Eat The Elephant
| A Perfect Circle
Eat The Elephant
Eat the Elephant is the fourth studio album by American rock band A Perfect Circle. It is their first album release in fourteen years, after 2004's Emotive. While early work on new material traces back to as early as 2008, years of slow progress would ensue due to issues between the band's chief music writers, frontman Maynard James Keenan and guitarist Billy Howerdel, largely stemming from their commitments to other projects and inability to come to an agreement on the direction to take the band. Renewed focus, alongside assistance from music producer Dave Sardy, helped propel the band into much more productive sessions across 2017, with the album being completed in early 2018. Thematically, the album covers a variety of Keenan's views on modern societal, religious, and political issues, focusing on his perceived lack of accountability in humanity. Musically, the album was viewed as an extension and maturation of their rock sound, adding more piano and electronic elements into songs for a more mellow sound than prior albums. - WIKIPEDIA
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
On their first album in 14 years, art-metal giants Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel swerve unexpectedly toward gloomy adult-alternative.
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loudwire
an album filled with anti-war cover songs
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SPIN
A Perfect Circle Are on Their Same Old Bullshit.
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LOUDER
Maynard James Keenan gets into a meditative mode for A Perfect Circle's new album Eat The Elephant.
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glide magazine
you’ll find that the quality is as good as it’s ever been and see that they haven’t changed as much as you might think.
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DROWNED IN SOUND
Just don’t expect a record which silver plates their stellar reputation.
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Metal Injection
To put it bluntly, Eat the Elephant is a near masterpiece that further cements A Perfect Circle as equal to Keenan’s other outlets.
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blabbermouth.net
The depth evident within "Eat the Elephant" begins to appear the more you take time to appreciate its nuances. 8/10
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SPILL MAGAZINE
The album as a whole is saved by the acerbic wit and poke-in-the-eye lyrical style, but still fails to truly transform the listener in the way that many had hoped for, especially considering the band’s wealth of talent.
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The 405
14 years turns out to be not long enough as A Perfect Circle return with the toothless & intolerably self-important Eat the Elephant.
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sputnik music
a cohesive and atmospheric rock record with ambitious lyrical themes and a superb vocal performance by Maynard James Keenan.
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INDEPENDENT
Eat The Elephant shows the band balancing darkness with a more subdued sound.
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ALL MUSIC
a triumphant comeback after too much time away.
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popMATTERS
A Perfect Circle balances the constructive dissemination of contemporary society in their unique way and, in the process, rather surprisingly, may have just made one of the most prescient albums of the year.
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CoS
a record about anger and the weariness it brings.
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exclaim!
It will undoubtedly take some time for fans of the band's earlier work to get acquainted with the stylistic shift, though A Perfect Circle's messaging might have benefited more from sounds tried and true.
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AV/MUSIC
That nothing here much resembles the band’s heyday hits is theoretically admirable; this is not the work of a lazy nostalgia act. But as end-of-the-world music goes, it’s more whimper than bang.
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No Ripcord
for every explosive, curtain-closing exit there's the lifeless anthem.
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Angry Metal Guy
The low energy feel permeating the album sets it back at times, as does the bloated length, but Eat the Elephant features enough variety and impressive moments to reside on the positive end of the ledger, marking a solid return.
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VULTURE
It’s in this aspect that A Perfect Circle gives us some hope for its own future, though none for the world itself.
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Metal Sucks
Eat the Elephant is beautifully depressive.
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Daily Review
brings with it more social commentary, but the mood is much more pessimistic.
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Cryptic Rock
as different as Eat The Elephant may be… it works. It all works.
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New Noise Magazine
A Perfect Circle’s comeback record really is a gem; it’s just a different stone than most of us were expecting.
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Dead End Follies
I generally liked the album, but there were no transporting moment on it.
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Seattle pi
is a beast of a record itself and a very rewarding addition to their rather brief collection.
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Punk News
The album finds a happy medium between well-placed and memorable choruses and ambient and droning musical interludes.
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Metal Wani
A dynamic yet delicate dance, ‘Eat The Elephant’ is an occult experience that will divide some, unite others, all the while fueling the next chapter for A Perfect Circle.
