The release of “Starless” in late May marked the recording return of A Perfect Circle, but it appears the song is not intended to be a standalone release. In a new interview with Kevin Kellam of 93X Radio, guitarist Billy Howerdel confirmed that the band continues to develop new material and hinted at the possibility of a future studio album.
While avoiding a specific release date, Howerdel made it clear that additional music is currently being worked on.
“There's more underway. And in the spirit of soft deadlines, I'm not gonna give you the date, but we're working toward something.”
The comments arrive only days after A Perfect Circle launched their European tour, which began in London and marks the band's return to Europe and the U.K. after several years away from the region.
However, Howerdel explained that life on the road makes it difficult to dedicate consistent time to writing and producing new material.
“We're on tour. It's hard to get solid things done when you're out here. I sometimes optimistically think that's gonna happen, and today we're six shows in, about two weeks into the tour, and this is the first day I've really slept. I slept, went to the gym, ate a meal, and now I'm talking with you. It hasn't been like that for the rest of the run.”
“To really get cracking on the new album, I need a couple more days like this to line up throughout the tour.”
During the conversation, the guitarist also discussed his creative relationship with Maynard James Keenan, the vocalist of A Perfect Circle, Tool, and Puscifer, a partnership that has produced some of modern alternative rock's most influential releases over the last two decades.
Howerdel particularly praised Keenan's discipline and work ethic.
“I feel more creative with him than I do with other musicians. When it's time to work, it's time to work. And when it's time to relax and talk, that's what we do. But when we're working, we're completely focused. He's got an incredible work ethic. He's one of the three hardest-working people I know. He has a very clear vision, conviction, and tremendous determination to execute his ideas.”
The guitarist explained that one of the keys to the band's success lies in setting clear goals while maintaining creative flexibility.
“Once the train starts rolling, it's rolling. I don't feel like we ever get to a point where we say, ‘I don't know if this is working.’ We always figure it out. We set soft deadlines, but they're actually pretty intense. They're meant to be met. You can't force a great idea to appear, but you can motivate yourself to get there. Sometimes you need to feel that fire under you.”
“Starless” was recorded at Lankershim Ranch Studio, Howerdel's studio in Studio City, California. The song was written earlier this year, produced by Howerdel, mixed by Matty Green, and features longtime collaborator Josh Freese on drums.
The track has also been released as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl through Revolver, featuring a custom etching of the band's iconic crescent logo and multiple collectible variants.
Formed in 1999 by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, A Perfect Circle debuted in 2000 with Mer De Noms, an album that reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and became the highest-charting rock debut of its time. Songs such as “Judith”, “3 Libras”, and “The Hollow” helped establish the band's identity. The group later released Thirteenth Step (2003), eMOTIVe (2004), and Eat The Elephant (2018), the latter debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
