According to a series of increasingly bitter Tweets from co-leader Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the tangled and ambitious prog band the Mars Volta is no more. Bixler-Zavala never comes out and says it, but it sure seems like creative problems with partner Omar Rodriguez-Lopez caused the split. (He does mention Bosnian Rainbows, Rodriguez-Lopez’s new band.) And though he never addresses it, you’d have to infer that At The Drive-In, the recently reunited punk band that those two also led, has completely finished with its second run and won’t be getting back together anytime soon. Here’s the complete text of those Tweets:

Thank u 2 all VOLTA fans u deserved more especially after the way u rooted for us on this album. I tried my hardest to keep it going But Bosnian Rainbows was what we all got instead. I can’t sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta. I honestly thank all of you for buying our records and coming to our shows. You guys were a blast to play in front of. We could never had done it with out you. My dream was to get us to the point were Jon Theodore and Ikey Owens came back but sadly it’s over. Thank u a million times over for ever giving a fuck about our band. All I can do is move forward with my music and just be happy that mars volta ever happened at all. God Damn we had a blast. Thank u again.

I just feel really guilty for not even really saying the truth because a hiatus is just an insult to the fans. To all our fans all over the world thank you for giving a fuck. You all ruled! I don’t think ill ever hear a fist full of dollars the same. My record will see the light of day soon and I’m excited because it sounds nothing like my previous endeavors.

And no I’m not joking about any of this, I owe it 2 u guys to all fans to be serious about this. If u ever see me in person and want to know why I’ll tell u my story.

Please just be happy that it happened at all remember all the opposition we were met with for just starting a new band back in 2001. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE VOLTA FANS WHO FLOODED WARNER BROS FACEBOOK PAGE AND GOT NOTHING IN RETURN! I was honored by this guys! ThankU

And for the record I’m still in love with ATDI. Proof was in MY performance. I would never get on stage if my heart was else where. I have cancelled shows before for knowing full well that my heart was not in it at that moment. Why? Because its an insult to the audience. 2 be clear I’m not angry I just wanted to be honest with the people who have allowed me to make a living playing music. What am I suppose to do be some progressive house wife that’s cool with watching their partner go fuck other bands? We owe it 2 fans to tour.

He seems pretty bummed about the whole thing!

The Mars Volta formed in 2001, at about the same moment that At The Drive-In went on their sudden hiatus. I can still remember how excited I was to get their Tremulant EP at my college radio and how intense and weird it was. The band went on to release six albums, finishing up with last year’s Noctourniquet, and their endless wriggling skronk-fests were never anything less than challenging. Even though I wasn’t always a fan, you had to admire their consistently restless sense of exploration.