Reviews (page 3 of 8)
One of my all time favorite albums from one of my all time favorite bands. There's not a single miss on this album.
Found the CD at an opshop a few months ago. Been in the car CD player since. Great album.
Perfect, I have listened to it so many times, it never gets old.
Hoogst onderschat album. Voor mij in elk geval een van mijn favoriete albums ever. Ik weet nog zo goed hoeveel impact het maakte toen ik het voor het eerst hoorde. En het heeft nog steeds niet aan kracht ingeboet.
I like this one a lot. I was a big At The Drive In fan got this right away back when it dropped. I've spent a lot of time with this one over the years. Some aspects (like the lyrics) make me roll my eyes a bit but I get over it because this album just kills it. It's just a shame that the next album was still terrific and then they really kept falling off until I didn't give a shit anymore. I absolutely love this album and probably always will.
Really really really liked it. To the extent that I would’ve liked to download it. However, it’s region locked, and I could only watch an upload of it on youtube. Ya~y. Favourite song probably Eriatarka.
The opening of this album was electric! From the opening notes I shot up and was transfixed. How about we all sing along now? “Transient jet lag, Ecto-mimed bison, This is the haunt of roulette dares, Ruse of metacarpi, Caveat emptor to all that enter here…” “Track-marked amoeba lands craft, cartwheel of scratches dress the tapeworm as pet tentacles smirk please, flinched the cocooned meat Infra-recon forget…” “A mass of gallon sloth (They're gonna get you) As flies have walls for feet A rapturous verbatim (You better run now) Someone said, but who's to know?“ Ummmmmm… yeah? I could probably spend the rest of my life trying to unravel the lyrics and still be left wondering if this is James Joyce-level brilliance or the unhinged rantings of a lunatic. This is one hell of a freaky ride I can’t wait to go on again!
Great album, Inertiatic Esp and Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) were favourites
cool
Woah, something about this one really connected with me. Hadn't heard of them before. Complex, chaotic, put spot on tight precision. A wild blend of like Rush, Coheed & Cambria, and Death Cab? Hard to pinpoint, and I don't normally like the longer prog-rock style, but this one broke through to me, really enjoyed it
Very enjoyable progressive rock album (which isn’t my favorite genre). This was a great mix of styles and really embraced the idea of a concept album. Great debut.
In the past I focused only on a few songs (the opener and Drunkship of Lanterns in particular), but listening to the album in its entirety again makes me realise it is great from start to finish. The overall sound and dynamics just blow me away.
It's hard to describe the insanity in overdrive that this album is. I never made the click with The Mars Volta due their annoying fans back in the early 2000's. But by Zeus, this is awesome!
this album slaps! i love the post-hardcore proggy sound, everything flows super well, and it's based on an interesting concept. favorite tracks: son et lumiere, inertiatic esp, roulette dares (the haunt of)
Mars Volta is my new favorite listen. Went on to listen to two other albums.
This album came into my world because Saul Williams toured with The Mars Volta and I was thoroughly obsessed with anything he touched or orbited at the time. This sonic bombardment was nothing like I had heard before, but I loved it. And still do. I've never gone too deep on the rest of their catalog (or even heard half their albums at all, I think) but this is an album I come back to frequently - especially when I have the opportunity to play it very loud.
epic
Yes! What an insane album.
I'm such a sucker for prog rock. I love me an album that has a consistent through-line. Musicianship is fantastic. So much here that I can aspire to. I could put this one on to play and the entire hour passes without my noticing. My buddy says the Wiki summary reads like an Aronofsky film! Love it. And I'll be listening to this album again, most definitely.
Favorite Song(s): I liked them all, but I think Televators was my favorite? Danggggggg. This album blew my mind. Half the time I had no idea what was happening, but in a really good way. I'm definitely going to have to listen many more times before I even begin to appreciate what's happening here.
Me like this album.
Hard to give a 5 to an album I haven't listened to before, but I really liked this one. The wife liked it too.
Did The Mars Volta single-handedly revive Prog Rock? No one can ever say definitively yes, but if they didn't do it, no one did. And, if this full-length release didn't kick it off, then I don't know what did. This album continues to thrill.
Une énergie folle
Another one of my favourites. Epic poly rhythms, unique sounds, a concept album about a man wrestling with their mortality while in a coma. Unique and amazing. Still not as good as the next one though lol
Thank Glob for genre changing mad-scientist-musicians like Cedric Bixler-Zavala.
Wow, where's this album been all my life? Visceral, nonsensical, trippy, unhinged but still with a solid structure. The perfect companion to a stressful and anxiety-laden couple of days. Favourite: Inertiatic Esp
Oh I know this record #49 all time streams I listened to this a lot when it came out, not so much in the streaming era Love this record, forgot how much so
One of the best progressive rock albums released this century. Impecable, aggressive, exciting!
The album cover sucks, but the rest is great. It tells a story, but it’s vague and I ended up just enjoying the extremely pretentious lyrics. It’s very high octane. Also, I was surprised at ‘Cicatriz Esp’ being 12 minutes, but it was stupid of me to assume that there wouldn’t be a 12 minute song on a prog album.
Been craving some Dream Theater So close to a 5 But there's so much stupid bullshit Fuck it 5
One of my all-time favorites. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding
Captivating! So interesting and mournful. Enough high octane to keep me high energy and grooving throughout
It’s gutsy to produce a complex rock concept album as your debut, but Mars Volta pulls it off flawlessly. This is the type of album that the listener can lose oneself in the intricacy. Excellent guitar and drum manipulation, with elements of a variety of genres recorded with impressive quality. I’m glad this album made the list.
Awesome album, I love these guys
Exelente
Awesome
already heard this one before, it's been a while since i've listened to the album all the way through but it's a fantastic record
marte it is back
Another favorite
Rating: 10/10
Brilliant in every way: song writing, palpable energy, performance of every instrument, vocals for the ages. This album and band have long been an obsession!
Unrivaled. Don't think it's their best album (I have a weakness for France The Mute) but definitely a 5-start
Unrelenting and whip-smart
Classic prog weirdness. Love this album.
Just yesterday I typed in my Aqualung review how Mars Volta is one of my exceptions where I can ignore the obscurity and abstrusity of the lyrics. And here they are on my doorstep. What makes them different then? Maybe it's the conviction with which Cedric belts out his cryptic lyrics. Perhaps it's Omar's beautiful guitar work that accompanies the whole thing. Or the fact that they really just throw you into the deep end of their fucked up fantasy world with no life preserver, while other prog bands offer you the occasional respite in the kiddie pool. You either learn to swim and love it, or drown, but you're never going to find yourself surrounded by a bunch of kids with pool noodles splashing and peeing in the water (peeing in the water is my analogy for prog bands that get a little too sybaritic). In other words, I appreciate that Mars Volta have their vision, and go all the way with it, holding nothing back, no subtlety, no pandering, this music is theirs and on their terms. And damn if it doesn't sound great! As much as I dislike this ugly cover, and don't want to see it muck up my flawless summary page, I can't deny that this is as good as prog-rock gets in my book. 5 stars!
It's impossible to review this album without sounding like a pretentious twat...so I'm not going to bother. Listen to it yourself you lazy sods.
Wow what an amazing album - every song was great
Amazing!
They're definitely doing something. Not really sure what it is but it's not nothing. Something like the thing that Radiohead does but way less like that thing. It's definitely not nothing. Certainly made me think about what the thing is a lot. Still not sure. For the amount it's made me think I'm technically bound to give it a five star by my universal rating rationale but it doesn't feel like the right thing to do in this instance. Getting toward the end now, Cicatriz Esp starting to bring it together. Holy fuck what a bring back! Nah five stars.
