Reviews (page 4 of 9)
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.
Fantastic progrock. Energetic opening and the energy just keeps rolling until the end. It's artistic, sometimes bordering snobby but always entertaining. It combines influence of rock, metal, some latin and even some jazz. True progrock that I will definitely listen to again. It's a concept album, meaning it tells a story. I am a sucker for concept albums and I tend to listen to them repeatedly front to back. The songwriters use words that sometimes sound like nonsense, but I feel are used to drum up images more than to be interpreted literally. On the surface the albums meaning could be just "drugs are cool". However the imagery is trippy and horrific. It feels more like an alien abduction than a psychedelic trip. The album is based on a story of the bandmembers and is made more poignant as one of the bandmembers died to a drug overdose shortly after the release of this song. My interpretation is therefore a person trying to imagine and depict in fantastical terms how a persons last moments might have been as they slip into nothingness. Heavy stuff. No skips or songs I disliked. Although Cicatriz Esp has that progrock thing where they play strange sounds for an entire minute, which I am not a fan of. A strong 4.5, although I can understand it's not everyones cup of tea.
Really cool album, adds blasting full energy riffs with cool rhythms. Experimental, energetic, chaotic, and fun to listen to. I can imagine that it may not be for everyone, but this is for certain one I'll be remembering and relisten to at times. Continuously surprises and plays with what it has built. Starts of energetic and strong, then breaks that down with some psychedelic rock, and builds back up to through a jazzy middle section to new highs. 8.5/10
20 years ago, I would have thought this was awesome. But I think I'm in a quieter time in my life where this just isounds very noisy.
Sure
Not really
Didn’t read any lyrics but loved the musicality on many of the songs. I liked the longer tracks more than the short ones.
Day692 - this album has a lot of potential. the concept is cool. i would give the songs better names and i would tone down the sound effect guy
Awesome album.
"Cicatriz ESP" felt exactly like getting abducted by jazz playing aliens in the sewers. The album cover hooked me before I even pressed play, and the music lives up to that first punch. The guitar on "Son Et Lumière" is so sharp and hypnotic that I faded straight into "Inertiatic ESP" without noticing. This is Emo Rock with actual bite. People call it "Panic At The Disco but good" in the comments and it fits. The vocals go high, dramatic, and huge. You can hear how bands like "Nothing But Thieves" could have been inspired by them. A confident record that never loses its grip. 9/10.
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.
Taken piecemeal this sucks. There is no cohesion and the singer is annoying. But when you listen to it as an album (as it was intended to be listened to) it’s a great experience. I won’t listen to this album again. It sounds like Pink Floyd with a mid 2000s borderline emo-rock singer. However, I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to see this band live. But that’s just my opinion, man.
A good album, I liked Inertiatic Esp the most.
Prog rock, Yes influence
Cant pronounce some of the songs, no idea what he is talking about most of the time but I fn love this band. Seen them 4 times at least.
Inertiatic ESP
Sub queen melodramatic pap. They were not that good to emulate in the first instance. Deliberately lyrically obtuse also. This has more red flags than a red flag convention. Avoid.
I remember seeing them on YouTube, such crazy energetic experience
Interesting mix of genres.
This was great, I don't really like the overblown prog of the 70s but I thought this combined some of prog's showiness with songs that actually rock, and good vocals. The lyrics are slightly nonsense, or maybe I'm just not clever enough to understand them. The album is a riot though.
Started off liking it, thought it was like if Thursday met Muse and had a kid but they divorced and the kid favored Muse. These songs are very long and I am very tired. 3/5
Very busy, didn't do anything for me.
Decent record that felt more alternative to me than prog-rock. Bonus points to this one because it featured a lot of elements that I wasn't widely hearing until the later 2000's.
Great 2000 s indie/noise/prog/math rock
I think I've finally come around to the Mars Volta.
Don't think we've had anything quite like this... feels like a mix between emo and metal somehow? Makes me think of Coheed and Cambria. Quite a fun record, but not completely my taste. There wasn't anything particularly bad in this record. I enjoyed most songs for what it was, but nothing I'd put on really. Solid 3.
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.
Well, even though I’m pretty late to the party, better late than never. I’ve known about The Mars Volta since this album came out, but back then they were so popular that they were way off my radar, and I had zero desire to listen to them. To me, they were just another sleazy, overrated band. But looking back, my musical interests were in totally different places, so maybe now is the right time to actually sit with their work and appreciate everything they have going on. First off, mixing prog rock with post hardcore is such a unique combination, and they pull it off really well. There’s also this psychedelic edge that really pulls you deep into the music and takes you for a ride. I also picked up on some jazz and Latin influences spread throughout the entire album. And one more thing worth pointing out, the production by Rick Rubin plays a huge role in how the whole thing comes together. It really shapes the presentation of the soundscape and brings out the full complexity of the music.
A bit much sometimes, but it has some decent parts. Psychedelic... chaotic good? 2,9/5
Love me some melodic emo
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
It’s… fine. Maybe the vocals don’t appeal? Maybe the songs are too similar? Start quiet, get louder, repeat. For whatever reason it’s not awful but doesn’t hold much appeal for me. Would give 2.5 if I could.
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?
I was a big At the Drive-in fan. I was at the 2nd to last show before they split up. This is a logical next step. Everything I liked about ATDI, but more of it. It's very high energy and chaotic, but it still sounds like music, unlike some of their contemporaries (Orchid, Dillinger Escape Plan, etc). I don't like the newer Mars Volta albums very much though. This is their peak. Favorite song: inertiatic ESP closed-captioned
Reminded me of At the drive in, so looked them up, and they are the succession band!
