his "halo" doesn't get rid of what he is or what he has done. "Your halo slipping down to choke you now."
Maybe?

[Dropkick-Religion]

NIN is a very good suggestion for APC listeners. Considering they are a band favorite. At least an APC band member's favorite.

[Dropkick-Religion]

"The Nurse Who Loved Me": A cover song from the band "Failure". Definitely the most unique (weird) song on the album. No guitar, no drums, just Maynard, a choir, and various orchastral instruments. I'm guessing most wont like it (though it has grown on me), but bonus points for having the balls to put this on the album. 7/10

Bonus points for having the balls to put the song on the record? Dude, it's Maynard. You might as well give everything a 10/10.

[Bartender]

Please don't quote entire reviews in the future, just the bit you're actually referring to.

[Kingofdudes]

haha wtf ru giys talking about? tool and apc sound xactly the same. thats like saying u like korn, but u dont like slipknot??? confusing :confused: oya and i think i did this wrong sum1 let me noe if i did. gratzie.
~s.b.

Tool and A Perfect Circle have nothing in common besides Maynard. Both are great, but different.

[Oli_m]

Good reviews.

I just wanted to share my opinion here that the whole album is based around the theme of drug addiction, and a re-lapse into addiction after rehabilitation. The title "13th step" is a reference to the 12 step programme used in rehabilitation, perhaps the 13th step is the re-lapse, after the 12 step programme is complete.

[Jimmypig]

I agree with the first review mostly, accept the noose is probably my favorite song on the album, also weak and powerless did not deserve 5/10, it was the song that got me into a perfect circle (but i am a tool fan so what do you expect) also i disagree that this album doesnt beat 'Mer De Noms', mer de noms to me was no where near as good, it had a few classics such as 3 libras, judith and the hollow, but 13th step is the successor...

Also the drug themed idea is looking quite accurate, id say weak and powerless was based around addiction controlling someones life 'Tilling my own grave to keep me level' (he is killing himself by taking the drugs to keep himself from going insane) 'Desperate and ravenous, So weak and powerless' (hes desperate for the drugs that are ending up making him feel worse)

there mays ways to look at it really, at one point i thought the song was about him digging himself a grave lol =P



(p.s. Crimes and Lullaby really are bad fillers, but ill turn a blind eye =D)

[Iai]

I feel like the only person on these forums who hasn't posted in here yet. Hah.

I much prefer Mers De Noms - less filler, basically. Both albums are laced with pointless filler though. Like they're desperate to experiment and forget to write memorable, enjoyable songs. If you put the best tracks from both together the resulting album would be an utter classic.

Check it -

The Hollow
Magdalena
Rose
Judith
Orestes
3 Libras
Thinking Of You
The Package
Weak And Powerless
The Noose
The Nurse Who Loved Me
Pet

A 12 track classic. Most people would probably disagree with that list, including a few, getting rid of a few, but I'm sure most people agree with the general idea. Do we really need Over, Lullaby, and the like?

[Bartender]

There's a fair few people here who'd like to do away with The Noose and Weak and Powerless. As much as I like all three, I'd probably replace Weak and Powerless, The Noose and The Nurse Who Loved Me with A Stranger, The Outsider and Vanishing.

Actually, now that you've done that, I'm finding it really difficult to pick 12 from across the two albums.

[Iai]

Well, I just picked 12 as a generic album length (and the length of both Mer De Noms and 13th Step)....but as long as it's under 80 minutes you can have as many tracks as you want. 15 would probably be a better length, so have them all. :thumb:

[Bartender]

Hurrah.

*has them all*

[cliffisking]

pretty good review except i would of rated weak and powerless and blue higher

[Kingofdudes]

This review didnt do much for me at first. But after listening to it a few times it grew to be one of my favorite albums. Its also great to listen to when going asleep.

Blue was one of the tracks I didnt like at first, but I did grow to like it(the remix is pretty good too)

[adamjonesisgod]

I feel like the only person on these forums who hasn't posted in here yet. Hah.