These mfs go hard on this one you best believe. They're playing like their lives depend on it!!!
6 star
This is not the object to change any opinions about prog or the Volta, but it seems to arrive in one's life precisely where it's most needed. It's a quick hour, but contains enough tricks (very lush for Rubin) to establish itself as a 21st century prog album, a load of ambition, plenty of meaning-evading. Put that way, the record sounds like a mixed bag, and I suppose it is: Something brimmeth over, certainly. But I still can't shake the feeling that De-Loused is something special, and it makes me grin.
Thematically and musically reminded me of "The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance (one of the most baffling exclusions from this list, by the way). You could tell me the singer is Gerard Way's older brother and I would honestly believe you. I really love it. The completely batshit lyrics, the guitars, vocals, drumming.. it all works so well together. "Track-marked amoeba lands craft, cartwheel of scratches, dress the tapeworm as pet, tentacles smirk please" I have absolutely no idea what you're saying my guy, but it sounds cool so I'll let it slide.
A record I can listen intently in my headphones or cranked in the car. Vocal slayings and solid grooves throughout. Beginning to end a great work from beginning to end.
Absolutely loved At The Drive-In, so I'm not sure how this passed me by. It's great though, lots of scope and variety on top of ATDI's distinctive sound.
wait what the heck....this is SO good. I love prog rock!!
I saw another hour long album after so many in the last few days and thought god damn it. But this hit me in the right spot. I absolutely loved it. Heard the name but didn't know what to expect. This just scratched an itch that I absolutely love. Just some really great music and I'm going to explore the rest of the catalogue.
Aż musiałem przeskoczyć żeby odsłuchać (nie pierwszy raz). Kocham ten album całym serduszkiem, na liście moich albumów 10/10 zdecydowanie ma swoje miejsce. Bardzo ciekawy głos, drastyczny acz pasjonujący koncept, szalone koncepcje liryczne, wszystko tu jest niesamowicie tripowe i wciągające. Brzmi kosmicznie - i to nie w stylu "tania space opera", tylko naprawdę niepokojąco obco. No i widać duże umiejętności techniczne artystów. Nawet nie wypada mówić tu, jaki utwór jest highlightem - tego albumu się słucha całego lub w ogóle.
Wild album! Still feels pretty modern. Highly recommend!
God, I love this album, I could listen to it every day.
My kiddo saw this on the list and reminded me that we recently listened to this album on a car trip. Which I guess means my kiddo has awesome taste :). Very cool album, fave is probably Cicatriz Esp, I do love me some 12 minute epic songs. But the whole album is great.
One of my favorite albums. Glad they re-pressed it
Aha, I know this one. This is one of those pure gems of an album that always gives you something new every time you listen to it. The concept is dense, the music spans from metal to prog to Latin-inspired to jazz and everywhere in between, the performances are unreal, and it basically just goes hard as fuck for 70 minutes straight. I love this album
Classic! I bought this album the when it came out on a whim cause I thought the cover was cool .
Like a Texan Biffy Clyro - which is intented as a massive compliment! I loved At The Drive-in, but hadn't listened to much of The Mars Volta before - I am now regretting that. Added all their albums to my list off the back of this one. Loved every second of it, wish I could give it 6 (or 7) stars!
Really love this album. I understand why people complain about the wailing, it is pretty intense, but I love it. It's funny to hear people call them pretentious. Isn't ratting someone's art with your anonymous internet opinion a tad on the pretentious side? Either way this album screams. Songs are interesting and engaging. Peaks and valleys. Light and dark. Enjoy with an open mind.
One of my alltime favorite albums. Such an intense blend of post-punk, prog metal, jazz, synthy stuff. One of a kind. Also big words that may or may not mean anything. Favorite Tracks: Televators, Cicatriz ESP, Son et Lumiere/Inertiatic ESP
I was really surprised how much I liked this, even with a minor headache at the time. Don't think there was a track I didn't like. Inertiatic Esp was my favourite of the bunch. I must say the drumming and guitars are all top notch, made me air play those instruments in the car. The vocalist is really great and I particularly like how some of the songs are interrupted by the sound effects. Gives the intensity a nice break.
O álbum começa super animado e vai ficando mais psicodélico pro final, mantendo o virtuosismo. Deu vontade de casar com esse álbum kkkk
Bruh, je reconnaissance seulement le groupe de nom. Mon dieu que je me suis prit une claque dans la face à matin! Je sais pas trop comment décrire le style, un genre de radiohead moins depressif pis plus jazzy/prog. Bref, je kiff
even at its least comprehensible, i get why people like this album so much. probably would have been huge to my teenage self.
I had barely discovered the last At The Drive-In record(at the time) and fallen in love, only to find out they would split shortly after. I was wearing that CD out when this one came out. It was familiar in it's chaos but it was totally different. It felt like they had hit puberty and decided they wanted to be mature and to be artsy. It worked. This album is awesome. It has a lot of what I liked about ATDI, the manic feeling to the tempo, the ridiculous lyrics, the ENERGY. It's like they said to me "We saw you liked that and decided to turn everything you liked up to 11".I have done my best to wear this album out over these 20 years, but it still holds up. Its comes across so emotional and I honestly have no clue what he is singing about when I'm listening to it.
One of the best albums in my lifetime. Every song is a masterpiece
Way ahead of it's time.
My brother got this on CD when it came out. I must have been 12 or 13 at the time and always listened to all of his CDs. I didn't get this one. It seemed sort of weird and then I never listened to it again. Seeing the album here made me think "Oh yeah, there was an album like this! I heard it. Some strange alternative rock or something like that." Listening to it yesterday and giving it a second spin today, I've been loving every moment of this album. Progressive rock and alternativ rock get together for a twist that still sounds fresh and original almost 20 years later. I can't claim that the lyrics seem much more than associative stream of consciousness, but that's OK. As is not uncommon in alternative rock, the vocals are frequently off-key and sound whiny at times. I'm not the biggest fan of this style of singing, but here it fits quite well. The bigger draw, for me, is the undeniable instrumental virtuosity on this album and the elaborate and unpredictable structuring of the tracks. This one really caught me by surprise but I will be sure to revisit it and check out the other Mars Volta albums as well. Favorite tracks were the two Esp songs.
Panic Attack Simulator, the album. This cathartic combination of Prog and Punk creates a record that, while alienating for sure, I find to be an extremely rewarding listen. Favorites: "Roulette Dares", "Eriatarka", "Cicatriz Esp", "Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt"
Deloused in the Comatorium is the kind of progressive rock that I like. It's complex, raw, naughty and exploratory, but not overthought and full of jerkoff solos. To quote an review of Uncut: "Imagine a jam session between King Crimson, Fugazi and '70s Miles. Now imagine it working. That's the Mars Volta."
-This album is pretty sweet. The guitar is shredding and the drums are awesome throughout the whole album. Definitely need to do more listening
Got this one on CD. Perfect album as far as I'm concerned.
