Maynard James Keenan tends to keep all his bands sliding in and out of frame. He released a new Puscifer album this year, occasioning a We’ve Got A File On You interview here at Stereogum. Tool just headlined Sonic Temple last weekend. But until today, we haven’t heard much from A Perfect Circle in recent years.
The band, led by guitarist Billy Howardel and fronted by Keenan, last released an album in 2018 with Eat The Elephant, which was their first in 14 years at the time. Their only music since then was “Kindred,” their contribution to 2024’s Sessanta E.P.P.P. celebrating Keenan’s 60th birthday. That Sessanta situation also had A Perfect Circle out on tour with Primus and Puscifer, and the band played a couple festivals last fall. Now comes a new single billed as a “re-emergence” ahead of the band’s European tour.
“Starless,” released by surprise today, sounds like classic A Perfect Circle: proggy, heavy, melodious, malevolent. “Absolutely chuffed to debut this new track on stage in the U.K.,” Keenan writes. “Of course I’m excited to release the recordings but our songs always take on an expanded personality once we start playing them live.” In the meantime, check out the studio version below.
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