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14 Years Later, A Perfect Circle Returns With Gloomy Sound
11 Aug
Summary
- A Perfect Circle's first album in 14 years, Eat the Elephant, surprises with adult alternative.
- Maynard James Keenan compares album creation to slow cooking and winemaking.
- The new album eschews guest musicians, focusing on the core duo's chemistry.
A Perfect Circle, led by Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel, has released their first album in 14 years, "Eat the Elephant." This new offering marks an unexpected shift from their signature art-metal sound towards gloomy adult-alternative music, characterized by grand pianos and classical strings.
Maynard James Keenan views the creation of "Eat the Elephant" with a philosophy of patience, comparing it to the slow, deliberate processes of winemaking and cooking. He emphasizes the need for focus and time, likening the creative process to keeping children out of the kitchen until dinner is ready.
Co-founder Billy Howerdel, who initially envisioned the band with a dream-pop sound, has shaped A Perfect Circle's heavier direction with Keenan. However, "Eat the Elephant" re-establishes the duo's core chemistry as the defining element, recorded without the extensive guest musicians featured on earlier successful albums like "Mer De Noms" and "The Thirteenth Step."
