Deloused in the Comatorium

Really enjoyed this. It's energetic, varied and goes hard. Am I following the story through the cryptic lyrics? Not really, but it's still a great album with lots to enjoy.

One of the best prog rock albums of the modern era. Although it doesn't really sound like prog rock, sounds more like an amalgamation of rock genre up to that point. The vocals are incredible, but sometimes over the top. There's a lot of great riffs in here and a lot of powerful moments that I really like. The album does have its more sprawling and spaced out moments but they are never long enough to ruin the flow of the album. Great album if a little harsh because of its length and loudness.

pretty good

Loved at the drive in and love the mars volta :) brilliant stuff

very unique rock sound, want to listen some more.

I like the Mars Volta a lot. But the sound production is horrible. ‘Sonically, it’s just horrendous,” Maynard James Keenan said of the 2003 Mars Volta LP. “It like it hurts your ears. It’s compressed to shit. The energy on the album, and the way that they’re all playing together, his voice is just so incredible, and the playing, of course. But it’s because they’re so punk rock, and they wanted to record it all together in one fucking room. It just hurts your brain, ’cause it’s just it’s so compressed, so you can’t listen to more than one and a half songs. It starts to really wear on you.” But even with that, the songs shine through a great deal. Flea's work is not overly Flea-like, but he is one of the few I felt that could handle the complex nature of the material, It has a number of tracks that the kid and I listen to in the car. Good stuff. Top tracks: Inertiatic Esp," "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)," "Drunkship of Lanterns"

I only know The Mars Volta because The Widow from their sophomore release was a reasonable radio hit. For a prog rock band, I guess that one wasn't too long to keep it from radio airplay. I always liked that song but never went looking for more. I didn't really know they were prog rock. But this album is solid. I put these guys in a similar camp as other new emo prog rock like Coheed and Cambria. I think the emo comes from their vocals (high, tenor) but also some of their lyrical subject matter and themes. Not that I'm slagging it; I quite like both bands, or what I know of them. Besides Cedric Bixler-Zavala's great vocals, Omar Rodríguez-López and Jon Theodore are pretty damn good guitarists and drummers, respectively. There's a lot of complexity and layers to what they do, as you would expect for prog rock, and they're all good at it. Just listen to Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt and how it changes halfway through the song - prog style but the sharp change in playing styles (a few different ones) from that point forward is pretty cool. Favorite tracks were Inertiatic ESP, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Eriatarka, and Televators. Drunkship of Lanterns, perhaps their most revered song is just outside that top list for me - first 4 minutes is decent, but the last 3 minutes of guitar work is awesome. Cicatriz ESP is another just outside the top - love the first half, second half decent but maybe could have shortened it a bit (like 8min). Overall, this is an album that makes me want to go listen to more of The Mars Volta.

The last track is a lot like MCR IMO this is good stuff 4/5

Fett album! Minner om en blanding av Leprous og Coheed and Cambria til tider. Vet at det er et konseptalbum og har ikke satt meg så mye inn i hva som foregår på den fronten, men det flyter. Er så mange vendinger og variasjon i dynamikken i tillegg. Beste sanger: Inertiatic Esp, Cicatriz Esp (oi de har nesten like navn) og Televators

Artig å ha dette så kort tid etter Tommy av The Who, for det er ganske forskjellige historiefortellinger i konseptalbum. Der The Who forteller en veldig forståelig historie rett fram, er dette albumet ganske pretensiøst og uforståelig for min del. Det lille jeg får med meg av tekstene høres ganske teit ut. Musikalsk er det mye kult da! Det er vanvittig mye forskjellig som skjer. Liker særlig godt innslagene av frenetiske, litt latinske rytmer, som på Drunkship of Lanterns.

Always heard about this one but never got around to it. Very cool to hear that Flea played bass on the majority of it, and Storm Thorgerson did the album art. Music was like if Muse was actually experimental

Proggy and rocky, ooooo the drums slap me silly

not my usual style of rock, but it’s really good

A bit experimental but good

3.5

Ci sta.

