LUCRO SUCIO: LOS OJOS DEL VACÍO

I was not super jazzed about this album in the period leading up to its release. The Mars Volta's 2022 self-titled was not a good record. I savaged it as being underbaked, half-assed, and overall un-Voltaic. Supposedly, the acoustic re-recording of that album from 2023 is better, but I haven't listened to it. I thought the underlying songwriting was weak enough that an aesthetic reshaping couldn't save it.

TMV's new album is Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacio (Dirty Luck; the Eyes of Emptiness). It's 18 songs long, so that daunted me a bit at first glance. But the total runtime is under 50 minutes, so it's not as bad as I initially feared. I was dreading the prospect of something with the sound of their self-titled coupled with the length of Frances the Mute.

I'm happy to report my fears were largely misplaced. Lucro sucio is a huge improvement over The Mars Volta. The songs are relatively short, but they don't suffer from the same underdeveloped quality their reunion record had. Songs flow together smoothly, giving this a sense of cohesion the last album sorely lacked.

The album starts with a pair of songs that barely crack a minute: "Fin" is an airy, (mostly) a capella piece with a sweet atmosphere, and "Reina tormenta" features some interesting electronic elements. Despite these two songs adding up to less than two-and-a-half minutes, this is already showing a lot more promise than their self-titled. This proves you can write short songs without rushing things, which was a major issue on The Mars Volta.

Latin drumming, droning sax and eerie guitars give "Enlazan las tinieblas" an unsettling feeling. While distinct from the sounds of their heyday, this, unlike anything on TMV, actually feels like The Mars Volta. It's spooky and exciting, and everything feels meticulously crafted to feign chaos. Flowing directly from this song is "Mictlán", an eerie atmospheric piece.

"The Iron Rose" is a bit of a step back. Cedric's voice doesn't sound great here, and the writing feels a bit lazy. It's a slow and forlorn piece that doesn't do a ton. It's not awful, but after this album's strong opening, this was a noticeable downgrade.

"Cue the Sun" shows more promise with groaning guitars, throbbing synths, and hoarsely-muttered vocals giving this a tense and anxious aura. "Alba del orate" doesn't feel like a separate song, but more like the second half of "Cue the Sun". I love all the electronic touches, and even the relative simplicity of the indie rock flourishes feel like they belong.

Latin flavors are prominent in "Voice in My Knives". It especially reminds me of certain moments on Amputechture. This song slinks along, and I really like the percussion. The short runtime suits this side of Omar's songwriting well. "Poseedora de mi sombra" sees things start to veer off in a more experimental direction. Chords are slightly off-sounding, and it sees a sense of urgency build. Though, much like "Alba del orate", this feels more like the second half of the preceding song, rather than an independent composition.

The processed vocal effect that plagued Cedric on The Mars Volta returns on "Celaje", and it distracts from what is a pretty interesting composition. Jazz touches and rhythmic inventiveness hearken to some of this band's classic era works, especially on Frances the Mute and Amputechture. 

"Vociferó" isn't my favorite song here. Moody synths, lo-fi-hip-hop-sounding drums, and Cedric giving a middling vocal performance do not really add up to much.

Following a pointless little interlude, the next real song is "Un disparo al vacío". This is another unfortunate miss. Cedric's vocal cadence is awkward, and the backing is rather minimal. "Maullidos" continues with the torpid mood, and I feel like I've already heard this song elsewhere on this album. "Morgana" doesn't do much to stand out, either. At least the Mellotron flutes add a nice bit of texture.

After that disappointing run, we're treated to a reprise of "Cue the Sun". It provides some good momentum after three consecutive slow songs. It's lush and exciting, and it reinvigorates the record.

The album ends on "Lucro sucio". It sticks with the understated mood this album has cultivated so far, but it's the most akin to classic TMV. It's sinister and foreboding, and this song features a vocal effect that I like. I do wish the percussion were a bit more muscular, though. Parts of this song can border on soupy or mushy, and a stronger rhythmic backing may have helped this ill.

Lucro sucio is the best Mars Volta album in a while. It far outshines their self-titled, and I'd place this above Noctourniquet, too. I would still probably put Octahedron over this, but that has more to do with the sheer strength of songs like "Cotopaxi" and "Luciforms" than any sort of overarching solidity. Lucro sucio is a chill take on the sound of this band, and I overall enjoyed it. I would like to see them put a bit more grit back into their sound in the future, but as it stands, this is a perfectly good release.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2025/04/14/album-review-the-mars-volta-lucro-sucio-los-ojos-del-vacio/

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