PUSCIFER, which released its critically lauded fourth full-length album, "Existential Reckoning", on Friday, has dropped a music video for the song "Theorem".
The clip, which was directed by frontman Maynard James Keenan, offers an update on the search for Pusciverse desert dweller Billy D. The video's arrival follows an eventful weekend for the group that features Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Carina Round, Greg Edwards and Gunnar Olsen, with a wildly successful release day livestream event, "Existential Reckoning: Live At Arcosanti", and saw the 12-song album sitting atop Apple's Rock Album chart since release.
Keenan said: "People ask us 'What is in the Briefcase?' 'Puscifer.' 'And what is Puscifer?' 'What is Puscifer is what Puscifer is.' 'Like a paradox?' 'More than one.' Sigh."
"Existential Reckoning" has also been met with widespread critical praise. Stereogum said the music is "funky" and "darkly playful," Billboard dubbed it "slinky," Consequence Of Sound said the collection is "comparable to early '80s new wavers, as well as modern acts like RADIOHEAD," American Songwriter described "Existential Reckoning" as "seductive," and SPIN said its "infectious enough to make you want to dance the blight away and ponderous enough to make your mind work up a sweat while doing so."
"Existential Reckoning" was produced by Mitchell and PUSCIFER. The album was recorded and mixed by Mitchell at Puscifer Studios in North Hollywood, California.
"Existential Reckoning" track listing:
01. Bread And Circus
02. Apocalyptical
03. The Underwhelming
04. Grey Area 5.1
05. Theorem
06. Upgrade
07. Bullet Train To Iowa
08. Personal Prometheus
09. A Singularity
10. Postulous
11. Fake Affront
12. Bedlamite
Born somewhere in the Arizona desert, PUSCIFER is an electro-rock band, multimedia experience, traveling circus, and alien abduction survivors. The group's catalog consists of three full-length studio albums — "'V' is for Vagina" (2007), "Conditions Of My Parole" (2011) and "Money Shot" (2015) — in addition to a series of EPs and remixes. Beyond the core trio of Keenan, Mitchell and Round, the group's ever-evolving ecosystem encompasses a cast of characters such as Billy D and his wife Hildy Berger, Major Douche, Special Agent Dick Merkin, and many more. Meanwhile, the moniker's origins can be traced to a 1995 episode of the HBO classic "Mr. Show" where Keenan first utilized the name "Puscifer." Entertainment Weekly christened them "exceptionally groovy" and Revolver fittingly described them as "indescribable." Renowned for an immersive live show, the group's performances blur the lines between concert and theater, traversing the dusty American Southwest with Billy D and Hildy or the sweaty squared circle with Luchadores. They've brought this to life everywhere from Coachella to Bonnaroo. On their 2020 debut for Alchemy Recordings/BMG, PUSCIFER track Billy D back to the desert and, just maybe, uncover the truth about aliens once and for all.
Photo credit: Travis Shinn
