"The haunting new track finds Maynard James Keenan and company going full goth, with the song sounding like a lovechild of Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy. The sonic vibe falls in line with Keenan's initial description of the album, where he said, "We're definitely leaning into our early influences. It's the place where goth meets punk. It's where I came from.""
"A director's cut of the music video for "Pendulum" introduces fans to a new character in the Pusciverse, the very goth-y Bellendia Black, hilariously played by Keenan. The clip starts out with Keenan, as himself, awkwardly interviewing Bellendia for nearly three minutes before introducing the song. The visuals then cut between a live performance of the song and images of the band members as their younger selves with very '80s goth/new wave looks."
"'The dramatic and romantic nature of this track induces a sonic sense memory that transports me back to the dark and moody dance floor of Club Iguana, Austin, TX, circa 1985,' Keenan stated in a press release. 'I can almost smell the clove cigarettes.' Bandmate Mat Mitchell added, 'Featuring Fairlight and reverb soaked vocals, 'Pendulum' is a nod to the '80s dark underground.'"
Ten days after releasing their first single, Puscifer released a second single titled Pendulum on Halloween and announced the album Normal Isn't. The track adopts goth influences, recalling Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy, and aligns with Keenan's return to early influences where goth meets punk. A director's-cut video introduces Bellendia Black, played by Keenan, pairing an awkward interview segment with live performance footage and '80s goth/new wave visuals of the band. Keenan cites a sonic sense memory of Club Iguana circa 1985; Mat Mitchell highlights Fairlight and reverb-soaked vocals as a nod to the '80s dark underground. Normal Isn't releases February 6, and a North American tour begins March 20, 2026.
Read at Consequence
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