I much prefer Mers De Noms - less filler, basically. Both albums are laced with pointless filler though. Like they're desperate to experiment and forget to write memorable, enjoyable songs. If you put the best tracks from both together the resulting album would be an utter classic.

Check it -

The Hollow
Magdalena
Rose
Judith
Orestes
3 Libras
Thinking Of You
The Package
Weak And Powerless
The Noose
The Nurse Who Loved Me
Pet

A 12 track classic. Most people would probably disagree with that list, including a few, getting rid of a few, but I'm sure most people agree with the general idea. Do we really need Over, Lullaby, and the like?




Yo, your right about those 12 songs, but what about the best song on 13th Step: The Outsider?

[Iai]

Yo, your right about those 12 songs, but what about the best song on 13th Step: The Outsider?

It could be the 13th track. There's irony there somewhere.

[Scythe404]

http://www.aperfectcircle.com/images/album_13th.gif

For a little misc. information, APC is currently composed of Billy Howerdel (composer and guitar) Maynard James Keenan (words and vocals) Josh Freese (drums) Jeordie White (bass guitar) and James Iha (guitar). "Thirteenth Step" is their follow up album to "Mer De Noms (French for "Sea of Names"). For more biographical information checkout--
http://www.aperfectcircle.com
http://www.aperfectcircle.org
http://www.toolband.com

Ok, now here is my breakdown of A Perfect Circle's newest album, "Thirteenth Step" song by song:


"The Package": The lyrics, like most of Maynards, are fairly vague. On the surface, it seems to be about a character (Maynard?) who is struggling (or embracing/justifing) an addiction by "Feeding the monster". The addiction in this case is likely sex or simply taking advantage of others. The song starts off slow with a clean guitar and simple but deep bassline. At the chorus, the song get substancially heavier. Great Song 9/10

"Weak and Poweless": Unless you've been living under a rock for the last month, you've heard this single off the album. Nice bassline, catchy chorus, but also fairly repetetive. One of the least impressive songs on the album. 5/10

"The Noose": Beautiful, relaxing "meditative" intro. This song is nearly entirely driven by Maynard's voice and Josh Freeses drumming. The lyrics (again interpretable) are about someones "rightousness" being lost. People expect so much from this "character" that he/she is unable to follow up their current
deeds, and they are being (figuratively) crucified for it. Pretty song, but not up to "3 Libras" standard. 8/10

"Blue": Probably the worst real song on the album. Other than the chorus, the song is pretty boring. As for lyrics, I've yet to decide whether it's a love song, or about deceiving yourself about a loved one. It could also be about asphyxiating someone you loved/trusted. A very "meh" song. 4/10

"Vanishing": Very vague lyrics. It could be about anything from missed opportunities to death. It's kind of a "Chill-out, relax" type song. Musically, it's very diverse. There are an abundance of sounds, with no leading instrument. Average song. 7/10

"A Stranger": Nice, beautiful, mellow song. Simple guitar picking leads the way with Maynard backing them up. I'm not convinced, but the lyrics could be about someone who is deceived by addictive drugs and "formulate[ing] Denials of your [their] affect on me [him/her]". It could also be about someone is severely antisocial and their thoughts are eating them away emotionally. Another good song. 9/10

"The Outsider": The song that most fits the definition of "rock". Not to say it's generic, but it uses the average rock formula. Lyrically it's about someone who is either falsly suicidal for attention, or just a general anti-sucide song; "Why do wanna throw it away like this, Such a mess, I don't wanna watch you, Disconnect and self-destruct, one bullet at a time. What's your rush now everyone will have his day to die." Another above average song. 8/10

"Crimes": Pretty much filler material, barely even a song. The only lyrics are Maynard counting under his breath. He counts up to eight, then says nine 4 times and then ten 4 times. There's probably a meaning to it, but I leave it up to you to find it (if there is one). 2/10

"The Nurse Who Loved Me": A cover song from the band "Failure". Definitely the most unique (weird) song on the album. No guitar, no drums, just Maynard, a choir, and various orchastral instruments. I'm guessing most wont like it (though it has grown on me), but bonus points for having the balls to put this on the album. 7/10