Nope
Never was a huge At the Drive-in fan, but it is good shit overall.
Far from my cup of tea...
really enjoyed this one even though its long and i am not a prog rock girlie. u know i love a concept album
Great musicianship but I had hard time connecting with this overall.
„De-Loused in the Comatorium“ (2003) ist das Debütalbum der US-amerikanischen Band The Mars Volta. Aufgenommen wurde das Konzeptalbum 2002–2003 vornehmlich im The Mansion in Los Angeles; ergänzende Arbeiten fanden in den Cello Studios statt. Produzent war Rick Rubin, die musikalische Leitung lag bei Omar Rodríguez-López. Musikalisch arbeitet das Album an der Schnittstelle von Progressive Rock, Art-Rock und einem experimentellen Post-Hardcore; prägend sind dichte Arrangements, komplexe Rhythmen und ausgedehnte, oft disharmonische Instrumentalpassagen. Textlich erzählt das Werk in surrealen Bildern die Geschichte von Cerpin Taxt, einer Figur, die nach einer Überdosis ins Koma fällt und sich mit Erinnerung und Tod auseinandersetzt. Besonders bekannte Stücke sind „Inertiatic ESP“, „Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)“ und „Cicatriz ESP“. Knappe Bewertung: Ein ambitioniertes, stellenweise sperriges Debüt, das handwerklich überzeugt und klar erkennbare musikalische Absichten verfolgt.
nothing special at all.
Plain cool listen.
Sounds like a crying grandmother falling down the stairs to hell
i kinda like it it's like a clean mess isk how to explain it
I hated this.
Oh god I love prog rock. I love prog rock so much. I have no clue what this album is about but the instrumentation and the vibes are incredible.
Nice, would be 3.5/4, but solid 3 will suffice
I think they can play their instruments somewhat. They sound like the opposite of a proper jammy ensemble, where we get together and explore and try to find musical ideas to turn into music. These guys seem to proactively avoid discovering anything musical. 60 minutes of no melody; it's perverse. Every song has one or two extra endings in the middle. Sometimes you're kind of getting used to it, maybe not actually listening, some of the playing is OK, and then the godforsaken singer comes back and it's death. Lose the singer, and all the "words", including the titles, watch a few YouTube songwriting videos, listen to some Tortoise, then maybe? No, it's hopeless.
OK, this was just really weird. While there were elements I found somewhat enjoyable or cool, the overall package just kind of didn't work for me. Some have commented on not liking the lead singer's voice – I actually found it worked. I like the concept. I don't think this is one. I will rush to listen to and it's entirety again if ever. These guys were clearly influenced by prog rock bands that came before them and I can't help but thinking that Twenty One Pilots probably love these guys - while not prog rock themselves, they definitely enjoy similar stylings, the concept album, etc.
3.25
I feel like this album is the perfect definition of controlled chaos. I love it! Even though the lyrics don't make any sense, the music is amazing, the execution is flawless, and it's unlike anything ever heard really. They mixed the At The Drive-In craziness with some King Crimson/Rush refinement and their latin roots and created this masterpiece.
me surpreendi muito positivamente, não tava dando nada pela banda
Not for me
quite metal-y. Song structure and guitar playing seems quite original, providing much inspiration for future artists.
Très sympa !
Cool le son
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 ?
Wasn’t expecting much but I didn’t mind this.
As a dubious but still only intermediate listener of progressive rock/metal, this came as a pleasen surprise. A "never listened to before" although heard mentions. For my taste, prog should have some certain elements of rawness, to not get too pretentious. This album certainly has that rawness. On top of thelat the splendid mix of different genres. Some jazz, punk, core, heavy riffs, complicated bridges. This album will go into my Discogs wishlist.
Note to self don't take morphine and rat poisoning. 7/10 fun concept album but just not my favorite type of music. I can see why one would like this album though
Alright this was a really fun album. I have something for the frenetic rock and falsetto male vocalist combo, and the first song (not including the moody intro track) opens with that full-heartedly. There's not a single member of this band that doesn't put their everything into this album and it shows. From the bass and guitar countermelodies, to the powerful and at times jazzy flair from the drummer (Who I found out is Jon Theodore for this album, a drum legend!!!), the funky rhythms, and warped vocal harmonies they play with in the later songs. Moreover, the production spares no effort, where a paradoxically deft and heavy hand on compression and pedal effects that would normally create mayhem, seem to line up at moments of much needed musical catharsis. All of this making even the more chaotic and experimental pieces a joy to listen to. The fact that this is from 2003 breaks my mind a little bit, since this feels like a lot of the prog rock you would see surface and become mainstream in the late 2000s and even early 2010s. They are by no means the first to produce a sound similar to this but they do feel pretty unique. Like a synthesis from several highwaymen coming together to make something chaotic and enjoyable. Pretty great time listening to this. 5 Stars. (Also I just looked it up and the Bassist for this Flea)
Yeah, ok album. I think this might have hit more if I was in the mood that day. There were some ideas for songs I liked on here, like Drunkship of Lanterns.
