Maynard James Keenan and company are back in full force after a three year hiatus from the recording world. Well, that is, one of Keenan’s "companies" – we’re not talking about Tool. No, it’s actually A Perfect Circle who will be battling for a top spot on the charts this fall with their new album Thirteenth Step, due out on September 16. However, this Perfect Circle may take on a new shape of its own: the band has changed from what it was back in the days of Mer de Noms, and with the new lineup there will inevitably be a distinctive new sound. Former bassist Paz Lenchantin, who dropped her spot in APC to snag a full-time gig with Billy Corgan’s new project Zwan, leaves behind a large set of shoes to fill. And who better to fill them than former Marilyn Manson bassist and glamour puss Twiggy Ramirez? Ramirez, who now goes by his regular name Jeordie White, left Manson in early 2002, and was replaced by production engineer/bassist Tim Skold. The official statement from the Manson camp cited artistic differences as the reason for Twiggy’s leaving. Following Lenchantin’s example, APC guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen is also trying his hand with another band. Though Van Leeuwen played on Thirteenth Step, he will not be joining APC on their upcoming tour due to prior commitments with Queens Of The Stone Age. A Perfect Circle will be heading out on July 26 for a two-week U.S. tour to promote their new album, after which they will join up with Lollapalooza for a few shows. Other mainstage acts on the festival bill include Incubus, Audioslave and Jane’s Addiction. The track listing for Thirteenth Step is as follows: "The Package" "Weak And Powerless" "The Noose" "Blue" "Vanishing" "A Stranger" "The Outsider" "Crimes" "The Nurse Who Loved Me" "Pet" "Lullaby" "Gravity" —Megan O’Toole (ARTICLE TAKEN FROM CHART.COM)
I've been waiting for this album for a loooong time and hopefully I'll get a chance to see them live again.