Puscifer Gives Us the ‘Money Shot’

Stephanie Hernandez

Maynard James Keenan has started many a cult musical endeavor from Tool, Perfect Circle and now Puscifer. MJK’s need to produce apocalyptic party jams has clearly not ceased. In the past Puscifer has been consistently hard to define, their last two albums so varied in influences and stylistic direction it became entirely too difficult to pin down their true intentions. Cue album number three, “Money Shot” a definitively more solid, instrumentally sound and lyrically twisted piece of work. A healthy dose of Keenan’s signature blend of dark humor and alternative metal hooks makes the ten-song track listing all that more enjoyable of a ride. For those of you that feared that Puscifer’s appeal would fade, think again, this revolving lineup is here to stay.

“Money Shot” Finds Keenan stirring the pot with some of his previous collaborators including his son, Devan, Primus’ Tim Alexander, singer Carina Round and Queens of the Stone Age’s Jon Theodore. The production was handled by the group’s guitarist Mat Mitchell, quite possibly the reason this record’s sound is so consistent. Keenan, Mitchell and Round spent three years writing and tinkering in the studio before a final mix was settled upon. The record opens with the pulsating melody of “Galileo,” an ocean like groove and pull found in “Grand Canyon” as well as “The Remedy” where MJK exclaims, “You speak like someone who has never been smacked in the fucking mouth / That’s okay, we have the remedy,” classic Keenan. “The Remedy” also lends itself to being a darker more somber track, apart from its inherent cheekiness; its self-reflective lyrics help you actually take the song seriously. Laced throughout the album we find Carina Round’s atmospheric vocals adding just the right amount of beauty to the roughed up sound, fitting perfectly alongside Keenan’s, their gushing harmonies provide a welcomed variation to what could be too harsh a sonic boom. The more raucously wry and twisted humor of the album comes on the fifth and eponymous track “Money Shot,” and continues on through till the record’s end with “Autumn.”

Overall “Money Shot” feels like Puscifer taking a closer look at what actually makes them Puscifer and fine-tuning what they already do so well. The result is a more personal and self reflective piece of work, here the attention is pointed at Keegan and his internal battles and observations instead of dissecting the outwardly crowd. “Money Shot” is about discovering how to find your place in the world, through a satirical lens of course. The record is bursting with snarky attitude, sardonic lyrics, industrial rhythms and tied together by an overarching grit, making this their boldest statement to date. We look forward to seeing this translate to their live shows, kicking off November 1.

“Money Shot” will be available on Apple Music Oct. 30.