Finalmente un album da 5 che posso comunque non ascoltare perché l'ho già sentito

I love this band so much, these first two albums especially of course. Just otherworldly tbh, don’t know much else that sounds quite like this with this much bravura

Love the way this sounds. So big and weird

i do not know this band i have no idea who they are but they scare me

Unexpectedly enjoyed this one. While a few songs were too long and/or uninteresting, the drumming and guitar kept me hooked for most of the album.

i've had the mars volta recommended to me by a friend in the past and i really liked their music based on those few listens in the past. revisiting this album and listening to it in full, top to bottom, was such a fun and energizing experience. the way all the songs flow with one another is done in such an excellent way, a full story is told and i can listen through it all with little to no effort. the instrumental compositions leave me speechless... and the vocal performances are incredible. really really glad i came back to listen to TMV, i will definitely be revisiting to this album and their other ones more in the future.

4,5 stars. I always had problems with the vocals. But the music is banging

Aikasemmin en pystynyt kestämään laulajan ääntä, mutta tässä se ei ollut niin paha. Kappaleet on kyllä hyviä, mutta vähän liian all over the place. Pysyi ainakin mielenkiintoisena. Parhaat: Inertiatic Esp, Cicatriz Esp, Televators

this was an experience, great story and really chaotic

First impression: the album cover is amazing! The figure in the background is perfection. As far as the music, I don't know what they are talking about, but I love it!

Orkesterin toisen levyn biisi oli entudeestaan tuttu ja sitä fiilistellyt useasti. Muistelisin joskus levyn julkaisun aikoihin myös varettaneeni näiltä jotain musaa, mutta siihen aikaan musan piti olla raskaampaa ja nopeampaa ollakseen hyvää. Toivottavasti tämä oli vihdoin tämän haasteen viimeinen levy, koska lopetus olisi upea. Aivan mahtava levy ja rullailin kolme kertaa läpi ja tulen varmasti perehtymään orkesterin tuotoksiin nyt paremmin. Yksi parhaista "uusista" löydöistä tässä via dolorosassa.

Ansaitusti omalla tyylillä listoilla. Mielenkiintonen ja laadukas paketti

citat fra daniel 'Det går fra Paramore til tstm til blast beats'

I've been reccomendrd this countless times and I'm so happy I finally gav4 it a listen. Unreal and definitely a lot more to unpack on future listens

fucking sucks ass

I really liked this. Can't follow the lyrics at all, but the frenetic drumming, spaced-out guitar and funky bass make for a fantastic, if way out-there sound. Was a fan of At The Drive-In before I came to this and didn't know about the connection until I heard this and looked them up. And then I found out that it's Flea on bass - playing harder than on any RHCP album, maybe since Freaky Styley. Echoes of Tool in the sound as well. 4/5 - nearly a 5, but a little too crazy to get the final star, even though I know I'll come back to this

Kinda cool. Kind of metal(core?)-ish with the clean vocal and dirty instrumentation switch off

First listen. Quite good.

Shortly after this record came out, my then-girlfriend remarked that Cedric Bixler Zavala sounded like Nancy Wilson from Heart when he sings in the upper register. It’s been 20 years and I can’t un-hear the comparison. I like this record a lot, always have. It balances their experimental tendencies with well written songs in a way that their later records do not. After this record, their records gradually became more and more oblique, focusing on nerdy time signatures, jarring blasts of noise and labyrinthine song structures. This record is really great, an impressive debut. Is it a 5 star record? I don’t know. I’ll make up my mind in a few hours. But before I go, I need to offer an apology to you, readers of the site, for comments I made in my X-Ray Spex review. In it, I mocked users who complained about punk albums being “repetitive” with “songs that sound the same”, saying “maybe one day, you’ll find the prog-punk masterpiece you’re looking for.” Well, in my attempt to stick it to you, the existence of this record seems to have escaped me… This is, in fact, the prog-punk masterpiece you are looking for.

