is the ninth studio album (eighth of new material, yet labeled as "II" on the CD data) by the American progressive rock band The Mars Volta, released on April 11, 2025 on Clouds Hill Records. Produced by Omar Rodríguez-López and mixed and engineered by Marcel Rodríguez-López, the album is the first to feature drummer Linda-Philomène Tsoungui and bass guitarist Josh Moreau, both of whom joined the band in 2022 to tour in support of the band's eponymous album and its acoustic re-recording, "Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón" (2023).
The band eschewed a traditional press cycle for the album, giving no interviews prior to its release. Instead, the band performed the album in full each night during their March–April 2025 arena tour in support of Deftones.
Artwork.
The album's artwork, by Adán Guevara, features a mysterious map, designed as a puzzle for fans to solve. Following the album's release, Johann Scheerer, who runs the band's label, Clouds Hill Records, stated: "At first glance, the cover of The Mars Volta’s ninth studio album "Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacío" might seem abstract, but nothing on it is random. Some details reveal themselves right away. Others, you’ll have to feel. This isn’t just a cover - it’s something to explore. What do you see?"
The physical album release consists of a completely blank, brown cardboard front cover. The album artwork as seen on the digital release is included separately, as a folded map included with the CD, and a larger embossed/debossed version of the map included with the vinyl.
Release.
"Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacio" was released on April 11, 2025 by Clouds Hill Records. The album was leaked online two months prior to being officially announced, with the leaked track lengths being different than the official version. As the band and the record label did not initially confirm or deny the existence of a forthcoming album, or that the album had in fact leaked, rumors as to its veracity spread. These rumors were confirmed on February 25, 2025 when the band debuted the unannounced album in its entirety while opening for Deftones on their 2025 North American Tour. To the surprise of many, vocalist Teri Gender Bender joined the band, providing backing vocals for the live performances, though her vocals are not present on the studio recording. The live performances also drew some controversy as the band solely played the contents of the new album, defying expectations that they might include tracks from their prior album releases. In March 2025, further speculation arose when a food delivery driver claimed on Reddit that Cedric Bixler-Zavala had given him a CD-R copy of the album for free. The contents of that CD-R were later confirmed to be an exact match to the official release.
In the days prior to the album's release, Clouds Hill described the album as "[an] atmospheric and moody release [which] sees Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala revisiting their roots while continuing to reinvent themselves. The album blends their signature sound with jazz and electronica influences, celebrating their origins while pushing forward with fresh innovations - a musical journey that's both nostalgic and new." The fifth track, The Iron Rose, was originally titled 'Nefilibata' in the initial leak, but the title was changed by Cedric Bixler-Zavala in advance of the album's debut.
Upon the release of the record, The Mars Volta announced a North American tour in support of the release.
No printed lyrics were included with the physical release of the album. However, lyrics were later made available on Apple Music, but there has been no official confirmation as to if they are accurate.