I really enjoy the chaos of this album. I tried to listen to this when I was about 15 but found it impenetrable, partly because it gave me ear fatigue by the end. It maybe still does a little bit but so much now The noisy presentation works well in making the music more chaotic but everything does start to blend together a bit by the end Highlights: Eriatarka, The Apparatus Must Be Unearthed, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
It cannot be that hard to make a good album cover man... wtf is this ??? I dont like the singer voice and its sometime prety prentensious but the songs are still good. Very interesting album. It sounds weird, it rocks, the songs changes all the time. Its one of the best album this book showed me and thats really cool. BUT WHY IS THE COVER SO ASS
One of those enticing listens just off the album cover but super fire
In the big At the Drive-In divorce, I got Sparta's Wiretap Scars while most people got this album. I've probably tried this out a half dozen times since then. What's one more shot among friends? TMV are basically the sliver of the Venn diagram of prog and emo. That's probably a big reason why past listens have been busts. But maybe I’m in a better (or worse?) place now, because those wails of “now I'm lost” as Inertiatic Esp blasts in feel a little more like home. Maybe it's the album title, but this music always feels a little insect-y, a little like if creepy crawlies went steampunk. It's hard to explain why, but that feels right. Maybe it's the sinuous creep of the guitars and the dark corners of the sound palate or maybe it's just that Cedric loves lyrics about exoskeletons and Spanish titles about bringing him to the spiders. Anyway, those are the sonics I am getting most into on giving it a proper focused spin. I'm not getting hung up on the forced clever titles or the shoehorning of words like “autodafé” and instead getting into the fact that this sounds like the music that would spawn from a haunted underground prison. It's paranoid as fuck, haunted as anything, it uses space while also cramming sound into said space (songs both have the tension of a vast cavern and the chaos of bombardment of sound). And the more you give the album room to breathe (or the longer i do at least) the more every instrument, from angular and mathematical guitars to rapid-fire drums to soaring vox, becomes more clear in its skill and begins to construct an ornate cathedral of sound, something byzantine and labyrinthine, perhaps the whole castle and maze of Minos. At this point, even the Very-Longness of the album tracks has become a moot point. I only really feel it on Cicatriz Esp (the clear centerpiece and, to be fair, the longest of the tracks), but that comes largely from the more spare middle. I think this time around I'd be brought around completely if the whole track was equally active. Really surprised, is the point. The only real down point is “This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed,” which is fine but distinctly not up to the rest. Hey, Wiretap Scars has Glasshouse Tarot. Nothing's perfect. Anyway, this could climb from ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ now that it's broken through for me, but that's where it is right now.
Not really my thing but arguably amazing. I was surprised by how much I liked this
De-Loused in the Comatorium is a masterclass in progressive rock, seamlessly blending explosive hooks with brilliant genre-fluidity that flirts with everything from jazz-infused codas to driving samba rhythms and bongo-led dance vibes. Musically, the album is an absolute masterpiece—the recording and mixing are pristine, allowing intricate drum patterns, powerful hooks, and every single instrument to perfectly complement the soaring vocals. While tracks like "Sons et Lumiere" paired with "Inertiatic ESP" deliver non-stop energy and "Cicatrix ESP" shines with its gorgeous jazz outro, a few experimental atmospheric shifts slightly miss the mark, and the lyrics lean heavily into complete nonsense. Ultimately, the abstract lyricism holds it back just enough to keep it from absolute perfection, making it a spectacular 4/5 that stands as an acoustic triumph.
Close enough, welcome back My Chemical Romance Highlights: Son et Lumiere roulette dares Eriatarka Televators Favorite: Televators
ok yes. I like this a lot. don't even care how long the songs are. and I feel like I would have LOVED this in middle school. (and sorry devon, I didn't fully listen to the lyrics but perhaps on a relisten I will pay more attention)
Lite för noisy för en femma men väldigt bra annars
"De-Loused in the Comatorium" is the debut album by the American band The Mars Volta. And what a spectacular debut Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López delivered. Just as the new wave of progressive rock bands were settling comfortably into a quiet niche, The Mars Volta shook up the prog establishment. No one had charged forward in prog so loudly, so drastically, so fast and so garishly for a long time. "De-Loused in the Comatorium" is a single, full-throttle ride through tempo and key changes, unexpected twists and unheard-of sounds, all delivered with a self-assurance and energy that progressive rock had lost since the days of the legendary King Crimson in the 1970s. The band thus shot straight to the top and made it rather difficult for themselves to top their debut. For ten years, the band constantly reinvented itself, until they split up in the early 2010s and took a decade to reunite. As a debut album, "De-Loused in the Comatorium" is certainly one of the best, most radical and most successful prog albums of the 21st century so far.
genuinely interesting. I can't tell if it's my headphones or the recording but I'm hearing a fuzz I wish wasn't there. I wish I had a better audio setup at the moment.
Lowkey good
040626 18:36 3.5
This is a weird one. I love the instrumentals but only sometimes like the vocals. I actually think the vocals at times take away from the actual instruments. But then sometimes I do think they elevate the songs and sync really well. 7/10
Kinda all over, always good but sometimes more. Not a 5 but something more than a 3 I think
wowza I didn't know Mars sounded so good
Had only heard these guys' name mentioned in passing, but this was a pretty cool prog rock album. Going in I was a bit intimidated as I had no clue what to expect, but reading up on the album concept sounded interesting and they do a great job showing early on what this project is all about. I was really surprised by the vocals. He almost sounds like he's an emo vocalist and it really added to my enjoyment of the record. Super cool instrumentals throughout as expected for prog, but its more on the abrasive side at times and sounded really math rocky to me at times. My only real complaint is it does run a bit longer than I'd like. Definitely an album I'll have to sit with and listen to multiples times, but very fun first listen.
diferente. muito maneiro
Sonically and musically, there is a great deal to admire here. This is an album that is progressive in the traditional sense, yet never forgets how to rock. The immense amount of thought poured into the writing, arrangement, performance, and production is evident throughout. My only niggling issue lies with Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s vocals. Whilst perfectly acceptable during the album’s quieter moments, they wear thin during the high-intensity, dramatic peaks, lacking the necessary timbre and body to match the music. The instrumental passages are frequently thrilling and deeply dynamic; "Drunkship of Lanterns" is a prime example of this duality - musically spectacular, yet vocally intrusive. Four stars. 1 "Son et lumière" (3/5) 2 "Inertiatic ESP" (3/5) 3 "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" (3/5) 4 "Tira me a las arañas" (instrumental) (4/5) 5 "Drunkship of Lanterns" (4/5) 6 "Eriatarka" (4/5) 7 "Cicatriz ESP" (4/5) 8 "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" (3/5) 9 "Televators" (4/5) 10 "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" (4/5) Total - 36 Average - 3.6 335/1001 182/335 albums reviewed were new to me.
I really enjoy this. I hear lots of different things happening in every song. I had heard of The Mars Volta (and At the Drive-In) and had even listened to a little before, but not paying quite as much attention as I did this time.
I liked this more than I thought I would. A bit too frenetic at times, but it's still pretty good. Televators was the highlight for me.
37/1089 De-Loused in the Comatorium by The Mars Volta For some reason I never really dived into The Mars Volta, even though several good friends of mine absolutely love them. I’m not sure why, because every time I’ve heard something from them, I’ve enjoyed it. This is a fantastic prog rock album. It’s chaotic, wild, energetic, and somehow still manages to hold everything together. There’s always something happening. The tempo changes, the strange transitions, the sheer amount of ideas packed into every song—it never feels boring. What impressed me most is that despite all the chaos, it’s still fun. Sometimes prog rock can disappear up its own ass, but this album feels alive and exciting. I definitely need to spend more time with it. This feels like one of those records where every listen reveals something new. Wine pairing? A funky orange wine that probably shouldn't work but somehow does. The kind of bottle that starts arguments at the table. Food pairing? Korean BBQ. Loud, messy, full of flavours, and way more complex than it first appears. Vinyl? Don’t own it, but honestly I might want this one. Favourite song? “Televators”. First listen? Yes. Overall 4 out of 5.