I fucking love prog rock and when genres are fused into it. I’ve known of these guys for a bout a year now but have never actually sat down and listened to their stuff. Much to my surprise they sound like something I like. I love that combination of erratic guitars playing backed by the higher register male singing, followed by chill sections to help accentuate the chaos and calm when they occur. Drunkenship of Laterns would make me go insane if I heard it at a show. That song is another example of stuff I love when a song can juggle multiple time signature and tempo changes, it’s fun to try and keep pace. That little wooden block they wailing on is a fun way to help distinguish all the time changes. I also enjoyed the noisy out to and intros of each song that serve as connective tissue that helps the entire project have this natural ebb and flow between songs. I’m going to look into these guys and the state of the scene in 2003- because there’s a chance this could be PEAK. I can see how this would or mightve influenced a lot of the post hardcore and “swan core” artists I enjoy. I’ll rate it a 4 but can see this growing or being a 5 at another point in my life. Special shout outs to Closer in Moscows “Pink Lemonade” and “First Temple” as worthwhile listens if you enjoyed this style of music.
The overlap between people are that are really into jazz and really into prog rock should be a circle. When I first fell in love with this genre a few years ago, it was largely driven by an appreciation of the complex melodies and polyrhythms that dominate progressive rock. You don’t come knocking on this genres doors expecting masterful lyricism, but god fucking damn it is it doesn’t sound like the guitar is actively engaged in a call and response saxophone solo with itself 8 times over, YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. I come to progressive rock for the same reason I come to jazz, masterful instrumentalists that are pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with their instrument. Massive preamble aside, The Mars Volta did something here. Dubbed revivalists of what was (apparently) a dying genre, they contributed to a new era of prog in the early 2000s. The playing on this album is absolutely spectacular, well executed, complicated and interesting (and they didn’t have a regular bassist, so they got FLEA). The worst thing you can be on music like this is boring, and they certainly are not. This album has single handedly reignited my flame for obsessively listening to prog rock, and if it can do that then it’s deserving of my highest honors. 5/5.
needs about 20 more listens to really land
The soundtrack for when you are feeding bologna to a frenzied school of piranhas.
Neat concept
I quite like the messier jazzier quiet bits. I would have taken a whole album of that instead of their need to blast in with workaday big riffs. Overall it feels like over polished post hardcore.
it doesn't hold up quite as well as i hoped but it's still such an immersive sound they create
So weird
Interesting, gets better as it goes on. Enjoyed my first listening
This album is very special to me. I discovered TMV in high school. I got to then see them in 2006 and 2008 and both times were out of this world experiences. Omar plays the guitar like a man continuously on an acid trip. The drummer shirtless sweating like hes running a marathon. The music never stopped, they each took breaks on their own but they continued to play throughout. I get how the music is abrasive and weird. The lyrics are many made up words in fantasy like poetry. The musicality is so precise, yet feels chaotic. Changes in key signatures and time signatures all within one song that make you get lost in the track list. Makes you unsure if you want to play jazz or rock and roll, or mix both.
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
Ok, but not my bag. Props for being interesting and unique. 3.5/5
Concept albums can be hard to pull off. And while the musicianship is very top notch here (especially the drumming), the vocal delivery can be a bit annoying. There’s some creative and unexpected dynamics and time signatures which keeps it unpredictable, but unfortunately the wall of sound onslaught makes many of the lyrics indecipherable which is what tells the story. I was never really into this band, but have to recognize their abilities.
Quite the polarizing album. I’m probably inconsistent but I enjoy a lot of this. Probably bc I was listening when it first came out. 3.5 but a lil too much prog for me to fully buyin and round up.
Part of me wants to round up based on the crap ish we’ve had recently. This was a shot in the arm and a kick in the ass. But I have to be real to myself… never been able to really get into this band. Def some songs I really like, though it doesn’t rise to the great tier IMO. 3.5/5
3 stars
didn't love it, but didn't hate it. The drums impressed me most, very precise and punchy with a lot of technical skill and complexity. I didn't really care for the vocals, as they had that kind of affected accent used in a lot of emo and punk songs. Taking into account that this isn't a genre I'd normally be into, it's pretty good and I don't regret checking it out, but I won't be listening to it again soon.
Bringing all the flaws and failures of prog rock into the 21st century, and even adding some adolescent metal into the mix. Doing that prog think of being briefly listenable, then deliberately overcomplicating things. Doing that metal thing of being overwrought. And god, it's just exhausting over an hour.
rounded up to 2 because of former students who LOVED this album and tried to get me into it
My bad - I didn’t realize I was supposed to be stoned off my ass to listen to this.
I can kind of see how someone could love this album, but that’s not me. There were parts that were almost good, but it all needed a little more editing and tweaking.
Rating: 4.5 I am not a prog rock guy, I am however becoming more of a post-hardcore guy every day. This album is probably the best and most accessible I’ve ever heard from the genre yet. Very little tedium somehow combined with some truly wild riffs and time signatures you’ll rarely hear makes this an album I would easily and eagerly recommend to a wide range of music fans.
So good, idc if pretentious and nonsense songs are the point or not. This sounds great.
Neke dobre, neke uzasne, u svakom slucaju zanimljivo
Loved it. Very suprised
..
No expectations, very pleasantly surprised
It’s basically a prog emo album. It was interesting but felt like it was trying to be more clever than it actually was
Meh
Hectic
Not sure if the ringing in my ears is from my existing tinnitus or from listening to this. It’s not terrible but I couldn’t really discern one track from the next. Nothing particularly stood out.
