A decade ago, The Mars Volta’s Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala announced that they were breaking up. It marked the end of an illustrious run for the duo that merged the sounds of their Latin roots with the punk, noise, and math rock sounds that they grew up listening to. The band built a frenzied cult-following, yet besides last year’s career-spanning box set release, have remained dormant ever since.
But two days ago, a cryptic cube appeared in Los Angeles’ Grant Park, symbolizing the band’s return. Known as the “L’YTOME HODORXÍ TELESTERION,” the immersive installation played a preview of the band’s new music inside the cellphone-less environment. Now the fruits of that cube have fully materialized and The Mars Volta has not only released their first song in ten years but also announced their first tour since then as well.
Accompanied by a short film, “Blacklight Shine” is infused with distinct Caribbean rhythms. The clip looks as though it may have been filmed in Rodríguez-López’s native Puerto Rico as locals dance and drum to the beat of the lively and complexly-crafted tune. As poetic as ever, Bixler-Zavala explains that the song’s lyrics center around the idea of, “A wave of rolling blackouts washing memories onto shore, a heartbeat that still remembers everything.” It almost seems like a metaphor for the band’s hiatus and subsequent return, but with the way this has been rolled out, we can surely expect more from this story and as The Mars Volta continues to explore Latin roots, rhythms, and the world around them.
Watch the “Blacklight Shine” short film above and check out The Mars Volta’s tour dates below. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 24th at 10 am local time here.
September 23 — The Factory in Deep Ellum @ Dallas, TX
September 25 — Tabernacle @ Atlanta, GA
September 27 – The Metropolitan Opera House @ Philadelphia, PA
September 29 — Terminal 5 @ New York, NY
October 1 — MGM Music Hall at Fenway @ Boston, MA
October 3 – The Anthem @ Washington, DC
October 5 — Massey Hall @ Toronto, ON
October 6 — Royal Oak Music Theatre @ Detroit, MI
October 8 — Aragon Ballroom @ Chicago, IL
October 11 — The Mission Ballroom @ Denver, CO
October 14 — Moore Theatre @ Seattle, WA
October 18 — The Warfield @ San Francisco, CA
October 21 — Hollywood Palladium @ Los Angeles, CA
The Mars Volta is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.