I remember listening to this album with a friend on a holiday in the autumn of 2007. A classic set-up with one ear piece each while waiting in a train station to go somewhere. There were a couple of songs that became earworms, but it made little impression as I haven't listened to it in the intervening 19 years. Now I wonder if that was a mistake. The music is much more like the material I listen to these days (energetic, complex guitar music). I would like to listen to it more as I think there is more to get from it.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Amazing storytelling interesting album, like it
Progressive Post-Dictionarywave They could form a whole subfield of philosophy dedicated to debating what these lyrics mean which is awesome
This is a great album. It’s full of energy, fun guitar riffs, a madman on the drums, and lyrics that feel completely unhinged, at least the ones you can make out. It’s far from perfect, but it’s an incredibly fun listen from start to finish.
This definitely sounds like the feeling of going into a coma because of rat poison and morphine.
Such a wild ride
Just an absolutely insane album. The drumming is insane, the vocals are insane, the guitar shredding... also insane. Prog music for Fugazi fans 4⭐️
I like ORL, but hadn't really listened to this band. I prefer his solo stuff, but this wasn't bad.
I love when I band that I have no familiarity with pops up with an album that just clicks for me. This one was great.
Tidvis nästan lite för kaosigt, men ändå ett riktigt bra och eget sound.
Nuevo, more-interesting, prog.
Favorite Track: Inertiatic Esp
Enjoyed this one a lot, incredible drums and very interesting math rock
Woah is this guy an alien?
Inertiatic Esp e The Apparatus Must Be Unearthed due pezzoni incredibili, le canzoni dell'album sono carine, forse un po monotone e alcune si assomigliano, ma di certo non mi ha annoiato. Come un infinito lamento di strazio.
I enjoyed this but I got lost in the tracks a bit, a little too similar track to track. Some zep meets pop punk sorta sensibilities with great musicianship. 4
How have I never hear of this? I reckon I wasn't around "prog rock" in 2003. Interesting and I dig it. Might be the first 5 (day 284) on the list that I’d never heard before. Solid 4.
prog rock from the 2000s, good find. Favorite track: Inertiatic ESP other picks: Eriatarka, Televators
I binged this album (and the 2 follow ups) a ton when it came out and then didn't come back to the Mars Volta for a long time. I was young then and it blew my mind — the crazy guitar riffs and unhinged lyrics. Coming back to it now after having heard a lot more different kinds of music, I hear the jazz fusion in it, the inventive shifts in time signatures and punk rock influence. It's the ultimate maximalist album. There is so much going on, and there's something new every time you come back to it. To me right now it feels like sensory overload. But that's part of what's great about it. It really works.
00’s Prog Rock ⭐️Cicatriz Esp
A very good album.
When you order spicy food and it is perhaps too spicy but you keep eating anyways because it tastes good and your eyes are running and you are gulping liquids..... this album. Compelling and bordering on painful.
Very original.
MARE E LUMEAAAA ohaaa mega de post-hardcore vibe!! hani iwie gar nöd erwartet sini stimm isch eifach so komisch nöd ganz grifbar UHHH geili drums EEEEXXOskeleTOUL hahahah so funny drunkship of lanterns findi en absolute banger drums wo so nervös mached und denn immer wieder sini stimm wo dur alles schniidet wauw UUUND ES CHUNNT NOMAL ZRUGG jaa am schluss ischs z lang gange aber ich han easy spass gha
I've sat on this one for awhile and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it. It was definitely interesting, and some of the songs had very interesting soundscapes. I think it's definitely a record you need to spin a couple of times before it really settles in.
It’s funny that this music is very polarizing to the general public. You either love it or you hate it. Which I find is a common theme for most “heavier” rock or fast-paced music with higher energy. I’m familiar with The Mars Volta and to me, they’re usually a hit or miss. I find the more I listen to them, the more I like it. This is definitely one of their better records and I found that I enjoyed a lot of the songs off this record. It’s crazy to think that this album came out in 2003. So far ahead of its time and still stands today as incredible. Aged like fine wine. I’d argue that it’s probably better in today’s music than it was back in 2003
What a pleasant surprise. What at first sounded like sheer anarchy started growing on me; it was as if Gabriel-era Genesis Ike up from a coma in 2000 and was really pissed. While I may not listen to it again, I applaud the workmanship and concepts.
No idea who The Mars Volta are, but this is some nice progressive rock, and I'm always down for that. Among other things, the vocals were surprising. Love to hear a prog rock album with modern technology and production.
Wow, amazing album. I listened, not knowing what to expect, and I really enjoyed it. Reading the reviews, it's either like it a lot, or a great big no! I'm coming back to this one, it's going on my list!
Enjoyed this quite a bit. 4*
Hits you with the face with rapid fire drum beats, abrasive guitars and tons of energy from the vocalist. It bounces between loud explosions of anger and cathartic slow burns masterfully. It's like switching back and forth between dreams and nightmares. Inertiatic ESP and Roulette Dares are some of my favorite songs in this style.
A bit pretentious, but they do have the musicality to back up their claims.
This album is so beautifully weird and I loved it. The vocals are insanely strong, what a presence the lead singer has, it's ridiculous. The guitar and drums are also top-notch and a treat to listen to. It's really cool to see the influence this album/artist has had on modern tracks, you can find it sprinkled across the album. 4/5.
This rocks I like the lead singer’s voice Really nice pockets on here this goes hard
not bad 4
This really took it time with me, had listened a while back and dispute loving loads of the post-hardcore that it went on to influence I just didn’t get it, but as times gone on the vocals have clicked and with that the rest of the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, blissful chaos
iwie geil
4/5. I somehow only today put the pieces together that the Mars Volta shares a band member with at the Drive In. For a debut album, this thing is firing on all cylinders, it is a non-stop barrage of constantly shifting prog rock. I do prefer Frances the Mute, but this one is still great (and more accessible, Frances songs are even longer and even proggier.) I really love how the short intro Son Et Lumière builds up tension which releases right when Inertiatic ESP starts and the album keeps up the pace of that first burst of sound for essentially the whole album.
I went down by 0.2 points from my rating in the 2003 dive, butstill firmly in the 4½ star range. I love the prog elements of this album. In a way they remind me if a more frantic version of Muse especially from *Origin of Cemetery* to *Back Holes and Revelations* which is my favorite era of Muse. (9.2) ★★★★½
Finally a 2000’s album I genuinely enjoyed This one sounded real good, thought it was just the right length for a prog album. I haven’t listened to a ton of post 2000s prog but I do think the cleaner sound adds a ton to the immersiveness. Vocals aren’t necessary the clearest so didn’t really catch a whole lot of lyrics, but I love the sound. There’s a couple of rough parts that I really didn’t like, the weird technological garbage in the middle of the final song hurt. The albums an hour long and there’s maybe a cumulative 1 minute that actively sucks which isn’t the end of the world but does need to get brought up. Going to need a couple more of these to reverse my judgement of the 1001 committee sucking at picking 2000’s albums though
This is if prog rock, emo, and anime OPs had a baby lmaoooo lucky for them, i'm a slut for all three I think though that this slightly lags behind other groups with a similar sound (thank you scientist, closure in moscow) because of a lack of variety. This style of music is all about a wall of sound, tons of instruments and key changes and syncopation. But the key is that you need that variety in composition. You need a ballad or a slower, simpler song somewhere in there or else all that energy gets to be draining. still really good. I'll definitely give it a listen again
My thoughts went something like this: "They're obviously talented, and I dig the music. The instruments sound good when playing separately. The drumming is tight, singing good, but why is it such an ear straining, noisy mess when they're playing together?" Producer: Rick Rubin "Ah."