Well quite a lot going on here, not really sure that calling it prog rock is accurate, but then I guess what else do you call it? I was familiar with At The Drive-in and like the energy of that band. There is also plenty of energy here, but somehow it never quite hits the mark. Disjointed in places and found the vocals too harsh when it is supposed to be telling the story of the concept album. Gave it 3 listens to try and get into it, but it probably takes a lot more. I like parts of it but could find no real stand out tracks.
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.
Cicatriz Esp
Would really have to be in the mood for this cos not an easy listen but certainly interesting
Groupe et album connu. Très original, l'accompagnement est très bon et dynamique. Je l'ai découvert à l'époque de sa sortie et je l'ai écouté plusieurs fois mais ... il manque un petit quelque chose indéfinissable qui me le ferait vraiment apprécier. Même constat avec cette nouvelle écoute, quelques morceaux réussissent à me captiver (+2), mais il finit par me lasser ... Il ne rejoindra donc toujours pas ma collection. =>3/5
I have a lot of nostalgia for this one. Was my favorite album of the year when it came out. Absolute freak out in a great way and produced to perfection
I wasn’t in to this band back then and I don’t think I can get in to them now either. Sounds like tight black pants and swooping haircuts.
Instantly brought me back to the time in 10th grade when Anthony Infantino trapped me in his basement so he could live drum alongside his favorite post-hardcore bands. Proof that no smoke session is truly free. 2 stars only because Cicatriz Esp is pretty fuckin epic.
Start to finish, I’m left on the edge of my seat for where this journey goes. No matter how many times I’ve listened, the surprises always get me. Although the brains of the operation had been pros in their craft in a different genre, it’s still an outstanding achievement that this was the first LP as the Mars Volta. An instant classic when released, more than 20 years later, its power is lasting and has swelled into a tower of awe.
Incredible album. Not exactly for my tastes these days but it’s hard to deny how good it is.
Muse-y metal. Some really good guitar.
Arctic Monkeys meets All American Rejects, and yes I mean that as an insult.
it's not over til the tremulant sings
This feels like either a radio band trying to do something very artistic or a "real" band trying to capture the radio. Either way it tries too hard. The only song I know was inert esp and I have always been annoyed with that song. I dont know what it is but its just one of those nails on a chalkboard types. But thats one of the better songs here. Not a good sign. Its not all doom and gloomy though. There are some neat ideas here and there but usually its followed by something baffling or layer up with something else that stinks. The vocals too are not for me. It feels like a slightly mature pop punk. That type should be childish and dumb, making songs about their dick not whatever esoteric crap is here. So in short its not good but not the bottom of the barrel. Glad its over but not clawing my ears off
Great album
7/10
nuh uh ☝️
the sounds of this album doesnt sit right with my brain
So lets see... this album somehow makes it on the list but these other 2000s rock classics like Fall Out Boy and Blink-182 and others don't make it on the list. Right. Ok. 4/10.
definition of the music i detest
oh wow i know this one. this was a big one growing up. this was a build up from their rise in At the Drive-In to what would be a huge project in scope. conceptually, musically, this record was game changing. there are some great songs on here. i would like to rate it more, but mostly i loved it when i was younger and dumber, now it is a little try hard, but still amazing. 3/4
I like some of the sounds these dudes make but none of the sounds actually seem to amount to songs.
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.
I liked this album quite a bit. The second track stands out as a classic. The Mars Volta was part of the next generation of prog-rockers back then. Another thing I liked about this album is the lead singer. In other news, I have recovered from my cold. 3 stars for "Deloused in the Comatorium".
Not my kinda thing, kinda dissonant and chaotic, less harmonic than I’d like
YES. So glad to see The Mars Volta made the list. This album is cinema. It's a high-energy jam out experience unlike anything else. There are lyrics and progressions that are so visceral. Cedric has a great rock voice, and Omar is a technical fiend on the guitar. Can listen all day.
Not as bad as I thought it would be. Still kind of forgettable.
I've been a huge fan of this record from the very first time I heard it. There are few albums that I can hear the introductory few minutes of in my head so clearly as this one. The drum/guitar/organ riff in Drunkship of Lanterns that is the closest thing the song has to a chorus still gives me chills every time I hear it. 5/5
Have always loved this album. This is one of the best albums ever. 5/5
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.
Jon Theodore är en teknisk grottmänniska och omar skriver galna riff.. men jag blir trött på att lyssna på cedric för länge, stark 3a
These guys suck in a very specific way. I can just picture them practicing in the 6 car garage of their Dad’s McMansion with eyeliner on ripping off the guitar tones of the Strokes thinking they’re making Bohemian Rhapsody. Might be a little harsh, but I didn’t like it very much.
2.7 Prog-Emo? I think I saw them one time open for RHCP. They seemed to have some hype around them back in the day but I never really got into them,
Bom album, um rock mais agudo me passando uma vibe de anos 2000, talvez puxando um pouco para o estilo que era o linkin park
Trashy, screamy and disharmonic - no obe song that i could nearly like..
Very strong memories from listening to this album when it first released. Had just discovered At the Drive-In prior and their impact on my taste was huge. This was like a more progressive version of their last album. The energy on this never lets up, sometimes making it quite and exhausting listen. But the musicianship and ambition here is clear. Roulette Dares is a standout.
Okay.
God this album was good. I really loved the drums and guitar work, the vocals are jarring by at first but really cool. And the concept is fantastic. It’s a truly great (more) modern prog album
I somehow missed this bad when this album came out even though it is in a genre that I listened to a lot back then. Hearing it for the first time now they have a nice sound and some good songs. Maybe its because It was 20+ years ago I listened a lot to the genre and the other bands have more nostalgia to me but nothing really makes me want to go back and listen again.
