The Mars Volta is quite possibly rock music’s hardest-working band.

Since rising from the ashes of late-’90s post-hardcore mega-outfit At the Drive-In, vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala and guitarist/songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, since 2003, have released four full-length albums, two live albums, embarked on over a dozen tours, survived the death of a friend and band member, been terrorized by other-worldly forces resulting from the purchase of a Ouija board in the back alleys of Jerusalem, have written a book and even scored a movie.

You can imagine how very unsurprising it was, then, for the band to announce, straight off the heels of their last release and tour, the pending recording and release of their latest album, Octahedron.

Slated for a June 23rd unleashing, Octahedron will be the fifth full-length offering from this large group of progressive space-rockers.

Thus far, there has been limited information regarding the concept of the record (all previous efforts have revolved around one sci-fi spiritual something-or-other), but from what little has been heard, the tone will be lighter than previous albums.

With some speculating an acoustic vibe to others denying outright that very notion, Octahedron is likely to keep

us in the press guessing until June 23rd, when once again the fans will have to comb through the pages of lyrics, dictionaries in hand, deciphering the codes and larger-than-life metaphors the The Mars Volta invariably weave into every album.