MER DE NOMS-A Perfect Circle

Mer De Noms-
A Perfect Circle
Status-Out as of 2000
Label-Virgin Records
Rating-3 Feathers

A Perfect Circle originated in California when guitarist Billy Howerdel recruited Tool singer Maynard James Keenan as the singer for his new band. Now deemed as ‘Tool’s side Project’, A Perfect Circle balances a combination of metal with sounds in tune with art rock. Mer De Noms goes on with ‘The Hollow’. It’s heavy drumbeat that quickly moves into a heavy guitar riff truly pulls you in. What’s nice about it is it won’t deflect ‘calm’ music lovers for the fact that Maynard’s voice is very melodic. ‘Magdalena’ is calmer than the previous, but the bass keeps it heavy. Whatever filter it is that his voice is going through really gives it a nice effect. ‘Rose’ is very industrial sounding. After the ‘I am I will’ part comes, it gets less industrial and more dark. The strings at the end sound awfully weird, but they help in transitioning into the next song. ‘Judith’ is perhaps one of A Perfect Circle’s better known songs. The song is about how Maynard’s mother is so religious that even after she had a severe stroke, she continued to be very religious. He, however, is angry at both God and her because he doesn’t understand how He could let something like this happen to her even though ‘it’s not like (she) killed someone’. The song is similar to ‘The Hollow’ but a bit heavier and a lot angrier, and Billy’s backing vocals help add to the going mental mood. ‘Orestes’ is much calmer and softer than the last song, which gives it a lighter feel. It’s alright, but it sounds a bit nasal and I don’t like the repetitiveness. ‘3 Libras’ is also quiet like the last, but the gist is a little warmer. The chorus is more powerful than the rest of the song, which makes it very enjoyable. ‘Sleeping Beauty’ is a bit too lengthy for me. They try to make it a calm powerful sort of deal but it doesn’t really work. The end is real nice, however. ‘Thomas’ sounds a bit off. It’s all over the place structure wise. It’s commanding, but not great. ‘Renholdër’ is very spacey, in a mysterious dreamlike way. It’s very artsy, not quite in tune with the rest of the album. ‘Thinking of You’ is one of those songs that when you have a nightmare, it’s the song playing in the background. He sounds downright creepy and the part where he’s whispering ‘thinking of you’ all breathy really sends you into a paranoid state. ‘Breña’ is more serene than the last and helps you regain your composure from the last song. ‘Over’ finishes off the album with a solitary Maynard backed by a vibraphone-like instrument and a grand piano. It ends the album nicely, but I’d hoped that the album would end with a wham rather than a ping. Although they’ll probably be the only thing close to metal that I listen to, they have one of those very appealing sounds that was missing before they came on the scene. Even though there are a few moments that make me realize why I’m far from a metal fan, there are enough times in there that make think they’re proficient at their craft. They’ve got quite the journey ahead of them.

“I can’t tell you where it comes from, it just comes out.”-Billy Howerdel

Video for Judith

A Perfect Circle's Official Website
Note: Sorry for the lack of reviews, I'm going to try to get out at least two a week and The Friday Thing. I hope you guys like this review. Your comments are very much appreciated! Stay tuned for The Fratellis, The Strokes, Muse, and more!