Originally birthed as a side-project, A Perfect Circle was the brainchild of guitarist Billy Howerdel formerly of Failure. Having been the guitar tech for the band Tool, he got in touch with Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan, and after some convincing, formed Perfect Circle. The result? Sheer genius.
Each and every song (even "Judith") contains in it more maturity than 99% of any freshman release. Intricate melodies wrap around you, with Keenan's beautiful vocals in the background. The music ranges from soft ballad to angry alt-rock, and it all is very un-Tool sounding. This music is completely original, not drawing noticeably from the members' previous bands.
Lyrical content varies from love songs ("Magdalena") to beautiful prose, and then The One that everyone is talking about: "Judith." This song will, without a doubt, offend any Christian who listens to it. Lyrics are extremely bitter, aimed at Christians, essentially calling them sheep. The thing that is more saddening than the lyrics themselves, is the backstory to Keenan's bitterness toward Christianity. The song is easily skipped, and is the only one like it.
Barring that song, the album is a masterpiece. Even the instrumentals are unique and intriguing. The mix is full, guitars are beefy and drums are given their due presence. Cellos (might be violins) also add to the overall texture, giving it dimension. I highly recommend the album, provided you can stomach and/or skip "Judith."
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