What a great album art this is. This album was actually really cool. I'd hear their more popular songs, but never a whole album from start to finish. I'll give this one 4 stars.

It was really good, need to be in a 1990’s alt rock kind of mood

surprised at how into this I was. first half better than second imo

This album was a trip. Feels like the kind of album you have to listen to the whole thing at a time. I can't imagine picking a favorite from this, you just need to turn it on and let the vibes take you on the ride.

I used to this of this band as one that people just claimed to like in a pretentious way, but now I'm starting to come around. I still haven't really fully warmed to them, but I think the instrumental side is incredible. Absolutely wild performances all over this. The singer's voice is a bit grating at first, but I think it's an acquired taste. Going with an 8/10, but could definitely see this growing on me even more.

The Mars Volta have created their own world thematically and musically that can rightly summon King Crimson, CAN, and Mahavishnu in the same 4-bar phrase. Extending that over the length of this album is an astonishing technical achievement that does not put the lie to the most prescient criticism of Prog Rock/Metal which is the lack of soul. That said, it does reflect genuine emotion in a dark pool of surrealism that does meander into the nightmarish. Truly a feast for the kind of listener (like myself no doubt) hungry for novelty, complexity, heaviness, and just pure instrumental debauchery. I tried to play thisa in the background on a small mono bluetooth speaker and I regretted that decision very much. You have to pay attention to this and you probably should use headphones if possible. One of the best albums I've heard in a while would give it a "high 4 stars" if that were possible.

Never really listened to these guys before. I quite liked the album.

Deloused in the Comatorium - The Mars Volta (2003) Clássico! O disco conta com umas 5 músicas históricas do Mars Volta, e minha opinião é enviesada, já que sou fã da banda. Mas, apesar da minha parcialidade, definitivamente a mistureba sonora que a banda faz é digna de se ouvir ao menos uma vez antes de partir. Melhores músicas: Inertiatic ESP, Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Drunkship of Lanterns, Cicatriz ESP, Televators Piores músicas: 4/5

At the Drive-In's prog leanings are given full reign here. I'm sure it's a concept album about something but I have no idea what - I guess what every good prog album should be like. Shrieking vocals, dissonant guitar and some heavy breakdowns. I get it. Now over to wikipedia to see what it's about... Best Tracks: Inertiatic ESP; Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of); Eriatarka

Es el hijo que tuvieron Porcupine Tree y My Chemical Romance

7/10. Loved the creativity. Singing style isn't my thing. Not a bad voice just not my style of voice.

Ooh, what a mish-mash of other artists jumped into my mind listening to this. As was, apparently, said at the time - Led Zep, Santana, King Crimson. If you listen out for Flea, you can hear touches of RHCP. But I also heard Muse and Jack White, and even a little-known British band called The Music (mainly in the vocals, that last one). Plus others I couldn't put my finger on. (Told my brother* to listen to it. He notes similarities with The Pretty Things.) What a wonderfully crazy thing this is; unknown to me beforehand, but definitely one to remember. Obviously completely bonkers in terms of the concept and lyrics, but, musically, I loved it! *thank you, 1001 Gen, for allowing me to introduce an album to my 64 yo rock fan brother, who normally knows Everything about music. He says "magnificent".

Very chad 4.5

A somewhat psychedelic like sound, I like, but some of segues in the tracks are weak and fast paced, not allowing for some down time in the album.

