This came out in 2000 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Who says being a roadie is a thankless job?
It sure paid off for Billy Howerdel. While working as a guitar tech for Tool, he played his home-studio alterna-rock compositions for singer Maynard James Keenan — who was impressed enough to pen lyrics, recruit musicians and re-record the tracks that eventually became Mer De Noms (Sea of Names). For Maynard, it’s probably a nice change. Howerdel’s stylishly textured modern rock favours orchestral gloom and romantic passion over Tool’s Eastern European, post-industrial bashing. Not that A Perfect Circle don’t crank up and grind away on occasion — Thomas in particular has the sludgy dissonance and gothy vibe of a ghostly Type O Negative. Ultimately, this album might not quite as precisely flawless as the band’s handle, but it has an elegant beauty no Tool outing could ever match.
