The Mars Volta On Hiatus?

In interviews for 2012’s Noctourniquet, The Mars Volta mainman Omar Rodriguez-Lopez promised an end to his “dictatorship” in the band, and a new spirit of band collaboration to mark future TMV records. Would that mean further evolution away from psych-nightmare-prog and toward Noctourniquet‘s bottomless post-Cave-In space-rock? Does it mean a more sane release pace and less noodling? Is his change of heart what lead to reconciliation with his old band, At The Drive-In?

We may never know, because last month Rodriguez-Lopez hinted at a dreaded “indefinite hiatus” for The Mars Volta:

“I don’t know [if the band will be active again], and I’m not insecure enough to have to ask myself that. It’s like, we’ve done that for ten years, 11 years. Now we’re all doing different things, and everything that we’re doing informs how we express ourselves, and so if that happens then it happens and if it doesn’t it doesn’t.”

Sounds bad. But like he says, The Mars Volta braintrust is busy anyway: This year Rodriguez-Lopez released three solo albums (that’s typical) and slates early 2013 for a record from Bosnian Rainbows, his band with TMV drummer #5 Deantoni Parks. Meanwhile, his lifemate/hair twin/TMV singer-lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala is at work on his debut solo album — he refers to it as “my record” — with guests Juan Alderete (The Mars Volta), Money Mark (Beastie Boys), and David Hidalgo (Los Lobos).

Hmm. Frontman does solo record. Guitarist takes drummer for new side project. Just like SOAD!