September 28, 2024 I’ve been hearing the name Cedric Bixler-Zavala in the news for a while; however my only exposure to the Mars Volta has been through a song in Guitar Hero IV. Deciding to dig a little deeper today, pairing this album with Relationship of Command by At the Drive-In, Cedric’s former band, to get a sense of this songwriter. Alright, that was At the Drive-In. Pretty shouty, but also high energy without being completely exhausting. Reminds me of the (newer) band Alexisonfire. Interestingly, the sfx, sudden changes & odd atmospheric passages suggest that there is already some prog pre-Mars Volta. Edit: now for the actual album at hand. Deloused is not that far from the earlier band’s post-hardcore sound, though the vocals are more dynamic. The lyrics are hopelessly obtuse, with any attempt to follow the story met with failure. However, the album really shines in the instrumental passages, where hard riffs meet Santana-esque Latin grooves. The hour (well closer to 2 hours, since I restarted it after getting distracted during the 12-minute “Cicatriz”) was exhausting in a way I usually only get with the heavy metal albums on this list, or experimental ones by Can & Zappa. Yet I can’t help but admire this monstrosity, even though I acknowledge its aggressive moments aren’t generally what I go for.

This hit hard. A really good mixing of a lot of genres. Done very well. Great production and writing. I could have used a little more lyrics throughout. Not a big instrumental guy. All in all, great listen. 4/5

Thoroughly enjoyed it but would much rather have ATDI

This album is a wild ride. It’s like prog rock met punk energy, then added layers of psychedelia. The sound twists and turns, much like early King Crimson, but with more urgency. The vocals are frantic and emotional, pushing boundaries. Guitars spiral out of control, but it all feels intentional. It’s chaos, but with structure underneath.

This turned out to be an excellent album. I wasn't convinced with songs 1 and 2. The music seemed a bit relentless. I still think some of the drums and vocals could be slightly more restrained in places - but it's actually a fantastic, innovative, subversive-sounding album. Loved it. Some memorable songs and very sweet guitar effects/sounds: Tira Me a Las Aranas and Drunkship of Lanterns. are where it really kicks in. A real grower that takes a firm hold by song 3. Pretty awesome.

a formative record. was the first time i heard prog rock modernized in a way that felt like a continuation of the genre and not a 70s nostalgia trip.

Very interesting. Not what I expected but I enjoyed the freneticness of it. Nice jazzy feeling and prog sound. 10/10 needs relistens for sure. I love the longer song in the middle, reminds me of later Jimi stuff.

Great prog rock, but some tracks make me literally feel like I’m going insane. 4.3 stars

Well, I wasn't expecting to like this. Not because I wasn't hopeful! In fact, I'd say The Mars Volta exude everything I'd want out of a rock band in the 2000s if they aren't going for the Strokes sound. It's prog-y, it's hardcore, and the vocals are just androgynous enough to tickle something in my brain that I'm pretty sure I'm subconsciously trying to keep under wraps. It's just... I remember Frances the Mute, their sophomore album, to be so disappointing when I gave it a whirl, so I thought this would be more of the same. However, it doesn't cause me pain; in fact, I'd say I quite liked it! It still wanders too much for my own liking, leading to a lot of droning moments that only make you say "Get a move on," which isn't helped by the group's general lack of variation, but what is there is great, with some great instrumental and vocal performances, and some moments that truly do rock. The whole thing oozes the art of the "weird," and while bands like this, especially from this era, tend to come off as stuffy, this album is just fun enough with the inclusion of some more out there lyrics, time-signatures, and some instruments not often found in a progressive record, and I come away from this pretty pleased. It isn't my favorite in the world, there is something about the production I dislike that I'm sure only Rick Rubin is to blame, but color me shocked because I'm re-invigorated to give this band another try.

Really enjoyed this one! Major angsty vibes, lots of overlap with the MCR crowd.

4 out of 5. This certainly carries an early 2000's sound but not in a bad way, and I do like albums that tell stories.

Well known more recent prog/math Rock album that propelled this band into many ears to bless them with their awesome creativity and talent. It's definitely a notable one for me and I've listened to it many times. Understand it's not for everyone of course.

