The Mars Volta have revealed they are to begin work on the follow-up to 2009’s ‘Octahedron‘, with frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala set to take a more leading role in the creation of the album after guitarist and c0-founder Omar Rodríguez-López revealed he is willing to relinquish some control of their recordings.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Omar stated that he has found it difficult not having the record’s destiny solely in his hands. “This is very hard for me,” he said. “There’s not a day where I look at the phone and don’t want to call him, asking, ‘You got something? Come on!’ This is my first challenge, to let him do it at his own pace. He’s always painted by what I told him, and I didn’t say anything. I want his stories.
I’ve had 10 years of being a dictator. From 2002 to 2007, I cannot tell you how unfun it must have been to be around me. I worked from 11 in the morning until 2 in the morning, no breaks, no going out for lunch, no days off. I drove an engineer mad. Another renounced me. I understand it now. And now, I stop, I eat lunch, I play with the dog, and I get four times as much done now than when I was choking it to death. Now I come back invigorated. I’m definitely happier.”
No release date has yet been announced for the new record.