Weird and dramatic. I usually hate long, instrumental noodling, but this was so compelling. My mind is blown. So glad this sometimes tedious project brought this into my life!
Pink Floyd för 2000-talet. Jävligt spännande och välspelat. Diggar! Stark fyra!
Another name I've known for a long time, but I can't believe I passed on it for so long. When I researched the album yesterday and saw the prog tag in the genre, I knew I had made a mistake. The music is chaotic and complex, just the way I like it. The vocals will take some getting used to, but I'm sure I'll be going back to the well with these guys!
Ooo this is my type of rock. So thick and dense and constantly moving. All of the changes just help add on to the intensity, building up to bigger and bigger moments. I love the speed at which we’re going, not quite slamming on the pedal, but definitely leaning on it. Fast enough to create strong energy, but just slow enough for you to feel all of the developments. It’s not just about the quality of firepower that the album brings but also how wisely it’s used. Faves: Inertiatic Esp, Take The Veil Cerpin Text, Televators, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed, Eriatarka
Good sounds
Den her vækker nogen minder! Tror faktisk det er min yndlings Mars Volta i 2026, det er den rette mængde jammy (selv hvis peaks på Frances the Mute er bedre).
Everything is pretty cool on this record!
It's over the top modern prog but the playing and style is pretty great. This is a good debut and has a lot of nonsense lyrics a teenager leans into too hard, but it's a good showcase of the evolution of genres. Strong 3, weak 4.
Anime rock is how i see this. But truly this was so good, i saw them open for deftones last year and was really bored. Im glad this proved me wrong in some capacity. Gonna play this next time i defeat a dragon or something 8/10
This sounded like a mashup of so many bands. The mains I could pick out was MCR and Queen. Fascinating listen
EIIII que maneiro esse!!! prog bom demais!!!
I just learned about this group a few months ago after watching one of those "Drumeo" YouTube videos. I'm aware that no band(with the exception of Gerta Van Fleet) wants to be compare to another band, but I'm cueing in on some Coheed and Cambria vibes, and I think that rules. Some of the songs caused me excessive agida, though.
Sometimes just trying shit sounds awesome. This was pretty sick
unexpectedly really enjoyed 3.5/5
own
Unexpected win here. There's a thousand ideas crammed into this album. No idea (and no care either) what the lyrics are about but love the guitar work and drums are rad man.
Very good album, didn’t think a prog album would be that good in the 2000s but I stand corrected. Each song flows really well into each other, instruments were on point. Again if you’re not a prog fan you will not be a fan of this album
Kickin' down the studio door and screaming "LET'S GET NUTS", this one helluva frantic ride. Sprinting, crashing, pivoting on a dime: beautiful for a second, then bursting into flame, but still plenty of hooks that linger, and space provided to catch your breath. The guitars are sharp and restless, vocals aren't my favorite style - but compliment the chaos quite well. Exciting from start to finish!
I was nervous to listen, but happy to report I was pleasantly surprised. I saw a several reviews complaining specifically about the vocals and the "noise" of it all, but I found the album to be pretty compelling! Do I know what the songs are about lyrically? No. Did some of the tracks get a little too "noisy"? Yes. Would I seek it out to listen again? I'm not sure, but for the most part I really enjoyed the ride.
I remember this album went under the radar at first when I came out and I thought why? It’s so different to anything out at the time and the music is very varied, the lyrics are wild and the whole album structure is insane but I really liked and still do to this day
Jolie découverte je l’ai ajouté à ma bibliothèque
Nytt band for meg. Blanding av prog-rock og post-hardcore. Episk musikk med godt driv og intense refreng. Kan minne litt om My Chemical Romance, spesielt i måten vokalisten matcher den desperate energien som Gerard Way utstråler. Virkelig en positiv overraskelse. Top 3: Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Inertiatic Esp, Drunkship of Lanterns
I've never really considered myself a prog rock fan, but this was pretty damn good. Really loved the upbeat vibe and the Latin influence sprinkled in made it feel special and unique in comparison to other prog rock albums. The vocals were impressive albeit sometimes a bit too much. I do think that a couple songs fell into the trap of sounding a bit samey, which is funny because I didn't really even absorb most of the lyrics in the songs. This aside, this freaking rocked, and I really enjoyed it.
I didn't think I'd like this, but I did.
“Son et Lumiere” was great! Eriatarka also very good.
Powerful, good rock
Wasnt what I expected, interesting sound. 3.8/5
Heard of the band, never heard anything of them, but this kicks ass. Propulsive, spacy, guitar and drum-driven rock (seriously, the drums on this kick butt) with some zappity-pow effects thrown in for extra flavor. It's a sci-fi concept album about something something something I don't really care, I can barely understand what the singer is saying anyway, but his voice soars above the mayhem quite nicely. Only thing keeping it from five stars is a lack of variety among the tracks, but what's there is really great, so I'm not complaining.
I liked it! Very emo prog.
I think someone's trying to desensitise me to long songs and it might actually be working because I really enjoyed this and for once was completely unphased by a 12 minute song. Reading up on the backstory to this album, I was a bit disappointed to not be able to pick up on the 'horrifying adventures' through the 'subconscious dream world' in the lyrics but I feel like the 'adventureness' can definitely be felt through the way tension is built up and down instrumentally and almost cinematically.
Tanto bello cazzo
good actually, not what i expected I like the music but the vocals were kind of hard to understand and the songs were a little too long for me kinda sounded like sod? album cover is crazy favorites: roulette dares Eriatarka 4.1 stars 8/10
Still maintain that if they’d shave like 20 minutes of unnecessary sound effects off, and this’d be a pretty excellent album. Also, is this makes the list and Relationship of Command doesn’t, I will riot in the streets.
None of this cohered lyrically for me but it captured an anguished vibe well enough that I could connect to it anyway. Never had any idea where it was going on any of their extended riffs, worked best in Eriatarka and Veil Cerpin
Heard of The Mars Volta, but i guess I've never heard them? Anyway, this slaps from beginning to end. Great complimentary everything going on.
Not reallu my thang but this isn't bad ata all.
This might be my favorite prog rock album I've heard so far. Not usually a big fan of the genre just because lengthy songs are tough and don't lend themselves to listening more frequently, but! This album is really cool! It is maybe a bit on the long side, but... Very high 4. One of those possible 5s in the future.
I flirted with giving this a 3 for a while because I probably won’t add any songs off this to my regular listening but ya know what? It was cool as hell.
Everything about this album seemed incredible on paper, but after two listens I still can't quite hook onto it. I definitely enjoy a lot of it -- the percussion is relentless, the guitar riffs otherworldly, the bass... is Flea, and the longform proggy cuts are a real treat -- so unfortunately my main blockage here is the singing, which has a very emo-leaning delivery that I don't quite hate, but imo clashes with everything else going on. Standouts: Drunkship of Lanterns • Cicatriz Esp • Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt
Great album but does not earn the length, in my opinion. I feel like they don't have quite enough ideas, so while I spend the entire first half buying it, I'm a little worn out by the end. Very promising for their other material and their singer has a gorgeous voice.
Never ever heard of this And no wonder. This is good but it’s maybe the least pop thing so far. Lots of long songs and very intense/hardcore rock. It’s good, not always quite my thing but good
Compared to Muse by many, I can see it. Nice prog album, innovative sound, strong variety in this album. Maybe too prog-gy to be 5* for me.
A band I’ve known by name for a long time but never listened to. Mt interest had been peaked in more recent years knowing that QOTSA drummer Jon Theodore is alumni. And I had a good time with this, I think it needs more listens but I’m keen to hear more.