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.
Efectivamente es un discazo,
Some of these were interesting but not really for me
dig francis more but a great album
Favorite Track: Roulette Dares
Interesting sound. Hugely reminiscent of the British band Mansun (but not quite as tuneful). Worth a listen, but you could upgrade to the album Six by Mansun if you want - wonder if that is on the list…
Love ATDI but have always thought Mars Volta a bit overwrought. Still feel that way.
It's a mediocre album by every measure. There are some great guitar riffs, but this is negated by the vocals which are hard to understand. Favorite Track: "Televators".
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.
Some really good moments on here and some that dragged on. I get it, prog rock is all about being artsy fartsy, but shave some of that shit and this would have been a slam dunk.
Loved the first couple tracks. The whole rest of the album got a little too artsy for me. The long musicless interludes are pretty annoying.
I can’t review this in detail, there’s way too much going on. It’s one of my favourite albums ever created. When I’m in the mood and listen I pull something new from it each time. The musicianship is top notch, the lyrics are insane. I love this!
Rock som er sådan lidt eksperimentelt ligesom King crimson bare med mere moderne lyd. Synes ikke umiddelbart det var noget specielt, men måske kræver det bare et revisit.
Not a fan
I saw prog rock and expected this would be an easy pass for me, but I didn’t really hate it. I didn’t enjoy it either, but I didn’t just bail early and managed to finish most of the album. It’s just too pretentious for me to enjoy.
A great modern prog album
Progressive Rock
Never hear ofthese guys but they bring me back to 2000s, One Tree Hill and Smallville soundtrack kind of vibe, also makes me wonder if they've had an influence on those bands considering they made it onto this list. Songs that stand out are Roulette Dares and Televators.
++: Son et lumière, Tira me a las arañas, Drunkship of Lanterns, This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed +: Inertiatic ESP, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Eriatarka, Cicatriz ESP, Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt +-: Televators 6,9/10
To borrow a line from a monthly feature in Prog Magazine - It’s Prog Jim, but not as we know it. This is what sprung to mind whilst listening to this album. Probably because I never had The Mars Volta down as a Prog band. I’m an unabashed Prog fanboy so always excited to hear new Prog. Not that this is exactly new and makes me wonder how on earth I missed this first time around. Firmly in the court of the heavier side of Prog made by the likes of Dream Theatre and Muse but like the fact that they kept to the values of traditional Prog with a concept storytelling album. This album going on my must buy list and note to self to listen to the bands back catalog. 5/5 5/9/25
josh kline loves! was telling some crazy stories...
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.
This wasn't my cup of tea. I actually thought every aspect of it sounded quite good except for the pop punk/rock opera vocals. All of the instrumentals were really solid and it was cool to listen through a prog rock album. The idea of having an overarching story that plays out throughout the album is interesting and reminds me of classical tone poems. 5.5/10
My all-time favourite album, so glad it came up on here. And in case the person who compared them to sounding like Paramore is reading this - I think you should stop listening to music entirely… you’re clearly not very good at it.
Really not good. Spastic and chaotic without a clear purpose.
It’s ok. Good band. Fast upbeat metally lie coheed & cambria
Another nostalgic throwback to high school for me. Cool see they are still making music these days. I’ll have to check out their newer work. Musically they bring a lot of fun complexity to this album. Personally I find the vocals too shrill for my liking but it works. Great listen after forgetting their existence.
Sweet prog album. Very unique style. I'll definitely be checking out more mars volta
Well, I think I just have to give this a 5, this blew my mind a few times while listening through. I haven't really listened to much traditional prog rock (if you would call this trad?) But i can say thid was quite the introduction. The album art also really intrigued me, and I can say the music matched in some way lmfao. Like just wild stuff in here. The drums were especially insane in this album. Some legendary names Involved in the making of this.
Gets a bit too indulgent and overlong at times for me, but it's pretty sick overall
piola medio emo
I’ve been trying to listen to this album for over a week
4 sonically interesting sound pretty rockin
Unusual
Never really listened to TMV despite this album coming out while I was in high school. I appreciate the musicality but not a big fan of the voice. Fun rock n' roll sounds on this one. Would be a fun listen on loud speakers.
This album takes everything I love about prog and turns it up to 11. Mind-bending every time I hear it
A really weird and interesting alternate rock album, reminiscent of some of MCR’s early albums. It is rare to stumble on something quite like this
These albums are just opaque and confronting. In a good way, but they probably need 50 relistens. Relentless. High 2s.
Музыка: 6/10 Разнообразие: 6/10 Тематика и вайб: 6/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 5/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 4/10 Итог: 5.4
mengeling van King Crimson en Muse... helaas iets te veel van die laatste
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
seems hardcore in a good way - just not for me
2.5. Songs don’t need to be over 5 minutes long tbh
I kind of zoned out through out the album because it didn’t fully grasp me but it was adequate for background music 3.3/5
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.
3.71…. There were moments in the songs where it was soo good. But then there were boring moments too, you know?
Well that was a wild ride. I don’t know that I would listen to that regularly so I want to rate lower but there seemed to be so much that went into it that I want to rate higher.
I bet I can use this to get my MCR loving teen into Prog rock.
Super adventurous album.
Whoof!
4/5
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.
Je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser...
This is something else.
Listenable.
