Maynard James Keenan Reveals Massive 80-Song Playlist That Shaped Upcoming Puscifer Album ‘Normal Isn’t’

With the release of Puscifer’s fifth studio album, Normal Isn’t, set for February 6, 2026, the band has been offering fans a glimpse into the creative headspace that defined the recording sessions. While bandmates Carina Round and Mat Mitchell have previously shared their own musical inspirations, frontman Maynard James Keenan has now unveiled his own personal soundtrack for the project—and it is extensive.

On Tuesday, December 2, Keenan shared a sprawling playlist consisting of 80 tracks that he kept on rotation while writing and recording the new material.

The collection offers a clear window into the “sonic DNA” of the new record. The list is dominated by the darker, moodier sounds of the 1980s, featuring a heavy dose of post-punk, goth rock, and new wave. Keenan’s selection leans heavily on atmospheric pioneers such as Tones on Tail, Bauhaus, and Siouxsie and the Banshees, while also incorporating industrial textures from Nine Inch Nails and Killing Joke.

Here is the complete list of songs that influenced Keenan during the creation of Normal Isn’t:

• Tones on Tail – “Means of Escape“
• Lords of the New Church – “Russian Roulette“
• Depeche Mode – “In Your Room“
• Tones on Tail – “You, The Night And The Music“
• Bauhaus – “She’s In Parties“
• Art of Noise – “Close (To The Edit)“
• Tears for Fears – “Suffer The Children“
• Bauhaus – “Slice of Life“
• The Smiths – “What Difference Does It Make?” (John Peel Session, 5/18/83)
• The Cure – “Lovesong“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Israel” (7″ single version)
• The Church – “Under The Milky Way“
• Nine Inch Nails – “Into The Void“
• The Smiths – “The Headmaster Ritual“
• Tones on Tail – “Now We Lustre“
• The Cure – “Fascination Street“
• Christian Death – “Spiritual Cramp” (Mission UK Mix)
• Bauhaus – “King Volcano“
• Killing Joke – “Eighties“
• The Damned – “Grimly Fiendish“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Christine“
• Einstürzende Neubauten – “Die Interimsliebenden“
• Killing Joke – “Kings And Queens“
• The Smiths – “How Soon Is Now?“
• Nine Inch Nails – “The Day The World Went Away“
• Cocteau Twins – “Wax And Wane“
• Joy Division – “Love Will Tear Us Apart“
• Dead Can Dance – “Chant of the Paladin“
• The Cure – “Pictures of You“
• Cocteau Twins – “Pandora“
• Swans – “Coward“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Spellbound“
• The Sisters of Mercy – “The Corrosion“
• Depeche Mode – “I Feel You“
• Tones on Tail – “Go!“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Arabian Knights“
• Tones on Tail – “Shakes“
• Cocteau Twins – “Lorelei“
• Tones on Tail – “Rain“
• Dead Can Dance – “The Spider’s Stratagem“
• New Order – “Blue Monday“
• Killing Joke – “Tension“
• Christian Death – “Sleepwalk“
• The Sisters of Mercy – “Lucretia My Reflection“
• Joy Division – “Transmission“
• Lords of the New Church – “Open Your Eyes“
• The Smiths – “Bigmouth Strikes Again“
• Tones on Tail – “Christian Says“
• Tones on Tail – “O.K. This Is The Pops“
• Bauhaus – “Rosegarden Funeral of Sores“
• Depeche Mode – “Never Let Me Down Again“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Kiss Them For Me“
• New Order – “Shellshock” (7″ Edit)
• Tones on Tail – “Burning Skies“
• The Sisters of Mercy – “Flood II“
• Slint – “Breadcrumb Trail“
• Nine Inch Nails – “The Wretched“
• Cocteau Twins – “Cicely“
• Dead Can Dance – “Mother Tongue“
• Einstürzende Neubauten – “Nagorny Karabach“
• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “From Her To Eternity“
• Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Dizzy“
• Swans – “Money Is Flesh“
• Bauhaus – “Bela Lugosi’s Dead“
• Tears for Fears – “Ideas As Opiates“
• Slint – “Don, Aman“
• Slot – “An Evening In Eastpointe” (Playground Version)
• Spahn Ranch – “Breath And Taxes“
• Tears for Fears – “Change“
• Tones on Tail – “Copper“
• Spahn Ranch – “Antibody“
• Einstürzende Neubauten – “Yu-Gung” (Adrian Sherwood Mix)
• Tones on Tail – “Real Life“
• The Sisters of Mercy – “Never Land” (Full Length)
• Nine Inch Nails – “I’m Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally“
• Swans – “Greed“
• The Cure – “Lullaby“
• The Verve – “Gravity Grave“
• The Young Gods – “Skinflowers“
• Depeche Mode – “World In My Eyes” (7″ Version)

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