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Thirteenth Step
09/22/2003 8:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Rob O'Connor
The world of hard rock has consolidated into one unvarying wall of catchy hooks and rage, so whenever a group stretches beyond the obvious into a land of varying time signatures and unconventional song structures, the relief is obvious and immediate and so is the temptation to call the results "progressive." However, it's not that weird. A Perfect Circle is the work of Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan and Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel, with a rotating cast of misfits (now to include ex-Smashing Pumpkin James Iha and Jeordie White, known to the world as Twiggy Ramirez of Marilyn Manson). By muting Tool's over-the-top attack, Keenan has more time to devote to deepening the textures throughout. APC's second album, Thirteenth Step, has its share of anthemic moments, but the real passion spills over in the moody overtures where menacing danger feels seconds away. "The Noose" and aptly titled "Blue" particularly heighten the tension. Think of it this way, even headbangers need to relax their necks from time to time.
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