The supergroup A Perfect Circle is known in the rock world for its signature sound from its members guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. And for the first time in nearly a decade, A Perfect Circle has released a new album, sort of.

“Three Sixty” is the greatest hits record that fans did not want but the band needed. The song features a compilation of songs from the bands previous three releases as well as the only new song, “By and Down.” 

The album comes in two versions, the standard and deluxe. The standard version is 13 tracks while the deluxe version comes on two CDs containing the same 13 tracks as well as a two more songs and four live songs.

The songs featured are the common known songs like “Judith,” “3 Libras” and “The Outsider,” as well as fan favorites such as “Weak and Powerless” and “Passive.” The selection is a great decision and is one that most fans of A Perfect Circle can agree on.

The new song, “By and Down,” may not be the song that fans wanted to hear but overall fits in well into the album. Overall, the song is full of melodies and is something fans can appreciate. However, it is not a chorus-gripping song like “The Outsider.”

The biggest problem with this release is not with the music itself but the fact that this is not what fans had wanted. If this album came out closer to a time when A Perfect Circle was clearer on a release of a new record, this would be a great treat to get newer fans while giving out new music for the older ones. However, this release overall feels like a cash grab, and “By and Down” is just something to persuade older fans into spending more money on music they already know and love. 

For fans of A Perfect Circle who own their previous work, this album will only be useful for “By and Down” and the live songs. But for those who are fans of Tool, or who are looking into discovering A Perfect Circle for the first time, this compilation is a great entry to their most popular songs. However, just listen to their previous albums “Mer de Noms,” “Thirteenth Step” and “eMOTIVe” in their entirety. 

3/5