Early last year, prog flag-bearers The Mars Volta called it quits after ten years of tumbling chord progressions and high-concept japery.
The band’s two key members broke away with separate solo projects: guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez ploughed his time into his Bosnian Rainbows outfit, whereas singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala threw his weight behind his Zavalaz gig.
The pair have reactivated their working relationship with a new band, Antemasque. The project also features Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea, who, between Atoms for Peace and Rocketjuice and the Moon, is something of a supergrouper-for-hire. The ensemble is rounded out by former Mars Volta drummer Dave Elitch.
On April 9, 2014 the project was announced and they released their first single “4AM” on the same day. Rolling Stone described the song as “a charging, punkish rocker with the sorts of squiggly noodling that both the Mars Volta guys and Flea have used as calling cards in their respective groups.” The next day, the band released a second song, “Hangin in the Lurch”, on their bandcamp page which is described as a mixed of progressive rock and punk rock. The song’s description mentions that it will be released on an upcoming self-titled album. Their third single “People Forget” was released on April 11, 2014. On April 15, the band released their fourth single, “Drown All Your Witches”. The group’s debut album, titled Antemasque, is scheduled to be released on July 15 on their own Nadie Sounds label.