The Mars Volta broke up in January 2013 when Cedric Bixler-Zavala, one half of the band's leading duo alongside Omar Rodríguez-López, revealed he had quit the band. The Mars Volta then reunited this year complete with a brand new album due out this September and a reunion tour coming soon.
In an interview with The Guardian, Rodríguez-López addressed the band's change in sound for the new record. He said any true fan of the band will appreciate the change, while losing fans who only want them to do what they've done isn't a concern. Which is fair, especially considering The Mars Volta hasn't made music in over a decade – people change over time, as do tastes.
"Losing 'fans' is baked into what we do," he said. "I don't know a greater happiness than losing 'fans'. A true fan is someone interested in what's happening now, and then there's everyone else trying to control what you do or project on to it. I have an aversion to that. That sounds like school. That sounds like the government. That sounds like the police. And unfortunately that's what a lot of people who think they're fans end up thinking like."
On the change in sound, Bixler-Zavala added "Some people might see it as betrayal. I've seen some people call it yacht rock. But yacht rock slaps so hard that hip-hop producers sample it all the time."
Pre-orders for the record are available here (including a mini-model of the mystery cube that started it all). You can also catch The Mars Volta on tour with Teri Gender Bender at one of their reunion dates below.
9/22 Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum
9/23 Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum
9/25 Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
9/27 Philadelphia, PA – The Metropolitan Opera House
9/29 New York, NY – Terminal 5
9/30 New York, NY – Terminal 5
10/1 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10/3 Washington, DC – The Anthem
10/5 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
10/6 Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
10/8 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
10/9 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave / Eagles Club
10/11 Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom
10/14 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
10/15 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
10/18 San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
10/19 San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
10/21 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
10/22 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
10/23 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
