A Perfect Circle

eMOTIVe

An Atmospheric Gem for the Sophisticated Palate

Review Score:

(10/10)
With taking risks come repercussions. Although A Perfect Circle's third full-length release, the politically volatile and experimental "eMOTIVe" is a provocative, progressive, heavily layered, and highly atmospheric offering, close-minded APC fans may discard the radio-unfriendly album saying it doesn't "rock" in traditional APC fashion.

The incredibly symphonic, haunting, and at times - techno-tinged "eMOTIVe" showcases APC's ever growing appeal to art rock aficionados and will secure praise from prog rockers. However, hardheaded APC fans may not be so forthcoming with admiration.

Some will dismiss the cover-based album as uncreative or unoriginal before giving it a spin and realizing the band's ever-expanding instrumental creativity.

APC manages to make each cover their own by greatly altering rhythms, introducing previously unused instruments, throwing in unexpected string arrangements, and threading together wonderfully varied vocal harmonies.

Five tracks on "eMOTIVe" were co-produced by Danny Lohner of Nine Inch Nails and almost every track from this effort has a very NIN feel, whether from eerily sparse piano runs, fuzzy chainsaw guitars, choppy rhythms, or surreal vocals.

APC's eerie version of John Lennon's "Imagine" starts with a grim piano-driven funeral procession beat and later joins with haunting violins and murky guitars.

Surrealistic tracks "What's Going On," and "Peace Love and Understanding" -a song that sounds as though delivered from a smoldering corpse-laden battlefield- are both given an eloquent Middle-Eastern sound, while the ghostly piano-led "When the Levee Breaks," which starts out like a Fiona Apple track, is carried by a sinister bassline, cloudy vocals, and an overall bluesy feel. The unsettling "People Are People" has a futuristic feel and sounds like the music you'd hear emanating from a deranged scientist's castle.

Close-minded APC fans may treat this full-length album as a single, repeatedly playing the original track, "Passive," the most radio-friendly and traditionally sounding APC song on the album, and the perfect background music for a Maynard-led march on Washington.

Others will be turned off by the unrelenting assault of political-inspired lyrics. But, Maynard & Co. put out this concept album not for commercial success but as a creative outlet that would shake its listeners and challenge them with an omnipresent call-to-action.

The unexpected is refreshing. Maynard is king of such; APC and Tool fans will both agree. With "eMOTIVe," it's up to APC fans to open their minds even wider, and judge whether or not this highly experimental album was worth the time in the lab.

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