Really loved the ambition and the story for this, and for quite a while, it was a clear and obvious four stars. The musicality was really fun and interesting, with good light and shade. It toppled into self-indulgence though, and by the end I was relatively glad to see the back of it, which automatically shunts it down a peg. Weirdly, just when you're ready to wave tata, I think it the final song is actually pretty excellent.
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
It is interesting and it is different, with that title and cover I would expect nothing less. I'm not sure what to think about it though. I liked it, but it just doesn't click for me. I was waiting for something to would push it over the top, but I just never heard it. Not bad, not great.
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.
Shovel
Exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed. No, you Take the Veiled Cerpin Taxt. Delightfully unhinged. I was thrilled when I first discovered these weird boys back in 2008. This is a great album, no doubt in my mind. Bizarre, lyrically at least, but great.
I can definitely say this is a mash up of many genres of music. Not a mash up I need.
The Mars Volta - that’s a good name for this type of group; and the album cover also fits the image. However, the album title strikes me as one which the band came up with in an effort to be different. The drumming on the album was very good, but overall the music was not memorable. There were several sections with random noises which did not improve the album.
Ho ho! Most of these albums are too old for me to know if they're left-field picks or not, but this one really shocked me. The Mars Volta!? 's Debut album?! In 2025!? On a normie list of must-listens?! I haven't thought about them in at least 20 years, but for a solid block of time they lingered on MTV2's Rock Countdown (I think with 'Televators' and then later 'The Widow' and 'L’via L’viaquez') and I thought "ugggggghhhh -- who even likes this!?". Actually, a lot of my friends' older brothers liked this (shoutout John and Andrew), but not me. Now I know it's 'cause it's "prog".* Very much big guitar time. More music-focused than lyrics-focused. Plus unpleasantly screamy lyrics. Performatively goth. They probably bumped off some of my favorite bands, like Nine Inch Nails or A Perfect Circle!! (lol). Jim Shearer probably loved them because they're like the Beastie Boys (bad)!! Boo!! Hiss!! Even just seeing this album cover again gives me visceral rage! Why is that stupid guy's head there!? That said, this is a delight because it reminds me so of peak-era Rock Countdown. I don't listen to a rock station on the radio anymore (shoutout to my old friends 105.7 the X and KROQ), and AT-40 (my only music listening other than this these days) hardly ever plays that kind of alt-rock stuff (with the exception of Shinedown, for some reason, who must be Ryan Seacrest's Beastie Boys), so it's a nice blast from the past. But of all the albums to represent 2000s rock!! Why The Mars Volta!? Probably because these book creators were prog-loving sickos!! So, this is really hard for me to rate. If I just heard it out of the blue for the first time, it'd probably be a 2. Noisy! Terrible! But the nostalgic glee I felt when seeing this come up was like, a 4. The album was exactly how I remembered, which is both bad and great. I guess I'll try to be objective about my subjective rating and give it the 2 it deserves, but a 2 with a starry-eyed smiley face attached. Apparently they're still making music, which is nice. (And frankly I do like their 'Frances the Mute' album more than this one; I even listened to it on my own volition once, so I am -- yet again -- vexed by the per-artist album choices on this project!!) *While I was looking at the Wiki list of prog artists (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_progressive_rock_artists), which was somewhat elucidating and somewhat baffling (The Decemberists? Tool?), I saw another rock countdown band I haven't thought of in 20 years: (the) Secret Machines! I heard "Nowhere Again" 1000 times in 2004 and then never again (until right now). Frankly, that song doesn't seem very proggy (i.e. bad). Ah, nostalgia.
Read a review that there's a fine line between you don't get it and I just don't care, and I found myself in the latter. Some good experimentation, some good sounds, some tracks hit hard, but yeah, moving on.
Musik som inte borde tillåtas existera, jag blev just för censur. Vilken huvudvärk och det är inte gårdagens rosé som talar
Inte något som faller mig i smaken.
Så mycket som att tycker illa om med det här. Sången når troligen en ny högstanivå för mitt förakt. Är det ens lagligt! Går inte att sätta den ack så användbara överkryssade getingen, så det får bli en etta i brist på annat.
Aldrig hört talas om the mars volta tidigare. Albumet ska tydligen berätta en historia om en man som hamnar i en veckolång koma efter en överdos på morfin och råttgift. Det är omöjligt att få ut av texterna som mest verkar vara slumpmässiga ord staplade på varandra. Musiken är i mina öron ordinär rock som bandet försöker dölja med tempo- och taktbyten. I all sin strävan efter att vara ombytliga blir de trots allt ganska enformiga i längden. Det går att sminka grisen men den är ändå en gris.
neat
p893. 2003. 2 stars. Poor man's Muse. Points immediately deducted for being prog rock and multiple 6+ minute tracks including a 12+ minute abomination. Well done of its kind but goes on far too long.
first 5 star in this project. That intro is hmmmm
#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
Modern prog rock? I like Rush as much as the next guy, but this sounds a lot more like 80’s heavy metal guitar tones. Honestly not my thing. I don’t particularly enjoy the vocal delivery either. I’m not saying it’s objectively bad, this just isn’t for me. All the songs sound samey to me as well - hard to distinguish from each other because they all have the same energy. Kind of has that early 2000’s emo vibe. Would I listen to any of these songs again? No, probably not.
Great Heavy album
What a load of wank.
type of emo music that makes me feel like im having a panic attack
Pretty good, always a good listen
Interiatic Eriatarka Televators
Hmm, nicht so mein Fall…
Like Rush
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.
