Mer de Noms [Vinyl] [Explicit Lyrics, Limited Edition]

A Perfect Circle | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (September 2, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Explicit Lyrics, Limited Edition
• Label: Virgin Records
• ASIN: B00004TAQD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (645 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,798 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"A Perfect Circle is not a side project," proclaim the members of Perfect Circle. It's a caution worth heeding, since the most identifiable name in the band is that of vocalist Maynard James Keenan, lead singer of Tool. On the other hand, one wouldn't be much inclined to file this one under "side project" anyway. The musicians involved go to great lengths to create something distinctive, and if the uniformity of sound can be attributed to the fact that guitarist Billy Howerdel (whose previous songwriting credits include Tool, the Smashing Pumpkins, and David Bowie) is responsible for the lion's share of the music, well, the others aren't exactly marching in lockstep. Keenan's vocals here are quite different from anything heard from him before. Subtle, thoughtful, sober, they're a far cry from Keenan's work with Tool, which is what makes this album more than a side-project curiosity. Mer de Noms has a life all its own. --Genevieve Williams

Product Description

180 Gram/Audiophile pressing
Gatefold jacket/2 discs
Printed on original satin stock jacket

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Album?, August 26, 2000

By 

kris ilic (Cardiff, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mer De Noms (Audio CD)

APC have been both blessed and cursed by comparisons with lead vocalist Maynard James Keenan's other band, the excellent Tool. However, these comparisons aren't exactly justified. Perfect Circle is Perfect Circle and Tool is Tool. Both bands are unique, and their only real connection musically is through Maynard's vocals, which here sound far more vulnerable and emotional than his usual style.

The first thing that must be said about this album is that the performances given by all five members are all absolutely awe inspiring. Billy Howerdel's song writing ablility is second to none; Maynard James Keenan's vocals are better than ever before; Josh Freese is simply one of the best drummers on earth; Paz Lenchantin's bass playing is excellent, and her violin arrangements are simply perfect; and Troy Van Leeuwen's excellent guitar work is equally noteworthy.

Mer De Noms opens with the superb 'Hollow', one of the more upbeat songs on the album. Like many of the songs on here it has a wonderful chorus that you just can't get out of your head, with Maynards' vocals soaring while the music simply builds in intensity until the end.

Following 'Hollow' is the atmospheric 'Magdalena', one of my personal favourites and an exercise in controlled power. The atmosphere on this song is so thick you can almost taste it. There are some great guitar-noise breaks here before the song again builds up until it reaches an awesome intensity.. but without any kind of screaming or earache inducing yells.

'Rose' is up next, with its off-kilter melodies and strange bass/keyboard parts complimenting one-another perfectly. Some nice guitar solos without being over the top. (More pink-floydy than most rock/metal solos).

By now everyone will have heard 'Judith', the heaviest track on the album, expressing Maynards' rage at Christianity and Religion in general, with a great main riff and some superb 'bottle-neck' slide guitar.

'Orestes' is one of the more mellow tracks, with some excellent vocal harmonies and a wonderfully memorable guitar melody. Again this track (like much of the album) is intense without resorting to screams or heavy, pounding riffs.

'3 Libras' is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The lyrics are superb, complimenting the music perfectly, and the vocal work is astounding, particularly the end of the song which sees Maynard really opening up. The music in this song has an almost trance inducing effect, so well is it played.

'Sleeping Beauty' is one of the more heavy tracks, again intense and concentrated, simply due to the tightness with which it's played.

'Thomas' begins with a little melody played out on what sounds like an acoustic before the band kicks in with a riff that sounds like the world is ending. Brilliant.

'Renholder' is a strange interlude, consiting of another off-kilter guitar melody, with Paz Lenchantin's violin arrangements flitting around and complimenting it, along with Maynards' unearthly moans and sighs.

'Thinking Of You' has simply the best rock bassline I've heard since Ozzy's 'Perry Mason' from the 'Ozzmosis' album. I just can't get it out of my head!

'Brena' is almost ethereal in it's presentation. The vocals are again unearthly, and the music is absolutely superb, full of passion, and wonderfully emotive.

The album finishes with the NIN 'Fragile' soundalike 'Over'. Simply piano, a small amount of percussion and vocals. An odd, yet satisfying way to finish the album.

This really is a special album, one of those where you find yourself wanting to keep to yourself and treasure, and yet simultaneously shout its' praises from every rooftop until everyone knows just how great it is. There's something here for everyone, and everything here for someone. If you like your music passionate and intense, you won't be dissapointed.

115 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A five star debut, July 1, 2000

By 

"halo_tragedy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mer De Noms (Audio CD)

I'll be honest, I never liked Tool. I always admired Maynard James Keenan and thought he was an amazing vocalist, but I never really got into Tool. Their sound just didn't appeal to me. But I when I heard Mer De Noms, I immediately fell in love with A Perfect Circle. In fact, I love A Perfect Circle so much that I can easily call them one of my favorite bands.

Their sound varies significantly from Tool and other Hard Rock bands. A Perfect Circle's music is very brooding and eloquent...they create a very dark atmosphere that really pulls you into the songs. Maynard further proves how amazing a vocalist he is as he brings the haunting lyrics to life with hypnotic and trance-inducing vocals. His talent really shines in the amazing ballad "Orestes", the first single "Judith", and my favorite song on the album, "Thinking Of You". But as the name suggests, he's not the only member of the band. Billy Howerdel is a great guitarist and composer, Josh Freese is a very experienced drummer, and Paz Lenchantin and Troy Van Leeuwen are talented musicians as well.

Although I was completely blown away with this album, I can't confidently say that others will be as well. I'm sure many people bought Mer De Noms after hearing Judith on the radio or television and expected the rest of the songs to be just like it, but instead finding them to be much more mellow, and were disappointed. So my advice is to buy this CD with an open mind, and not to expect the hardest of rock, but instead very melodic and slow rock music that you can practically fall asleep to. I will admit that it has its flaws, but it achieves what it sets out to do and then some. Mer De Noms is a five star debut from a very talented band that we'll all be hearing from a lot more.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting......., June 8, 2000

By 

David Baker (Nosgoth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mer De Noms (Audio CD)

For all the rock albums I have, from "Mellon Collie" to "The Fragile" to "Aenima", this one holds it's own. It's right up there with all those classics. The first single, "Judith", sounds a lot like Tool, fitting since Maynard fronts both bands. It's an amazing song with a chorus you won't soon forget. Though Maynard will get most of the attention due to his Tool status, Billy Howerdel is the main man behind this project. His guitar skills are breathtaking. From iron-spiked riffs to soft acoustic melodies, he can do no wrong. The best song here, (and now, one of my all-time favorites) "Rose", is one that will have you hitting repeat for days. It starts out with dark-almost gothic-acoustic guitars, then Maynard's beautiful wounded voice carries the song into something beyond perfection. It's no real surprise that APC have a gothic feel at times, in an article with "Rolling Stone" Billy said some of his favorite albums are by Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure (I know some of you are absolutely clueless). The beautiful "Renholder" is a perfect example of that. It can also echo Tool's alt/metal work with "Judith", "Sleeping Beauty", "Thinking Of You", and "Thomas" rocking like Tool themselves. "The Hollow" opens up the disc and you get a feel of how the album is. "Magdalena" is great with it's sludgy bass line. "Orestes" is amazing and bleeds into the beautiful "3 Libras" with lush strings leading the way. I'm a HUGE Tool fan, but A Perfect Circle (in my opinion) are better. You can't ask for a better album; from start to finish this is a classic. I'm never letting this CD out of my sight.