Puscifer: Donkey Punch the Night

Puscifer
Donkey Punch The Night EP
(Puscifer Entertainment)

I’ve always been a big fan of Tool’s music as well as A Perfect Circle’s output. However, after several releases I’m still undecided about Maynard James Keenan’s eccentric side-project, Puscifer. As a performing unit, Puscifer is said to be a fun mix of comedy, music and performance art. I’ve never had the fortune of catching a Puscifer show, so I can only go by the music. This latest EP release, Donkey Punch The Night, other than having one of the best album titles ever, doesn’t offer much in repeat listening. The two original tracks, “Breathe” and “Dear Brother” (and their remixes) don’t pack any punch at all in my opinion

The EP’s other two tracks (four really, counting their remixed versions) are uninspiring covers of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Accept’s “Balls To The Wall.” While it’s cool to see someone as well known as Keenan cover Accept’s classic metal tune, it’s lacking the sleaziness of the original, which I find odd considering this EP’s name. As far as “Bohemian Rhapsody” goes, this is another watered-down performance. Freddie Mercury’s vocals were top notch, especially on this song, so anything less than the real thing (even an established and highly influential vocalist like Keenan) just won’t do.

Overall, this release doesn’t make or break Puscifer. It just seems like something fun they wanted to do. You probably won’t kick yourself for missing this “punch.”