A good album, but not as good as At the Drive-In's "Relationship of Command." If "Relationship of Command" is already on the list, then this one is redundant. If not, a mistake has been made and should be corrected.
More like a 4.5, feeling generous so I'm bumping it up. There's a whole ass generation of Warped Tour kids who love prog because of these guys and Coheed
3/5
"Possibly the best prog-rock album from this century." Ja meikäpoika ei ymmärtänyt hyvyyttä...
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.
I loooooooooved this album when it came out. Utterly obsessed. It is so fucking cool. It sounds incredible, the playing is out of this world. I do remember it having some lowlights and weird, long, ambient interludes that mess with the pacing, so I was going to give it a 4/5 strictly from memory. Turns out I had an hr to spare so I listened to it again in its entirety for the first time in at least a decade. Holy SHIT it rules. The pacing is fine, I enjoyed the interludes. 5/5
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.
I expected haunted metal... dark rituals, maybe some Gregorian chants in a minor key. What I got was a manic, screeching fever dream of falsetto meltdowns, prog-rock jazz seizures, and theatrical chaos that felt like someone set a Broadway stage on fire and screamed at it in Spanish. Every track tripped over itself in a race to nowhere, like a soundtrack for a sci-fi opera I never bought tickets to. It's the musical equivalent of being stuck on a malfunctioning carnival ride next to a philosophy major on mushrooms. Absolutely not. One star.
Too crazy and wild - I gave it away.
Fits and starts, screams and moans. Is this music or horror? I can’t do anything with this. I feel like I’m about to be carjacked!
Weird after 400+ albums to finally to get an album in a genre (prog rock/metal) and era (2000s) that is one of my favorites. Really good musically. The guys are clearly at the top of their game, and the musicality, variety, freneticism, and thematic darkness really hit the spot. Also, hugely influential on modern prog. Easy to see their influence on Haken, Leprous, Soen, Riverside, etc. Yes, the lyrics are bizarre, but so is the music and conceptual storyline, so that's not really an issue. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
this is a band i've heard a few songs from before and was interested by but never dug any deeper. they have an interesting sound, like an emo prog band. which makes sense after learning the singer was also the singer for at the drive-in. i was also surprised to learn that flea recorded bass for most of the tracks. absolutely wild instruments with unrelenting intensity. fun album
It’s like the school assignment was play your instruments as frantically as you can while the vocalist tries their best to Freddie Mercury impression. Their voice is so bizarre. I wasn’t sure if it was a man or woman or heavily auto tuned. Their sound gets old fast. They all have talent but they do not have nuance.
This is pretty mediocre, even as far as prog-rock goes. I think if it wasn't for At the Drive In, Jeremy Ward's OD right before the album and Flea's absolutely bizarro appearance on this, it would have just skated under the radar.
Not my style, better than some other stuff though
i couldn't get through this, this music was not made for me
LOVE this album but havent listened in ages, so thank you 1001 albums for reminding me.
not for 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.
Nope. I got to track 3 before I gave in.
Boring generic 60s album. 1/5 + time of the season = 2/5
I can understand why someone would like this album. I unfortunately don’t. There’s normally too much going on and songs go on for way too long. Multiple ideas are explored in a song, which just rubs me the wrong way. I like if a song has varying ideas, but to have a minute long break in between them, and to have almost every song do that? Bro, just break it into two songs.
wankery topped off with an annoying vocalist.
The concept was interesting, the set up promising, but the vocals are very much nails on chalkboard. So very difficult to get over. Musically I think there’s some cool stuff in here, but that vocalist is giving strong whiny emo vibes.
Progressive Rock Bank! More music in the trashy genre. Not for me.
Listens: 10 Standout tracks: Televators, Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt Initial Review: I like much of the influence surrounding this album: Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Rick Rubin, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's guitar playing, but so far I'm not feeling the music itself, specifically the vocals. It sounds (and is from) the exact era in which the emo subculture and music started to become (more?) prominent and I can't help but find the singing to be, well... a little too whiny sounding. I was expecting the excellent bass, guitar and drums to be accompanied with more mature vocals. Maybe that happens in later albums. I don't dislike it, but I was excited to listen when it came up and was hoping that I would have enjoyed it more. End of the Day Review: After four or so listens, I've mostly changed my mind on the vocals. It's definitely still not what I was expecting from a sound perspective, but the subject matter and the instrumentation more than makes up for it. I hear the Latin influences - bongos/conga and possibly maracas accompanying the traditional instruments, mentioned in the album synopsis. I appreciate the hectic-ness of the music and Omar's guitar playing. Absolute beast. It reminds me of a amalgamation of System of a Down, Incubus, Rage Against the Machine, early Chili Peppers, and maybe a dash of Linkin Park. One week Later Review: I am listening to this album a LOT. It's high-energy and great to listen to when you're jamming - I bike to and from work in a city and its awesome to bike to. All of my notions of the voice being too screamo/emo have since melted away. I am upping the rating to a 5. This album is in the rotation.
Hints of At The Drive-In's chaotic post-hardcore are swathed in psychedelia. Less about being loud and fast as being dense and playing with textures. On one hand, I do enjoy this, but something about The Mars Volta keeps me at arms' length. Perhaps its the combination of Santana-esque psychedelia, maybe it's frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala's delivery over this music; whatever the case it just doesn't do much for me. It's alright.