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The Prelude Press
The stunning, cinematic twelve song effort finds the band making a realistic yet incredibly optimistic commentary on at the world's current state of affairs and humanity’s shortcomings while experimenting with their sound more than ever before.
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Bucket List
it is an extremely satisfying and well-rounded work of art.
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HARDWIRED
If you were expecting "just" a new album of two music geniuses like Keenan and Billy Howerdel then you are in the right place.
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Metal Master Kingdom
The generally spacious, yet sufficiently diverse musical arrangements and moods captured on the album prove yet again that APC knows no bounds.
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the void report
This album is mellow. It’s complicated.
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METAL NATION
It is full of everything you would expect, political undertones, social controversies, and a whole lot of insight.
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VULTUREHOUND
Eat the Elephant is a true hidden treasure for those who know how to dig; highly addictive, its apparent paleness builds up to a rich, dark red. APC wanted to impress without making noise, and they succeeded.
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Audio Ink Radio with Anne
“Eat the Elephant” has enough musical goodness and complexity to keep our ears intrigued for years to come.
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DEAD PRESS
there’s enough variety and standout moments to give the clear majority of listeners something to cling positively onto and to also distract from that odd album artwork.
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Ghost Cult
Eat The Elephant is the album we needed to feel right now from the band we needed to come back right now.
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Music Existence
Eat The Elephant. Take the bite. Just go all in.
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The Atlantic
Maynard James Keenan’s second-most-influential band is back after 14 years to elegantly vent about iPhones and plastic surgery.
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SPECTRUM CULTURE
After a 14-year wait between albums, it’s disappointing but perhaps not surprising that Eat the Elephant is merely adequate.
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104.1 The Blaze
Overall, this was f***ing awesome. Wow… I admit I’m a late APC adopter, but hot damn, I’m now a lifelong fan.
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Music Connection
It took APC 15 years to issue an album that, pensive as it may seem, is ultimately an exercise in dithering.
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AMNPLIFY
Is this the APC album the majority were expecting after a fourteen year hiatus? Probably not. In its defence, however, it is a sombre, sparse affair that shows hints of the underlying menace of yesteryear, and for now it seems that that is all we can expect.
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Wall of Sound.au.com
There is very little to relate this band to the one who recorded Mer De Noms, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this is probably not the record for you. But if you’re looking for something a little more mellow, slightly moodier and containing one of the best vocalists in music. This album might be just what you’re looking for.
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Smells Like Infinite Sadness
Eat The Elephant is a lot to absorb and takes time to digest, but is ultimately a very satisfying, long-awaited feast.
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earbuddy
I say Eat The Elephant just once, but I doubt you’ll want seconds.
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Metal Nexus
a solid slab of modern rock musicality that displays a veteran level of craftsmanship and creativity, with a healthy open-mindedness for infusing new ideas.
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ALTWIRE
It’s been a very long fourteen years, and it’s been well worth it.
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PURE GRAIN AUDIO
If, however, you are looking to lose yourself in a beautiful, yet dark and gloomy void, grab a copy, head home, and for about an hour, shut out the world to experience fully the emotions within.
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The Sound Board Review
It’s dominated by soft tones and meticulous arrangements, steering closer to something you’d find in jazz or classical music than prog or metal, as well as the delicate, poised atmosphere of an album with some big expectations it wants to meet.
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Ambiant Light
a departure from what has come before that will alienate a few, but will ultimately achieve greater recognition in the long run.
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shuuter 16
Eat The Elephant instead is its own kind of masterpiece.
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SCENE POINT BLANK
Eat the Elephant is not going to appease the masses. There’s going to be some folks disappointed in the end result but I think those people really need to ask themselves what they were let down by more - the album, or their own expectations.
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Indy Metal Vault
It is a record that will entice many, excite some, and divide others.
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richer sounds
It’s slow, moody and atmospheric with soft and expertly intricate drums underlining a simple piano line as Keenan’s vocals lead the track.
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THE.PROG.MIND
is totally worth the wait.
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WIKEDD CHILDD
the classic sound of the band is still there, and when this album mixes both the old elements with the new direction, that’s when it works best.
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SOUNDFICTION
A profoundly unique sense of creativity, avoiding any and all boundaries or preconceived notions of what the band should be, and words that consistently feel like poetry that must be heard.