Pretty wild, very loud but guitar riffs are wild and solos. Lyrics crazy as, really liked

Zoals ik al eerder bij Drive Like Yehu vermeldde, vind ik de andere afsplitser van At The Drive In, nl Sparta, fijner om te luisteren. Daar zit lekker veel groove in. The Mars Volta is verdergegaan met experimenteren waar At The Drive In gestopt was. Als ze losgaan met de gitaarpartijen is het echt wel lekker om te luisteren. De gillende zang galmt dan om de gitaren heen, heel tof. Maar zo nu en dan verzanden ze ook in iets teveel moeilijk doen om het moeilijk doen en raken ze de flow een beetje kwijt. Dat de zure broeders dit niet op waarde kunnen schatten, verbaast me niks. Maar ik vind het ook iets teveel van het goede soms. Ik zou ze aanraden om Wiretap Scars van Sparta eens te luisteren. Al blijft dit natuurlijk een ver van hun bed show. Sparta krijgt 5 sterren van me, the Mars Volta een kleine 4.

Man, this is a dense, complex album. I read a bit after listening and understanding its a conceptual album following a story. For that, I'd need to listen with headphones or view the lyrics. But this is good.

Still a pretty wild one.

I.... I don't know how to rate this one. It's either 2 or 4 stars. Definitely not a 3. It's anything but average. I found myself enjoying the first half of it, but then had to stop to take care of some things. I really had to work myself up to start it again and was dreading it a bit, but once I started it again, I really enjoyed it. Listening to this album felt like going to the gym. I dreaded everything leading up to it, but once it was over I felt great and thought about going back again.

I only made it through one listen of this, but I think I liked it a lot! The vocal performance was not my favourite part of this recording, but the guitar work especially was really fantastic and I would definitely put this band on again. I'm excited to check out some more of their work.

This one's tricky - it's so good! But also not the easiest listen. You really don't fire up this album to kick back for the evening and shake off the day's troubles. But it's still a keeper!

A mad prog album of songs and things and I might actually listen to this a lot. At first I thought it was a bit Muse but it’s much more interesting than that.

I don't know for sure, but this album definitely takes inspiration from the contemporaries at the time, like Muse and Radiohead. I agree with some of the reviews, that while it is progressive, it is not on the "easy to hate" level of progressive. On the contrary: really unique and creative album, with a wide range of influences from different genres (prog, jazz, classic rock?) and refreshingly done contrasts. It's much easier to appreciate their music when you realize the most played rock bands around the time were Evanescence, Linkin Park and that one song from Papa Roach.

算是能听下去的prog-rock

I grew up with this era of prog-esque post-hardcore, so I have a soft spot for this album and this style of music in general. On a base level, I knew I was still going to love it, and I knew that before pressing play. The latin-inspired rhythms are something I missed as a teen, and they really elevate Deloused in the Comatorium to essential status. Also, Cedric’s vocals and Omar’s guitar work are as amazing as ever, and shine brighter than they do on any At the Drive-In album. This album has it all: heavy, soft, spacey, prog, and pop, all in one. Actually, it’s incredible how many pure hooks there are sprinkled throughout this record, given that it’s both a concept album and a prog rock record. That said, I always preferred AtDI to the Mars Volta, as I found the latter to be a bit too chaotic and disorganized for my taste; after revisiting Deloused, I’d still say the same thing today. A song like “Eriatarka” is amazing, but it has so many parts that are tied together by the thinnest connective tissue possible. Compared to classic prog records, Deloused lacks cohesion, which is almost an ironic critique because simultaneously, it’s biggest strength is that every song flows together into the next one as if this is an album with only one track. There’s a general ✨muchness✨ to this era of post-hardcore that you either love or hate, and the Mars Volta are a big reason for why that is, so as a result, you’re either going to like it and turn a blind eye to it when it maybe borders on overboard, or you’re going to tap out.

