Omar Rodriguez Lopez: Genius Set Free

This record is definitely a mellow record. It's a melancholy record. It is not aggressive; it is the opposite of Bedlam. If Bedlam was asphyxiation and claustrophobia and fire and darkness, this is space, water, there's this calmness to it. It's definitely a new chapter, and that for me [is the most important thing] because my biggest fear is repeating myself, having one record sound just like the next one. -Omar Rodriguez Lopez

This brings us to last week's release of The Mars Volta's fifth full-length, Octahedron. Clipping the lineup from eight to six people, Omar asked "sound manipulator" Paul Hinojos and horn player/multi instrumentalist Adrian Terrazas to leave (which they did amicably) and coincidentally or not, the band has created their most restrained, easily accessible and flat-out different album yet. If they hadn't already won a Grammy ("Best Hard Rock Performance" for 2008's "Wax Simulacra") and weren't already on their way to being one of the biggest bands on the planet, you might say this is their attempt to reach the masses. But, they've already done that, and if we've learned anything about Omar it's that he bends for no one (as he said earlier, "This is my band. You'll be playing my music. If you're not okay with a dictatorship then this is not the place for you") and he certainly isn't catering to any sort of radio play or MTV presence.

Omar & Cedric - The Mars Volta

While Octahedron is receiving high marks precisely because of this change in course many longtime fans of the heavy, never-ending onslaught of their prog past may feel a bit letdown.

"Unfortunately for a certain type of fan that's [inevitably going to happen] – they want to relive whatever record, the second record, the third record, whatever record it was when they fell in love with their girlfriend, whatever record it was when they fell out of love or when they went through this traumatic experience. Whatever it was they latched onto they want to relive that feeling, but from the complete other side, from the creative point of view, it's the exact opposite - you want to have a brand new feeling, you don't want to relive feelings. You want to feel like you've moved on."

Clearly Omar has moved on from the weight of Bedlam, placing more emphasis on eerie, tension-filled ballads over psychedelic cliff hangers (although there are plenty of head-shredding moments), but Octahedron is still very Mars Volta and if you really have been following the band's career it shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

Omar by KJGuch

But, that's really only half the story. After the writing and recording comes touring, and considering the Volta put on one of the most technically impressive, wildly chaotic, critically acclaimed, fan-worshiped hard rock shows around, the live thing actually supersedes the album.

"The record can never compare, not even close. As much as someone might enjoy the record, it can never come close to what it is we do live," remarks Omar. "Another thing I'm getting into is I want to be able play more songs when I go on tour. We've been playing theses same songs and some of them just go on forever. I love the fact that we'll be able to have mellower stuff in the setlist and mix them in. If you saw us this last year, seeing a Mars Volta show was sort of like being punched in the face the whole time [laughs]. It will be really nice after a year of touring like that, of just fucking boxing every single night, it will be really cool to present a film with dynamics."

Yet as much as Omar is driven by his artistic desires, he's only human and, like all of us, he wants to be liked. There is a distant concern about how longtime fans (who are viewed almost like friends) are going to swallow this mellower stage of the Volta's career. It's a classic scenario for bands, but the great ones never stop pursuing their muse – Screw expectations! Who cares what already works?!? – and Omar knows this. But a little confirmation never hurts, and when I tell him that any real fan of the band as a whole (not one album or one song or one moment in time) will embrace this, and in fact doesn't care what songs the band plays they just want to experience whatever the artist wants to present - Omar is overcome with joy.

Omar Rodriguez Lopez

And like Radiohead or Blond Redhead, heck, like all of us, Omar is getting older. He's no longer the angry, drugged out young punk, nor is he the 20-something scratching for his piece of meat. He's changing, growing, and just as any person striving to fulfill their potential must constantly evolve, it's critical that artists do the same. The problem is marketing schemes are built on re-packaging hits. They don't count on fans following a band into new terrain. But, it's the artists who flip-off the suits and do whatever the fuck they want as they constantly careen forward that become legends.

"It goes back again to a lot of people who are taught by society to try to relive moments, and then there are those of us who are looking for the next moment," says Omar with a dramatic pause. "Unfortunately, that's the sad the truth - people can't let go of the past, 'Oh remember the summer when... Remember this... Remember when I was young,' and it's why people have a midlife crisis and they end up piercing their ear and getting a Corvette. For me, I'm embracing getting older. I like that there's something new coming. I enjoyed the shit out of when I was younger, and I enjoy the shit out of every single era, but I definitely don't want relive it again. I already went through it. I want to go somewhere new."

The Mars Volta is on tour in Europe now. Dates available here.

For more on The Mars Volta see our 2006 exclusive feature/interview with Cedric here.

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