Not good. Worst Song: This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed Best Song: Added to Liked Songs:
I haven’t listened to the mars Volta before, at least on purpose. This was fine. I might like it if I heard it a lot more but as far as background music goes it’s not bad, quite the opposite. It kind of sounds like if my chemical romance tried to be Led Zeppelin?
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.
Absolutely nothing for me on this record. Not that it’s terrible, it just doesn’t appeal to me. Whatsoever.
So that cool punk band broke up and became nerdy Prog Rock. Unimpressed.
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.
A Prog-Rock/Art-Rock concept album about a man who enters a week-long coma after overdosing on a mixture of morphine and rat poison - not exactly a happy concept. But I quite liked the album,
3.4 - Seemed a little bit wanky if I'm honest
I kinda respect this album but I don’t really like it. 3.2/5
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
Some really cool parts Can hear 100 Reasons in some songs, then went a bit too Santana for me
One of the best albums ever recorded, period. Cedric Bixler-Zavala has, in mu humble opinion, the greatest and most polyvalent voice of prog rock.
<The Beatles The Mars Volta opened for SoaD once when I went to see them live... tmv was the most uninteresting and frustrating live performance I've ever had to suffer through
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!
Nice
positives: + i loved the genre as its very similar to my dads music taste that ive grown with + the punk rock vibe is right up my street negatives: - i didnt know any of the songs - most of the songs were 4-8mins long which lead to some dragging especially if they didnt have that many lyrics - some songs were in a different language so obviously i couldnt understand them my favoutite songs: drunkship of lanterns, ambutetz and eriatarka
Interesting but not really my kind of thing, it's a bit like experimental Jazz, all noise
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.
this felt like drugs
This don't work for me. Too much something. The music didn't feel good to listen to. I was very uncomfortable
Great mix of hardcore and psychedelic rock. It isn't my usual style, but I listened to it while running which was perfect. It kept me moving without being to hardcore
ok billy talent (derogatory)
This was such a horrible listen I’m actually upset that someone decided this was a worthy album to be included. I hated listening to this so much that I put the volume on low. Was not worth my time.
1.6/dawg what are we doing here
Musical hodgepodge. Wasn’t feeling it.
THE BACKSTORY ON THIS ALBUM THOUGH!!!!
I'd go 4 on this, but deducting a full point for Bixler-Zavala's grating voice.
The Album is full of interesting sounds, unfortunately the voice are lost all the time. I did not enjoy this, but I think for the genre should be a great one !
A favourite. Hard to believe I have been listening to this for 22 years.
Loved this.
I’m a fan of the instrumental stuff. The lyrics are complete nonsense. And they noodle around a bit too long. Solid but not really my thing. 3/5
Wapo
Hard, fast rock
Neutral for now. I have a feeling I would need to listen to this a lot before I make my mind up
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.
Wowwww
Pretty cool record but I’m not sure what to think about it. Maybe there is too much going on for me.
You know i had Sparta's album from this same era and i loved it. I never bought this album and i never liked it. I think ATDI is obviosly the best together but i think this is the worser of the two independent projects.
Nice enough vibe, but the lyrics are just so-so. Energetic background music for writing or such.
2 Stars (5/15)
Love The Mars Volta, love this album. Artsy post hardcore just scratches a very specific itch for me.
Sort of makes me think of Muse. Big sound and big voice. Like Muse more.
Stop giving me this trash 🛑
A lot of individual moments I liked but the whole was just not for me.
Rock
Experimental with guitar solos
Interesting 2000's prog/metal... would be a 4 star album but really not into the singer's vocals.
There's a select dozen of albums, that I go into not having heard of them at ALL, and it blows me out the water. This was one of them. A fun album, that I truly wasn't sure I had grasped, so I waited and listened to it 1 more time, to confirm before giving it a rating.
Maybe its because I'm not a prog rock guy but man this not for me. I assume if you're a Mars Volta fan then you must really love them. The lead singer just sounds on the verge of tears and some of the vocal filters are incredibly grating. Not to mention the lyrics themselves just feel pretentious? The instrumental prowess is pretty good actually, hard drums, great guitar work, and a pretty great variety of sounds. I think if you deleted all the vocal tracks this would be way more enjoyable. Although it does get repetitive, which is hard to avoid when a number of songs are over 7 minutes each. I know its unfair to compare them to Rush, but its my only frame of reference for this genre. Not once did I experience the joy or emotional fun a Rush album gives during this listen. Maybe thats the intention, but for all the noise and filler, this album feels hollow.
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
Noise for the sake of noise.
What if prog-rock and punk were fused together? What if the best parts of At the Drive In reunited and made a better band? What if theatrical vocal performances and virtuosic guitar paid a musical tribute to a fallen band member? What if there was an album that it's lyrics were so abstract and it's album art was so provocative, that music critics wanked so hard that they became hypnotized and convinced themselves that this record wasn't a steaming pile of self indulgent dogshit? Full disclosure, I was into this band's second album for a minute in my early twenties. If I had a time machine, I'd go back, slap my former self in the dick, and hand him copies of The Yes Album and In The Court of the Crimson King.
I’ve never heard this album but I feel like I’m back in high school just from the sound. Not terrible but the songs are too long so probably won’t listen again.
This is insanely good prog/psych rock that also kind of feels a little bit like a subset of emo rock that I was into when I was younger. The production on this album is insane with some of the weirdest sounding things going on that I can't totally figure out. I've seen The Mars Volta talked about a lot and I've tried a few of their more modern albums but I had never given this one a listen and I wish someone would have just pointed me towards this album.