Was peak in the naughties. I'm a bit old for this dang ruckus these days.
I wish I could listen to this again for the first time, but it always slaps.
Album #998 When I got into Coheed and Cambria, this is one of the bands that was suggested as similar that I might enjoy. I never did get around to listening to them until now. I definitely hear the similarities. I prefer the more poppy prog metal of C&C. That just strikes the perfect balance for my taste. This band leans more heavily into the prog, which can sometimes get tiring when you just want the music to relax and get into a nice groove. The singer sounds like a basic pop-punk lead singer; not that unique. But still, there is a lot to enjoy here, and I wouldn't mind giving it another shot. As far as the lyrics go, I couldn't really understand much besides the word "exoskeleton." A low 4/5 I think.
Singer is talented but sings nonsense and sounds a bit emo. That out of the way, the instrumentation is pretty damn good and this is an interesting evolution of prog rock.
Second half of album is great.
Great
This on the verge of tears singing style reminds me a lot of the music I listen to, but at the same time I can't name a specific band, so maybe I don't listen to it that much Good music
A great discovery, very interesting rock music, listened to it twice, and added it to my library.
Dream Theater if they were Pierce the Veiling tf ouuttt!! So good. Epic. Very loud and fast but the instrumentals were hooking and groovy to the point that I could stay invested (like DT). I couldn't stay focused bc my head is broken rn so I wasn't as into it as I would've liked BUT from my far-away perspective it was good! Not sure if it's my personal taste but it's definitely similar. Reminds me of industrial and progressive rock. Flames. Maybe a 3.5-4/5.
Funky, somewhat sinister, enjoyable.
Somehow, The Mars Volta escapes from too many dated sounds on Deloused in the Comatorium. The beginning of this album feels like something that could have come out in the 2020s. It must have been revolutionary in 2003. This album honestly feels like the baseline for many screamo/emo punk bands of the 2000s and 2010s. Personally, I don't love screaming, so this album is much better than any of its derivatives. Best Songs: Inertiatic Esp, Roulette Dares, Eriatarka Worst Songs: This Apparatus...
Great somescape and a sound that i liked to hear but a difficult album to review. It was a bit too long in my opinion and the first half was better than the second. I loved the mix of modern and classical tones and vibes. Never heard of to band eather which was a nice breath of fresh air.
Didn’t read any lyrics but loved the musicality on many of the songs. I liked the longer tracks more than the short ones.
Awesome album.
I previously only knew (and loved) The Bedlam in Goliath, and this held up my expectations from that. As with any album, my entry point is the rhythm, arrangements, and production, and the lyrics are barely registered on first listens. So I think there’s a whole story going on here but I couldn’t tell you what it’s about. But the album was thrilling, cinematic, and engaging throughout, with the intense dynamic shifts and complicated rhythms I’ve come to expect from the MV. This is not a relaxing album, but it’s not meant to be.
A good album, I liked Inertiatic Esp the most.
I remember seeing them on YouTube, such crazy energetic experience
Interesting mix of genres.
Great 2000 s indie/noise/prog/math rock
I think I've finally come around to the Mars Volta.
I couldn’t decide if I liked this or not. It’s like a weird mix of emo and progressive rock. Cool guitar riffs and the vocals that work quite well. The only thing I took away from my first listen was that the lyrics in the first track has way too much effects on it. After a few more listens it really grew on me. It felt quite different from many other things on this list, and actually felt quite unique in general. I really enjoyed Eriatarka in particular. I think I’ve listened to this album 4 times by now and I like it more and more. Going to give it a 4 star.
This rules, amazing drumming. Love the vocals and Latin influence. I think this could turn into a 5 down the road, it’s a lot to digest
I’ve always been a fan of prog-rock with Kansas especially, this album feels like it has some similarities. It’s a very dramatic album and feels like it takes itself seriously as storytelling albums usually do, although it was quite hard to understand the story as the lyrics weren’t easy to catch. Not a big deal though as prog-rock albums like this are great based on the amazing instrumental sections and how the vocals are delivered as an instrument in itself, and they were definitely good vocals. I feel like I’m basically describing this as any prog-rock album could be described but I believe that this is because it’s just a well done album in this genre, it’s got the varying and diverse instrumentals with the different influences from flamenco sometimes to what sounds very much like Afro beat music in it’s jumpy and energetic style with the drum sounds. The guitar is so good as well, Flea is a random member here but a welcome one as the bass playing is also awesome. Just an overall fun and energetic listen with the instrumental storytelling which makes prog great. Favourites: pretty much all other than the intro and the last song which was bit of a weird way to end it. Overall, kind of torn between a 7 and an 8 so 7.5?
Reminded me of At the drive in, so looked them up, and they are the succession band!
really enjoyed this one even though its long and i am not a prog rock girlie. u know i love a concept album
me surpreendi muito positivamente, não tava dando nada pela banda
quite metal-y. Song structure and guitar playing seems quite original, providing much inspiration for future artists.
Très sympa !
Peut-être l'album le plus intéressant en terme de recherche et d'expérimentation depuis le début. J'ai l'impression de m'être fait agresser mais j'ai kiffé c'est donc ça le syndrome de Stockholm ?
needs about 20 more listens to really land
it doesn't hold up quite as well as i hoped but it's still such an immersive sound they create
There is so much going on with this album its hard to wrap my head around it all. Especially after a single listen. There is certainly a lot of depth to this record and I feel like it needs to be revisited to be fully appreciated, which I fully intend to do. That said, it was a pretty electrifying record. Elements of jazz fusion, prog rock, post hardcore often combined with Latin rhythms. Its manic at times but in the best way. Technically and musically it is elite. Unfortunately, im not a huge fan of the vocals which is a little bit of a sticking point. Ive just never been a big fan of that style of vocal delivery. Not that they are bad though, the man can sing. Ultimately the album comes across as a surreal and chaotic journey and i plan on taking the journey again real soon. Favourite track- Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt. 8.5/10
So good, idc if pretentious and nonsense songs are the point or not. This sounds great.
Neke dobre, neke uzasne, u svakom slucaju zanimljivo
Move over 70s prog, this is how prog should be done! Haven’t listened to this for ages but I’ve always liked this album. I’ll accept its quite hard work to get into, took me a couple of listens to get my eye in. Loads of highlights, but as with any prog albeit garage/latin/prog or whatever you want to call this variant, it can always have slightly too much nonsense to give it a 5*. As a side note, I never realised before that Flea was the bass player on most of it.
Incredible album. Not exactly for my tastes these days but it’s hard to deny how good it is.
Great album
It's interesting to see people say that this album is pretentious, because even though it probably is, at least a little: it rocks too hard for me to have ever cared. And I've given this my fair share of listens. For how dense and odd and heady as Deloused veers, I do genuinely think it maintains some real accessibility. The aforementioned hard-rocking nature, the great melodies, the tasteful Latin influences: these are all little facets of this album that keep it tethered and enjoyable for a (relatively) large audience. And it's blend of these things with some really abstract ideas is where this album's magic lies in my opinion. It's really a fascinating, engaging and exciting listen. It may not be to everyone's tastes, but if you're a prog fan or an enthusiast of boundary pushing rock in general, I can't imagine you not getting something out of it. In the past, I've never considered whether or not I consider this a "5", a perfect album, whatever, but regardless, I think it's genuinely fantastic. So while I'm playing it a little safe here, Deloused is going to be subject to relistens just as I go about my life honestly, and I'm probably gonna upgrade it some day.