"Pet": The "Judith" of Thirteenth Step. Heavy and Rhythmic. The lyrics come across corny at first ("Lay your head down child, I won't let the boogeyman come"), but a child fearing imaginary creatures is a good analogy for the likely subject, deception by organized religion. 10/10

"Lullaby": Another filler track. The song is basically Maynard whispering "Go back to sleep." and woman singing "oooh oh oh ooooh oh" over and over. 1/10

"Gravity": Personally, my favorite song on the album. Lyrics touch on the subject of drugs (or possibly deep meditation) giving a depressed/outcasted person a reason to live through a altered consciousness and spiritual awareness. Maynard really shows how beautiful his voice can be in this one, and the instruments emphasize the emotion tenfold. 10/10

I give the album as a whole, 9/10. It's definitely another Maynard masterpiece, though it did take a while for the album to sink in. Whether it's better than Mer De Noms is debatable, but it is worth hearing none-the-less. The above are just my lyrical and musical interpretations of each song. Likely they are absolutely wrong, but I tried.

I dont care if someone has said this already, i'd like to say it:

The Noose is the best song on the album. Along with "The Outsider," it makes this entire album worth buying. Not to say anything negative about the other tracks. Anyway, my take on The Noose: Halo's are gifted to angels and saints. If we all try to be saints and angels and good christians then we may get halos.

Well this song suggests that maybe the very thing we are striving for is what will bring us down or destroy us. Ultimately this song is about non-conformity to religion and "The Halo." This song asks what if this 'halo' is really like a noose but we have all be socialized to believe it is not. If a Halo were really a noose then all of us would have to reevaluate our lives and our morals and the way we live.

"Your halo slipping down to choke you now." This line alone implies to me that Halos, these "gifts" are what Maynard believes will actually be our downfall, thus, choking us.

Blue: I dont know why you dont like this song? Repetetitive: Yes. But it makes up for it with the atmosphere the instrumentals create. The song seems to be about the effects of Drugs and/or an addict in denial. Its pretty easy to see: "I just didnt want to know," "I close my eyes, Ignore the smoke, Ignore the smoke" And because of the subject matter and what theyre trying to create, the repetetiveness is a good thing; it creates the atmosphere.

I'd give the album 10/10. In fact, after careful reevaluation, i found i liked this album better than Mer De Noms. Judith, Rose, 3 Libras and Orestes are fabulous tracks, but on Thirteenth Step there are songs as just as good (or better. The Noose beats out 3 libras anyday. Orestes still beats all however) and there are more of them. Some songs on Mer De Noms just dont appeal to me, however i have yet to pick out a track (that isnt filler ie: Crimes) on 13th Step that i cannot enjoy.

10/10

PS: You got the credits wrong. Here we are:

Maynard James Keenan - Vocals
Billy Howerdel - Guitar
Josh Freese - Drums
Jeordie White - Bass
Troy Van Leeuwen - Guitar (Tracks 1, 5, 12)
Danny Lohner - Guitar (Track 3)

To my knowledge James Iha did not record anything on this album.

[IsItLuck?]

This CD is awesome, no more debate :D

[Smackers]

Nice review, I probably would have given a few tracks higher ratings and a few lower ones but I would say that my favorite too it Gravity.

[MrBrick]

It seems to me that "Crimes" has to do with the whole 12 step theme. We hear a progression though steps 1-8, but at 9(the 9th step) Maynard has trouble, and has to spend some time on it. For 10, we hear the same problem. Also, the fact that it stops there may indicate a failure to make it to steps 11 and 12 and get clean.

[MrBrick]

Well this song suggests that maybe the very thing we are striving for is what will bring us down or destroy us. Ultimately this song is about non-conformity to religion and "The Halo." This song asks what if this 'halo' is really like a noose but we have all be socialized to believe it is not. If a Halo were really a noose then all of us would have to reevaluate our lives and our morals and the way we live.

