Photo credit: Lauryn Schaffner for AlternativeNation.net

While A Perfect Circle remained completely dormant in the mid to late 2000’s, and only toured intermittently for part of this decade, Billy Howerdel told Kentucky.com in a new interview that the band plan to continue as an active unit despite Maynard James Keenan planning to release a new album with Tool next year.

Did spending so much time apart on their own bands freshen the prospect and perspective for Howerdel and Keenan on working together again in A Perfect Circle?

“This kind of situation informs whatever you do, whether it’s in your personal life or business. It’s always going to inform what you’re going to do next. I mean, I can hear Maynard’s growth vocally from what he’s done in Puscifer in what he brings to us. He takes more liberties and gets into a more orchestrated vocal approach. I think what I’ve done with Ashes Divide has found its way into this band, as well. It’s just the nature of how this all works.”

With a Rupp Arena concert part of the final touring cycle to promote “Eat the Elephant,” Howerdel sees Keenan returning to Tool as the guitarist heads back to Ashes Divide. But A Perfect Circle, he said, will not be reverting back to dormancy.

“I think this record adds to an already strong foundation for the band and will allow us to step forward. I think Maynard feels the same. We will move forward for sure.”