Mat Mitchell has shared insights into the sonic direction of Puscifer’s upcoming album ‘NORMAL ISN’T’. He revealed a shift toward a more aggressive sound in a statement posted on Instagram.
The guitarist discussed the band’s intentional approach to creating a rawer, edgier sound for the new record.
“From the outset, we had discussed an element of rawness and edge, which guitar brings,” Mitchell said. “We got rid of the guard rails and made the music more aggressive.”
Bandmate Carina Round also offered perspective on the creative process within Puscifer.
“In Puscifer, any idea can totally change without any preciousness, and everybody is on board—not unlike an insane asylum,” Round said. “I think to do this job you have to be a bit strange. We found each other because we’re demented in a symbiotic way.”
The new direction represents a significant evolution for the band. The group has been working on this material across multiple locations and drawing from their earliest musical influences.
Rock DNA Magazine reported that ‘NORMAL ISN’T’ will be released on February 6, 2026, marking the band’s first new album in over five years. The record features Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Carina Round. It blends dark electronics with post-punk, goth, and punk influences.
Akron Civic noted that the album was written and recorded across Arizona, Los Angeles, and on the road during the band’s 2024 Sessanta tour. Mitchell co-produced the album, emphasizing the band’s commitment to pushing their music into a more spontaneous and aggressive creative space.
KNAC revealed that Maynard James Keenan introduced a new songwriting approach for this album by building full song ideas himself before collaborating with Mitchell and Round. This fresh direction channels the band members’ early influences where “goth meets punk.” It represents a darker, more guitar-driven post-punk territory that Keenan cites as the place he came from.
The band has already released the lead single “Self Evident” with a video filmed at a special August 2025 performance. Loudwire confirmed that Puscifer will support the album release with a North American tour scheduled for spring 2026, bringing their new aggressive sound to audiences across the continent.