"Your halo slipping down to choke you now." This line alone implies to me that Halos, these "gifts" are what Maynard believes will actually be our downfall, thus, choking us.
Not really(as far as I can tell, Maynard uses deep lyrics, so I might be wrong). In "The Noose", Maynard talks about a person who is self riteous but who has commited crimes and atrocities. Maynard asks how this person will "make... amends to the dead", the people he has hurt. The halo/noose is simply this individual being tugged out of this position of respect by having their halo, a symbol of riteousness and godliness, slip away and betray them. I'm not being as clear as I would like to be, but I think I've made my point

[Scythe404]

Not really(as far as I can tell, Maynard uses deep lyrics, so I might be wrong). In "The Noose", Maynard talks about a person who is self riteous but who has commited crimes and atrocities. Maynard asks how this person will "make... amends to the dead", the people he has hurt. The halo/noose is simply this individual being tugged out of this position of respect by having their halo, a symbol of riteousness and godliness, slip away and betray them. I'm not being as clear as I would like to be, but I think I've made my point

Then explain "Your halo slipping down to choke you now"

I see the line you mentioned as a rhetorical posed to Christians in general: "How are you going to make amends to those killed in the name of your God?" is pretty much it. It fits in with the theme, and i honestly believe that my explanation is more accurate. I've listened to the song many many times and i just cant see the song being about a single person who has done such things.

"Now you stand reborn before us all"

Re-born Christians.......usually the most righteous. A halo is a symbol of holiness...how do you not see this?

It seems to me that "Crimes" has to do with the whole 12 step theme. We hear a progression though steps 1-8, but at 9(the 9th step) Maynard has trouble, and has to spend some time on it. For 10, we hear the same problem. Also, the fact that it stops there may indicate a failure to make it to steps 11 and 12 and get clean.

I've never thought of it that way before. Very insightful. I do have to step back and say though, that i'd love to be the kind of lyricist who has people conversing and debating, no less, about song meanings.

[The JoZ]

All of their "The" songs are great on this album

The Package
The Noose
The Outsider

I have Mer De Noms and this album, but I think this one is superior. Great work. And they have a hell of a live show too

[JGuy4]

My favorate Cd's are: Lateralus, Mer de Noms, and Thirteenth Step. They all have a 10/10 rating from me, but heres the individual track thoughts from me:

my ratings:
10 - masterpiece
9 - very nice
6 - above average in music, worth listening to
5 - common song
1 - Blows


Package - 7/10 - no comment

Weak and Powerless - 10/10 - the first time i heard this, it was a common song. But later i got the tune stuck in my head, and omg, it felt awesome to just zone out into this song. The harmony in this song is perfect, all the instruments seem to form a perfect tune. masterpiece.

Noose - 9/10 - a lot of emotion, awesome song.

Blue - 10/10 - my favorate track off this album! Beautiful song. So much emotion. I cant describe it further than that

Vanishing - 7/10 - kind of a filler, kind of a song, but this song will hit you sooner or later.

Stranger - 8/10 - more calm song, cool.

The Outsider - 7/10 - no comment

Crimes - filler, i cant rate this

Nurse who loved me - 8/10 - this is more the lullaby of this album, not your ordinary song, but its apc.

pet - 9/10 - hardcore apc. its cool, but its the only apc song that non-apc fans like.

lullaby - filler. cant rate this. but its good for a filler

Gravity - 10/10 - Also, Masterpiece. its awesome. Very emotional, and perfect harmony.

So Blue, Gravity, and Weak and Powerless are my fave tracks off this album. APC is my fave band, because theyre songs (just not the fillers) are very beautiful, and emotional. It makes my day to have one of their songs stuck in my head.

[Cambodia]

JGuy, I didnt like your review, I would actually give one of my own, but the Bengals come on in 10 minutes.

My main problem is, I would consider Vanishing a filler. Its 4:51 long and all instruments are used. Its a different song, but defanitley not a filler.

[Bartender]

Vanishing couldn't really be less filler, and it's one of my favourite tracks on the album.

[MrBrick]

Then explain "Your halo slipping down to choke you now"
I think this means that the person(s) gives himself the halo in their self riteousness, but since they don't deserve it because they're not holier than everyone else, so their own atitude, the halo becomes a fault. Once again I'm probably not being clear enough, but it makes sense to me.
I see the line you mentioned as a rhetorical posed to Christians in general: "How are you going to make amends to those killed in the name of your God?" is pretty much it. It fits in with the theme, and i honestly believe that my explanation is more accurate. I've listened to the song many many times and i just cant see the song being about a single person who has done such things.