Man, this one was rad! I’ve avoided Mars Volta for a long time. Too much prog and the albums were too long for me to really get into. I had time to throw this one on, uninterrupted today while I worked and it was killer! These guys made a full stop musical statement that flowed as well or better than any 70s prog-rock album, it was hard, it was soft, it was fun. I will definitely come back to this one. Always heard how amazing these guys were musically and it is all true based on this one. Great stuff! And unexpected! Everything this list should be.
Dit heeft me eigenlijk verbaasd! Best goede rock muziek, beetje nu achtig. Vooral de eerste paar nummers zijn lekker, daarna worden de gitaarriffjes toch iets te dissonant voor mij.
If I may indulge a little bit here... absolutely terrible, godawful album art. Have always thought that. Does not affect my opinion of the album, but yeah. Now that I got that out of the way, have always been a fan of this album (Even if I've fallen off the prog train) along with Frances of the Mute and the stuff Cedric and Omar did in At the Drive-In. What sets this album aside from a lot of other prog projects is the different genres The Mars Volta take in their music, whether it's jazz, latin, and especially the post-hardcore influences. Punk is anathema to prog, but the post-hardcore influences do a lot of the heavy lifting of elevating this record beyond just being another overproduced, indulgent prog rock record. It adds a sense of intention and drive to all the music instead of sounding like a masturbatory session on the guitar. Overall, just a fantastic record. Highlight for me (Probably obvious) is Inertiatic Esp, but songs like Cicatriz Esp and Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt are great too.
A great modern prog album
Progressive Rock
This album smacks you in the face then let's you chill then smacks you in the face again. A heavy emo mystery tour. I think I have Stockholm syndrome because I like it. 4/5.
Sweet prog album. Very unique style. I'll definitely be checking out more mars volta
Gets a bit too indulgent and overlong at times for me, but it's pretty sick overall
4 sonically interesting sound pretty rockin
Unusual
I’m on a really good stretch of albums right now, and it continues with this prog rock masterpiece. Some of the best guitar work I’ve ever heard. I almost didn’t want the album to end. Standout Songs: Inertiatic Esp Drunkship of Lanterns Eriatarka Televators Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt
The Mars Volta is a band I've been meaning to listen to more of, they have been recommended to me by two different people. I like this style a lot.
I bet I can use this to get my MCR loving teen into Prog rock.
Super adventurous album.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. It's not my usual kind of thing, but catch me in the right mood with one that's good enough and I'll like it. Pleased to find something new.
This is something else.
Satisfying.
Obviously extremely talented band. The drums play the craziest shit and it's so smooth. Cool that Flea's on bass too, didn't expect that. But I will say this album kind of drags in areas, I much prefer Frances the Mute which granted does have those long sections in between songs but I felt Frances the Mute gelled together better than this one. Still great album tho
This band is very reminiscent of Coheed and Cambria which is pretty rad. I really liked this album, definitely something I will return to in the future.
#670. I started listening to this list to possibly find some music that I'd never heard that I really liked and would want to listen to more going into the future. And for probably the fifth or sixth time out of almost 700, it has happened again. 4/5: about time
Great Heavy album
I like this a lot and it's good as a whole but I was looking for a singular banger. I'll come back to this for sure.
This album is more artistic than what I would normally listen to, but the general alt/rock sound is what kept me grounded the most as I was navigating the intricacies of effects layered in each song. More of a psychedelic and experimental/noise sound than I expected from this band which made the listening experience more interesting. I prefer the songs that have consistent vocals rather than the lengthy overtures of guitar and other sounds. I can appreciate the intensity and showcase of the instrumentals, but when it goes on for more than 5 minutes I start to get tired of it. It just isn't my thing. I would not purchase this record to own, but can thoroughly appreciate about half of this album's contents.
Realmente es interesante la historia detrás del álbum y la forma en la que te lo cuentan es fantástica. No es un álbum de fácil escucha pero todo lo que te vale la pena escucharlo por todo lo que ofrece.
LOVE this album but havent listened in ages, so thank you 1001 albums for reminding me.
This record is a fun listen - especially if you’re an At the Drive-In fan. More proggy but within a math metal loud screamy way. The back half does get a little long in the tooth, but still a worthwhile listen.
Prog and punk/hardcore fusion? Yeah, count me in for that! This is good, but it’s not great. Vocally, it gets pretty repetitive and starts to feel a bit tiresome after a while. I think their later albums are a bit more refined.
On paper, this is something I shouldn't really like, but I do. It's not a great album, but I enjoy it a lot, and have listened to it before and will again.
Oh, man. From that first transition (Son et Lumiere -> Inertiatic Esp) you can tell this is going to be something special. The latter is a great all-round track, with the highlight being the very frequent short silences between guitar/bass/percussion/vocal sounds. It's hard to describe but it creates a pretty unique atmosphere that keeps you on your toes. The intro to Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) is insane, particularly the drumming, and this is continued fairly convincingly for the rest of the track. Drunkship of Lanterns is similar but varies the atmosphere relentlessly throughout its 7-minute runtime, really lending credence to The Mars Volta's "prog rock" label. It's kind of overwhelming at times. Eriatarka pulls a Whole Lotta Love by alternating between high-energy hard-rock sections and trippy interludes. Cicatriz Esp does essentially the same thing, but (at over 12 minutes) is nearly twice as long. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed does essentially the same thing, and at this point I'm realising this is a little samey. Give me something other than aggressive faux-experimental rock you might find in some Japanese rhythm game. The final two songs, Televators and Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt (the heck are these titles?), do manage to mix things up a little bit. Televators reminds me of Muse's work, particularly with the acoustic guitar and Bellamy-esque vocals. Concluding the album, Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt actually sounds a bit like Muse too – though looking back through the songs here, I might've just missed the resemblance earlier on. Around the 4-minute mark, the song starts a pretty crazy guitar solo with a space-techy sound. Combined with the lighthearted Central-American-style percussion, it sounds weird (and cool) as heck. Tira Me a Las Aranas is a short experimental track with nothing of substance. For general purposes, I'll pretend it doesn't exist. 4/5 Key tracks: Inertiatic Esp, Eriatarka, Televators
This is a fun but kind of exhausting album. It really feels like 2003 to me. Super-pop-mash-ups of like a dozen song ideas in each song. Other bands were doing that too, like the Blueberry Lightnings or whatever... wait, I'm going to look that one up hold on... Ok it's the Fiery Furnaces and their big album was Blueberry Boat. Close! Anyways, post-rock was the same idea but slower, more drawn-out, and cinematic. But it's not 2003, it's now 2025 and my thoughts on this album in the current moment: Hard to grasp any specific song, it just becomes an overwhelming gestalt mass. Lots of interesting moments jammed together with less interesting moments. Like listening to a playlist of every song on Spotify and skipping ahead every 30 seconds. Worth relistening to, but too much to listen to it again for another decade or so. I liked it, but I liked At the Drive-in better. There, I said it!
Deloused in the Comatorium is the debut album from El Paso based band the Mars Volta. The band makes guitar driven progressive rock, featuring Cedric Bixter-Zavala's soaring, near-falsetto vocals and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's frenetic guitar work. Deloused... is a concept album, of sorts, based on a story by Bixter-Zavala. The album was co-produced by Rodriguez-Lopez and Rick Rubin, and Flea played bass, substituting for bassist Eva Gardner. The band makes an interesting version of progressive rock. They incorporate elements of punk, Latin rhythms, and electronic effects to the skilled, textured sound of progressive rock.
THE BACKSTORY ON THIS ALBUM THOUGH!!!!
