While Corrosion of Conformity have had a bit of a creative renaissance by reuniting as their original Animosity-era lineup as a trio for their last two albums, they were arguably at their peak in the early ’90s with rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan. Starting with the band for 1991’s Blind, the guitarist added vocals for 1994’s Deliverance, which found them switching to a more stoner-rock vibe and landing several radio hits. While Keenan has been busy with Down lately, before the band played Bloodstock, he told Metal Hammer that he was eyeing a return to COC.

While Keenan has never officially left the band, they’ve been playing without him, even though IX is a little less hardcore and a little more toward the Blind/Deliverance era of the band. “The old COC thing’s been coming up a lot,” he told them. “We’re taling to Reed and Woody about getting that going. That’s going to take a lot of attention. We’re talking about just going to Europe and  playing shows as the Deliverance four-piece. and starting from there to get it back together.”

Keenan also says that the third Down EP won’t be started on until next year. “We got a ways to go on this EP,” he says. “it’s got strong legs on it. We’re going to keep pounding it out. We’re going to start writing in February, start putting the pieces in place.”

[via theprp]