The Mars Volta announce ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’

Texas proggy rockers The Mars Volta have announced their new release, ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon,’ which serves as an acoustic re-imagining of their latest self-titled album (released September 2022). The album is set to drop on April 21st, 2023 through Clouds Hill. Here’s more info from today’s announcement:

“Much more than a simple “un- plugged” version of ‘The Mars Volta’ – the bands self titled seventh album and return as a band – this acoustic rendition furthers the mission of the source music, which drew into sharper focus the traditional Latin influences that have always inspired Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. This is, says Rodríguez- López, The Mars Volta’s version of a “folk record”, tracing the melodies and rhythms of the parent album back to their traditional Caribbean roots and chal- lenging listeners to hear the group in an entirely new light.”

They add, “The upcoming new album isn’t simply more content, but a bold, radical, political album, and one that recontextualizes the music of the group’s powerful last album within the lineage of the Latin and Caribbean sounds that Rodríguez- López has been mining his entire career, only many ears couldn’t hear past the distorted guitars to know what was going on. The songs are re-orchestrated and set to the traditional Caribbean rhythms that Rodríguez-López grew up on. Here, “Black Condolences” becomes an object lesson in this music, segueing be- tween three different traditional rhythms across its three-and-a-half minutes.”

To coincide with the effort reveal, the band have made “Blank Condolences (Acoustic)” available for streaming, check it out below along with the official track listing and album cover art.

Rodríguez-López comments on the release of ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon, “I realized I could finally make a record like this now, I just had to make it happen. That was the experiment. And it was super-fun. I feel like The Mars Volta is finally beginning – that’s why the last album was self- titled, because we’ve finally stripped everything away and arrived at what the whole concept was at the beginning. And this acoustic version comes from a profound place, with its own meaning and philosophy, and its own reason for be- ing.”

Pre order ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ here.

Stream:



‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ track listing:
01. Blacklight Shine (Acoustic)
02. Graveyard Love (Acoustic)
03. Shore Story (Acoustic)
04. Vigil (Acoustic)
05. Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon (Acoustic)
06. Cerulea (Acoustic)
07. Flash Burns From Flashbacks (Acoustic)
08. Palm Full Of Crux (Acoustic)
09. No Case Gain (Acoustic)
10. Tourmaline (Acoustic)
11. Equus 3 (Acoustic)
12. Collapsible Shoulders (Acoustic)
13. The Requisition (Acoustic)



The Mars Volta upcoming headline tour dates:
May 5 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA (Shaky Knees pre-show) [TIX]
May 6 – Shaky Knees Festival – Atlanta, GA [TIX]
May 9 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK [TIX]
May 10 – Revel – Albuquerque, NM
May 12 – Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego, CA w/ Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thundercat [TIX]
May 13 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
May 14 – Abraham Chavez Theatre – El Paso, TX [TIX]
May 16 – Tech Port Center & Arena – San Antonio, TX [TIX]
May 18 – Orpheum Theatre – New Orleans, LA [TIX]
May 19 – 713 Music Hall – Houston, TX [TIX]
May 21 – Welcome To Rockville Festival – Daytona Beach, FL



The Mars Volta live in NYC in 2022 (all photos by Johnny Perilla, click to enlarge):