Hard, fast rock
unreal lyrics
Det här växer för mig. Vid en första lyssning tänkte jag att detta var komplicerat för komplexitetens egen skull. Trumspelet håller ihop albumet och låtarna. Ett album att lyssna på, funkar också förvånansvärt bra som bakgrundsmusik när jag jobbar. En hel timmes lyssnande kan kännas övermäktigt. Men ett par låtar i taget, mycket bra. Geordie Greep har troligen lyssnat mycket på The Mars Volta. För mig, vissa paralleller till London Brew.
Experimental with guitar solos
Never gave The Mars Volta a chance when they came out but damn I wish I had. This album rocked so hard! Great progish rock
I never imagined that Prog Rock extended into the Millennium. I've never heard Mars Volta before and being exposed to this album makes me thankful that after 950 albums, I still continue to be impressed by music I've never heard before. 4.5/5
Very good. Technical prog rock/ metal. Vocalist a bit operatic for me
Sensory overload: the album. Actually pretty interesting.
Musically, I really like this project, but I'm not sure if it'll become my favourite nor if it's any special.
Artificial rock album, sounds still very modern, timeless music.
One of my first introductions to these guys, not my fav album but close!!
pretty cool
3.6
Challenging listen but worth sticking with. Perhaps one song too long.
Great.
Best review section ever. Reading this right at the top... "Expect to find music that is written for the sake of music, that breaks boundaries, that forces the listener to think and experience concepts outside of the easy boundaries of culture and social norms that are forced on us by the media." Saying "fuck off" out loud as I scroll down to the next review, which simply says "Fuck off". Just absolute... *chef's kiss*. Ok I'm going to actually listen to it now... and you know what, it's good! It did, and does stand out from the pack. It's super frenetic. It's doing its own thing. Musically it's really quite accomplished. I'm way more up on this than I thought I would be. There are some genuinely great tracks on here and it's a cohesive whole. Something I would genuinely return to. I've actually seen the Mars Volta live before. I reckon maybe 98% of the audience were middle-aged men. Then maybe 80% of those middle-aged men had middling to impressive beardery going on. Then I'm going to say at least 60% of those impressively bearded middle-aged men spent the whole gig stroking them rhythmically. I make that about 47% of the total audience, which you have to say is pretty impressive. I couldn't get into these guys before, but as a now middle-aged man, I guess I finally fit the mould. I'm not yet ready to fully join their ranks and go full-beard wanker, but I'll salute them from slightly afar with my generic stubble.
cool musik alltså. jäkligt rytmiskt och najs
This album is like a damn good movie, the plot has layers and a good concept, it’s executed very well. The lyrics here were very impressive, that lead singer’s vocabulary is very diverse and it impressed me. The production is excellent as well, the guitarist was just as talented in the way he made it work with the vocals. This is definitely an album that needs multiple listens, there is a whole lot to unpack here. Favorite Track: Televators, Roulette Dares, and Inertiatic ESP.
Prog for the modern day. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I'd never spent much time listening to Mars Volta before this, and I'm not sure how much time I'll spend in the future, but I'm not opposed to more of them. As with most prog-, weird-, or noise-rock (and I think this hits all 3), it doesn't work all the time. However, it was at least interesting for the vast majority of the album even if it was occasionally grating. I appreciate the originality and composition here. I feel like this style of music takes more effort to really love; maybe someday I'll get there if I go back to them. For now: pretty good. 4.0
85/100. De-Loused in the Comatorium by The Mars Volta is a great prog rock album filled with psychedelic flair. The songs flow in a dreamy, almost surreal way, making the album feel like it passes by in a flash. With powerful vocals, intense instrumentals, and a constantly shifting soundscape, this record absolutely bangs. A bold and memorable debut.
I think I've heard the name of the band before. But I didn't know the album or their music until now. I will have to listen to this album again. The first impression is pretty good, but also a bit exhausting. 4/5
Good sound, a little slow sometimes.
Pretty impressed with this one off the rip. Ineratic ESP shreds. Also, pretty wild that Rick Rubin is listed as a co-producer and that Flea is on bass for this album. Random as hell star power pulls. Ok, so I definitely had to give this a few listens because I felt like it was a lot to absorb after the first one. I'm into this style of prog rock, but I still felt like I couldn't pinpoint who these guys reminded me of. I also couldn't have guessed that this album was a story about "a man who enters a week-long coma after overdosing on a mixture of morphine and rat poison." Just a wild concept, but I'm here for it. There weren't too many down moments for me on this record. Even the weirdness of This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed grew on me. Gotta say, this was a surprisingly great listen and I'll probably go back to this one again. For now, I'll give it a high 4, but it could hit a 5 for me on another day.
This album is fucking weird but also weirdly rocks. I was getting really into Cicatriz ESP. I thought it sounded like some solo John Frusciante and sure enough he's on this album. Also Flea and also the producer for most RHCP albums.
Rocking. This drummer is crazy good.
I'm a sucker for concept albums and prog rock. Not really a masterpiece but a very solid album.
I thought it was quite good. It’s odd, funky and really hard rock-ish stuff, but great!
Their mix of Pantera and Santana works for me, at least when I might be in the mood for that kind of mix.
4.5
Feels like a band I would’ve liked in high school haha.
I didn’t know what this was. After reading the description and some reviews, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but was excited to listen. I dug it. I don’t know when or if I’ll ever relisten, but I liked listening today.
I should like this. I don't really like the vocalist and I also don't like the band name but that doesn't really matter. Might like it more on follow up listens. Will I listen to again: 80%
Omar & Cedric ♥️ At the Drive-in was my favorite though.
Solid.
It's fragmented but I had a cabin in the woods and people I haven't seen in years were welcoming me back. Jennifer P and I walked and drove through the snow to get to the cabin and sometimes Ted Danson was with us. Eventually we made it to the cabin and it was full of food that had gone stale. There was a feeling that I had suddenly abandoned it but I was back. Eventually more people from my childhood showed up. The name I remember are David D, Christian D, Lucas and many others whose names I lost through time. A decent amount of time was spent looking for a cat I had left there and a book I had written. It just occurred to me the book I wrote was a rewritten version of the Bible. That's why Ted Danson was there. Jennifer forgave me for something, she said then, I don't remember now. It ended with us all playing football and on the last play instead of hiking the ball I ran with it. Everyone started piling on but I broke free and started running with it. When I noticed no one was chasing me I stopped and they were all just staring at me. Like 50 ghosts from the past all looking at me confused. David walks out from them and says "We go east and you're going South." Then someone else walks me out from the front of the cabin and the whole time we were actually in my backyard. They walk me between my house and there is this naked girl with Diamond shaped tattoos all over her and they tell me no one will forget me because someone drew a map while pointing at the girl now standing in front of a large tree stump. We go in closer and I could see all the childishly drawn tattoos on her and one had a face. I hear construction and see a family working on the house across the street. It looked like it was sitting on a cloud. David and Jennifer whispered in my ear as I stared at the new family
Such a weird but fantastically loud and rockin album. This definitely deserves to be on this list - this band challenges my ears and brain every time I listen to them. I get to see this band live for the first time in a few weeks.
This is extraordinary. The conception, performances, recording, and production are all mind-blowing. It is, however, like an auditory depiction of a schizophrenic episode; which is an experience I can't say I particularly enjoy. But really impressive.
Quite enjoyed this. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s good or because I was just in a bad mood and this suited that.
loved listening to this on headphones while riding in the car when I was a teen
This was a really cool album, definitely one to focus on and hear the connections and artistry throughout. A bit more rock and pop production (but definitely not pop), and some really cool experience throughout. I might come back to this one down the road.
4/5