First of all id like to give credit to robnathanhanson for the setup im going to use and for also doing a very good job on the review.
First off A Perfect Circle is made up of:
Maynard James Keenan: lead vocals
Billy Howerdel: lead guitar and backup vocals
Paz Lenchantin: bass, violin, and backup vocals
Josh Freese: drums
Troy Van Leeuwen: rythm guitar
Now those of you who know maynard, already know that he is/was the lead singer of tool and APC was just a side project, which later became full time. Billy Howerdell was a guitar tech for Tool. Ex-failure and enemy guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen also joined along with Josh Freese from vandals and Guns and Roses. However their sound is very little like Tool.
A Perfect Circle blends excellent lyrics with melodic and hard rocking music. It is a sound very easy to get attached to and brings a whole new meaning to metal music. It may not be the traditional hard side of metal but is something you can recognize as a prominent form of music.
Song by song Analysis:
THE HOLLOW- A great way to start the album. This is one of the harder songs on the album and comes off as just another rock band. And thats really how the whole feel of the song is. But the lyrics behind it, make the song great. LEave it to maynard to write something to save a song from repetition.5/5
MAGDALENA-After the first burst of energy, you catch a break with what now becomes known as an APC melodic song. A perfect blend of entrancing verses and powerful chords in the chorus. This along with more exceptionally written lyrics, makes this one of the better songs on the album.4/5
ROSE- Another slower song, but the feel of it changes, instead of cleanly played verses, there is the addition of effects. The music leads you along, builds up on the the prechorus and rings out in the chorus backed with more solid lyrics(a habit of maynards if you hadnt gusessed it). Not a personal favorit but still a good song nonetheless.4/5
JUDITH-Id say the most contreversial and hardest song on the album. This song is a well written song however it does bash blindly following religion. I will refrain from quoting anything but if you are a strong beleiver in any releigion with a god, then i would not let this one song sway your decision in picking this album up because it is only one song. This one sounds the most like traditional metal. Overall it is a good song for those who do not take it personally. It is actually in my opinion one of the better songs on the album. 4/5
ORESTES-A chilling song. It opens with a chilling riff, and goes striaght into maynard with melancholy lyriccs. One of the slowlest songs but also one of the best. The guitar slowly guides you through the song and keeps you there with its beautiful melody. Toward the end you get a taste of power as it gets faster and a little harder and then slowly leads out again. The lyrics indoubtedly fit, and could be taken several different ways much like the rest of maynards lyrics.
5/5
3 LIBRAS-Accousitc guitar matched with a violin. A good tempo song, mostly focusing on the lyrics and maynards vocals. Lyrics are once again matching and well written. The song is all around put together just right, mixing slower verses, lead in pre chorus, and faster chorus and outro. 5/5
SLEEPING BEAUTY-Starts out with heavy distortion but quickly changes into a heavy slow song, that focus mostly on the vocals. The guitar on this one drunkenly stumbles along, in a good way, but in my opinion the music and lyrics dont match up as well in this one as they do in other songs. Each half is good, just the pairing isnt one of the better ones.3.5/5
THOMAS-Starts off slow, with single notes, and moves into heavy chords. Then it goes into a steady chord sturm with maynard singing. Overal gives kind of an enchanting kind of feel. The verse then breaks into a heavy chord chorus. The lyrics are solid and the msuic fits unlike the last song. 3.5/5
REHOLDER-"read backwards as RE: D. Lohner (Danny Lohner) who briefly became APC's guitarist after Troy left. he recorded a number of songs on Thirteenth step, before quitting and being replaced by James Iha"-robnathanhanson...huh, didnt know that, but this song is completely music, and i think it sounds pretty good. Its a different song, but makes you think.3/5
THINKING OF YOU-An uptempo song with a strumming guitar line and effects on lead. Maynards vocals flow through the verses easily and lead straight into an almost whisper singing/talking prechorus, and droning chorus. A great song, but you have to listen a few times and itll finally grow on you. At least thats how it went for me. 3.5/5
BRENA-Slow intro with single notes, and continues thorught the verse. This added with powerful lyrics. A heartfelt song, and hardly follows the rock format at all until the chorus, where it adds heavy chords with distortion. A good song and leads into a great melancholy finish of the album however, if you were looking for more hard songs, there are none left to come. 3/5
OVER-Bell like intro, with maynard repeating the same line. leads into a piano part which is quite a finish for the album, even if it did end more musically than rocking. An alright song, nothing too great, id expect a little better of a finish from them however, the rest of the album more than makes up for it. 2.5/5
A good CD overall for those looking for an exceptionally made album. If all you want are the power chords and screaming the album will leave you lacking.
Pick it up, you wont be disappointed, unless you lost interest when i said the album didnt follow traditional metal values, in which case you will most likely be disappointed.
by the way this is my first review, and im open to contructive criticism. Notice how i said contructive. I dont need to hear stuff like "your review sucked because it did". If it didnt help you, put down a good reason, or dont waste my time and everyone elses.
