A Perfect Circle Essentials

A Perfect Circle's stridently modern style rests upon an alluring dance between art metal dread and goth melodicism. Like their singer Maynard James Keenan's band Tool, they love heavy prog. But with APC, Keenan and guitarist Billy Howerdel craft music that relies more on atmosphere than brutality—ghostly meditations like “3 Libras” and “Blue” are exotic blends of gauzy guitars, glistening strings and ethereal vocals. Keenan's inventiveness also stands out: Look no further than his version of John Lennon's “Imagine”, which sounds like a funeral dirge from the Middle Ages.