"Now you stand reborn before us all"

Re-born Christians.......usually the most righteous. A halo is a symbol of holiness...how do you not see this?.
The re-born christians thing is sort of what I meant; I guess I wasn't clear enough in making my point.
I do have to step back and say though, that i'd love to be the kind of lyricist who has people conversing and debating, no less, about song meanings.
Hear hear!

[incubliss]

everyone heard about the new album coming out on November 2nd?

[MrBrick]

everyone heard about the new album coming out on November 2nd?
Yeah, eMotive. Isn't there also a cd/dvd package coming out around the same time?

[Cambodia]

everyone heard about the new album coming out on November 2nd?

Yea, its a political album and if its not good I will be let down more than I can express..It may be the end of APC. :upset:

I know they're covering some songs and re-doing "Pet", except its called "Count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the War Drum". I believe you can hear it on their site, but due to my dial-up, I havent yet.

www.aperfectcircle.com

[incubliss]

yeah, i've seen that little flash thing, it's so stupid.

the song is now rubbish, and maynard is abit of a hypocrit. what's that whole think for yourself bull**** if he's going around trying to get people to oust bush, it's stupid.

[Theo]

yeah, i've seen that little flash thing, it's so stupid.

the song is now rubbish, and maynard is abit of a hypocrit. what's that whole think for yourself bull**** if he's going around trying to get people to oust bush, it's stupid.


Oh man, this sux so bad. Don't even bother with looking at it ppl. Maynard joins the "modern" thing to do now: vote against Bush. Bad decision. APC have never been about politics and the fans wont like the new album, at least I wont. The remix of "PET" is awful. Adds nothing to the original, takes away almost everything. I think the reason all these bands want to "rock against Bush" is because they want to rebel against something,and since there's not much to rebel against, lets rock against Bush. Wise, isn't it?
Personally I dont see what ****ing Americans complain about. What did Bush do that was so wrong? He started a war. Oh no. So what, he shouldn't have? He should have let all the ****ing terrorists get away with it? Pacifism DOES NOT WORK. WAR, unfortunatelly, DOES. Anyone who disagrees can go **** themselves, hippies.

[Cambodia]

Im not old enough vote and dont care who wins. I dont have a problem with people discussing it, but when they say the same sh1t over and over, it gets annoying.

F*ck politics.

[Cambodia]

As for the new album (which I forgot about and Im too lazy to click edit), I think it will be decent but nothing Mer De Noms or 13th Step. Hopefully APC makes more records though.

[IsItLuck?]

Tool needs to record a new album rather than APC ;)

I'm craving one!!!

[Iai]

Im not old enough vote and dont care who wins. I dont have a problem with people discussing it, but when they say the same sh1t over and over, it gets annoying.

F*ck politics.

123

[BlindWriting]

Not sure if this review was done in the Request A Review Thread, but here we go...
First review, by the way.

A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step (2003)

Lineup:
Billy Howerdel - guitar, backing vocals
Maynard James Keenan - vocals
Josh Freese - drums
Jeordie Osbourne-White - bass
James Iha - guitar

Track Listing:
1. The Package (7:40)
2. Weak and Powerless (3:15)
3. The Noose (4:43)
4. Blue (4:13)
5. Vanishing (4:51)
6. A Stranger (3:12)
7. The Outsider (4:06)
8. Crimes (2:34)
9. The Nurse Who Loved Me (4:04)
10. Pet (4:34)
11. Lullaby (2:01)
12. Gravity (5:06)

