Flea Joins Former Mars Volta Members to Form Antemasque

Music lovers all over were heartbroken last year at the dissolution of Mars Volta. The group, which in the end was anchored by bassist Juan Alderete, split after a dispute between founders Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. Now, the duo has apparently made amends to form a new band called Antemasque.

The quartet is rounded out by drummer Dave Elitch and Red Hot Chili Peppers four-stringer Flea. Fans of Mars Volta may remember that Flea recorded on all but two tracks of the band’s debut album, De-Loused in the Comatorium. Flea may be just as surprised at the band’s announcement as anyone else, according to his latest tweet.

“Woke to find out I’m in a new supergroup. Hahahaha,” he wrote Wednesday morning. “Played on some tracks a few weeks ago with my friends Omar and Cedric for love [that’s] all.”

The group has released their first single, “4AM”, a driving rock tune glued together by Flea’s bass lines.

They’ve also released a video of their rehearsal sessions including some great footage of Flea doing his thing. He talks on one of his newest basses: a ’61 Fender Jazz bass finished by artist Damien Hirst, with real butterflies.

“4AM” is available now for download from iTunes. There’s no word on a full album release, though Rodríguez-López is calling Antemasque a full-time project.