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New Transcendence
“Eat The Elephant” is an album worth of A Perfect Circle’s discography.
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94.5 KATS
the latest Keenan/Howerdel offering has got plenty of depth to unpack through dozens of listens — something that 2010s rock desperately lacks.
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INFRARED MAGAZINE
A PERFECT CIRCLE co-founder, Billy Howerdel, said, “Demos are these precious ideas that you love in their initial state. Then you collaborate, invite other ideas, and watch them progress. That’s the dynamics and growth of a great record. I feel we’ve made a great record.”
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Chimera Magazine
they don’t care what people think, they care equally as much about creating songs that will touch the soul and resonate with listeners ready to open their hearts and minds to the message.
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SonicAbuse
‘Eat the elephant’ is not a perfect album, although it is a damned close.
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FourthEye
It’s an album that feels like Maynard and Billy are trying to reach beyond the expectations of what A Perfect Circle is all about, and it misses the mark as often as it hits.
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Leon TK
If you’re pissed off at the way the world currently is, Eat The Elephant will be easily relatable.
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Heavy Blog is Heavy
it’s all just so boring and unremarkable that it would almost have been more interesting if it were, and the fact that it’s coming from some of alternative music’s most accomplished and intriguing musicians only makes it all the more underwhelming.
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The Aquarian
eating the elephant is simply overcoming your issues and fears so that you can start your life, be brave, and focus on what you truly want and can do.
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Brooklyn Vegan
Eat the Elephant is a comeback album that finds a way to look forward while still inducing nostalgia for the band’s classic sound.
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Metal Fan (translated)
The songs are still catchy, but they sound more melancholic and dramatic.
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Ryze Up
Listening to the whole album straight through at least once is highly recommended!
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UPSET
The record doesn't crack under the weight of expectation, with its 12 tracks building on A Perfect Circle's engrossing, artful sound, which can be oddly uplifting despite frequently indulging in the melancholy.
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KARIBU
A mixed bag, then, but not entirely without merit, and one that will tide us over until Hell freezes over and that new Tool album finally drops.
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Meaww
Eat the Elephant is a comeback album that most bands would kill for!
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Tanda Media
Eat The Elephant is most definitely a step towards something completely different from what APC has accomplished before, and I appreciate that immensely.
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music.mxdwn
Eat The Elephant is easily one of the best albums of the year so far.
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National Rock Review
it doesn’t disappoint.
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ALT DIALOUGE
While we can pontificate about the subtle nuances you’ll notice on each listen, no review can do this album justice. You’ll just need to go and revel in its glory. Stunning.
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THE PRP
An acquired taste.
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STOMP AND STAMMER
Lyrically though, it’s still the same trite, cheesy, cringeworthy lyrics that A Perfect Circle/Tool are known for, so fans of this garbage will love that, at least.
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Ultimate Guitar
"Eat The Elephant" is an impressive return and step forward for A Perfect Circle.
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SFSonic
A Perfect Circle has made another timeless record, taking their sound and expanding it into plenty of unexpected directions.
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progrock.com
I really like the direction they took with more piano and electronica.
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ALPHA AUDIO (translated)
worth the wait! Brutal, dynamic, melodic, penetrating ... everything is in it
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AUDIOECLECTICA
Needless to say as a fan of the band, this is a let down.
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Stormbringer.at (translated)
A PERFECT CIRCLE make use of a variety of different genres, but never deny their own roots. The common thread is the progression.
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EMPEROR CUPCAKE
Eat the Elephant is a wonderful listen if you can accept the non-metal-ness.
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NEVERMORE HORROR
The artists have changed, matured, and refined themselves but hopefully, so have their listeners.
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nzherald.co.nz
While we wait for the next Tool album, this is a perfect warm-up.
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metal.de (translated)
A PERFECT CIRCLE are still masterly songwriters, but I miss a little bit of verve and excitement.
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Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life
They’ve still got it.
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UNSUNG MELODY
A solid effort from the band, although many fans may be unhappy with the move to more ambient, piano driven melody.
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Metal Hammer (translated)
the motto is: turn off your head, immerse yourself, enjoy.
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rezonatr
Eat The Elephant shouldn’t require a decoder ring to crack. But there is a lot more to this album than just political scrutiny.
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