Every once in a while, a band comes along that transcends genres while maintaing popularity. When Tool singer Maynard James Keenan and guitar technician Billy Howerdel formed A Perfect Circle, who could have known the genious that would come from their music?
With Josh Freese, quite possibly the busiest drummer on the planet, and more recent members James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins and Jeordie Osbourne-White (a.k.a. Twiggy Ramirez) of Marylon Manson's band, they released their second album Thirteenth Step, one that was similar in sound but still different from their debut Mer De Nomes. Howerdel creates some very different tones out of his guitar, and you'll either love 'em or hate 'em, including some incredible solos. Freese is definitely one of the best still-living modern rock drummers out there, with just the right dynamic of power and control.
People have called Thirteenth Step many things, such as progressive metal, industrial, art-rock, as well as a concept album. This comes from the twelve songs' underlying meanings of drugs, abuse and recovery of them. I can honestly say I have never heard anything like this– but I'll admit something else. It took me a year before I began liking this band. I first heard Weak and Powerless, and couldn't stand the song. Over the course of many months, I grew to like this band, and they are easily one of my favorites. And now on to the individual songs:

1. The Package – a long song, especially for an opener. The song tells of a drug addict and how he goes about attaining his next fix. With a long, beautiful intro, tension mounts as Maynard's vocals enter and Billy's quiet, menacing guitar line kicks in. By the end, it is the albums roaring, loud masterpiece.

2. Weak and Powerless – the first single, a short bus fast-paced track. Amazing guitar work, thundering bass, and excellent drums, especially the pedal work, by Freese.

3. The Noose – one of the best on the album, it begins quietly, employing some industrial sounding instrumentals. Once the powerful drum beat kicks in, the song continues to mount power until the last minute or so, when strings are used to give the song an epic feel to it.

4. Blue – with very odd sounding guitar parts, and especially smooth, melodic singing during the chorus, this song depicts the terror of a drug overdose from the perspective of someone to high or stoned to do anything about it.

5. Vanishing – another industrial-type song, it employs a sort of airy beauty that only this band could do. Slow moving but very dark, and strangely listenable.

6. A Stranger – it's just Billy and Maynard here, in dark, acoustic song, using wildly distorted strings to polish off this amazing track. Very soft, but, unfortunately, too short. It could have gone on a lot longer and truly fleshed out the song beyond its abrupt ending. Similar to 3 Libras from Mer De Nomes. Here, Maynard seems to be singing of an unknown person, probably an AA or drug rehabilitation counselor, trying to reach out to him.

7. The Outsider – straight up rock, similar to Weak and Powerless; another single. Maynard's vocals are angry and by the end, he is screaming above the relentless but focused drum part. The guitar tones here are very unique, giving off an almost wicked feel to match the subject matter.

8. Crimes – starting off with some cool guitar and bass lines, this was a could-have-been. The song is short and, sadly, pointless, never picking up. Ends with the random noises of inunderstandable talking.

9. The Nurse Who Loved Me – a cover from a band called Failure, the song is from the perspective of one who has truly lost his mind from drug use, and is now warped and insane, dreaming on in a hospital, or even an asylum. A very different APC song, it has a happy yet somber feel to it, employing lots of distorted keyboards, strings, and other instrumentals.

10. Pet – probably the album's heaviest, it has a killer guitar line, and Maynard's use of "the boogyman" could symbolize many things. With another awesome solo, the song starts hard, ends hard. Another of the best tracks.

11. Lullaby – similar to crimes in that it has an industrial feel to it, and is, dissapointingly, a waste of a track. Something a little more substantial towards the album's end would have been appreciated.

12. Gravity – with the closing song, a tale is told of someone who has finally recovered from addiction, and is now down-to-earth, ready to face reality again, hence the title, and the line, "I choose to live". Maynard's vocals are pained and soft in this quiet track. It ends without really coming to a conclusion, leaving things strangely open.

Easily one of my favorite albums, A Perfect Circle has created a unique piece of art. It is the kind of music you get when a group of musicians know that there are no bounds to what they can sonically create. With many styles of music, Thirteen Step is the album for anyone... anywhere.... Too good for words, and too good for my humble review. :D

[Happymeal]

*ehem*

*looks at Reviewed List*

[BlindWriting]

Ahhh ****.
Seached before I wrote, but didn't find it until just now.

[Happymeal]

Just report the problem to Bartender to merge this with the original review.

[Bartender]

Threads merged.