And again, I grew up obsessed with this scene, so even when Deloused is a little sprawling and tangled, I still have a blast with this record. Honestly, I’m sad that more of the classics from this era aren’t on the list, particularly Relationship of Command, but that shouldn’t distract from Deloused’s shine. This album is essential and a post-hardcore masterpiece, and still holds up today for its unique genre-bending and sheer display of talent.

Concept album about a week long coma after overdosing a mixture of morphine and rat poison. Disturbing.

Somehow never really listened to them. This was really good. I’m giving it a four, but I have a feeling on multiple listens it could rise to a five.

4.5, reallly good. Wish I knew what he was saying xD

This was the 2nd MV album I heard and I thought it was great. Love the sound

Amazing band a bit toooo experimenal. Their crazy fussion of salsa and progressive rock is very unique taken from the carlos santana playbook and making their own thing. The salsa songs are insanly great but the sound experimental ones are sometimes too long and too paused for my personal liking. Production wise its a great album even thou I dont feel its their best one.

actually really cool! kind of prog with more of a punk lean rather than rock

This is pretty fantastic. I've seen the name of this band but never heard a note before this listen, and it's pretty much right up my alley. I was afraid it might be too predictable '90s alternative when it first opened, but it took all of 90 seconds to dispel that as the album gave way to pretty progressive elements while always holding on to something that resembled mainstream rock. But just barely. I appreciated the ambitious approach to everything — the playing, the entire album's worth of songs, the vocals (I thought it was a woman singing), this is creative and unpredictable. I gave it a second listen, wondering if that might bring me in even closer, but strangely, it was almost the opposite — there's a lot here to digest. It was something like Silversun Pickups meets Tool meets Rush. Wild ride.

If genesis, rush, and radiohead all had a baby this is probably what would come out! It's fun, it's different, it's building off of the powerhouses of prog rock before it's time. I enjoyed it

4.5

I love this album. It's both enjoyable to listen to and super interesting.

Fatiguing at times, but very dynamic and exciting. It seems like there’s intricacy to the instrumentation but something about the volume or the production makes it hard for me to appreciate it all the way. Hard to know my final opinion on this one, I’m somewhere between 3 and 4

Amazing

Surprisingly good

A bit edgy but that cover goes too hard for 3*

Not my usual type of music, but it mixed a lot of themes and sounds that lead it to be very enjoyable. Feels like an album that might benefit from a 2nd listen

Not the easiest one for listening, still a staple

I had never heard of this particular band -- though I have a vague recollection of a band with the same name in Boston back in the late 1980s. I am generally a fan of progressive rock in all forms, and anything with some complexity and musicality is right up my alley. I liked this record and will definitely check more of their stuff out.

Weird, partly wonderful, partly fun, partly irritating with completely bonkers lyrics. Despite the irritating parts 4 stars.

After seeing the album cover, I didn't have high expectations for this album. I shouldn't judge an album by its cover. The lyrics are nonsense and do indeed sound like the ravings of someone who's had too much morphine, which I suppose is the point. They aren't really my style, but if I ignore the words the music is amazing. The fusion of styles makes some great progressive rock, and it's easy to hear the influence this had on later bands.

I remember enjoying this album, but also needing to be in the right mood. that about sums it up.

Héritier du prog; ressemble à Muse par les rythmes accélérés, l’interprétation théâtrale et urgente, la virtuosité, les thèmes un peu science-fiction. L’album est presque un spectacle en soi

Awesome album! Hard to describe but it’s fucking rocking!

I saw The Mars Volta on the tour for this album at Move Festival 2003. I was there for Manic Street Preachers and Super Furry Animals and it was my first exposure to the Flaming Lips - what a line up! I didn't 'get' TMV at the time and thought they just sounded like a big messy noise, so I wasn't expecting to like this album. What a surprise it is then, that I think this is great. I can see how it wouldn't be enjoyable live to the untrained ear as there is such a lot going on, but on record you can hear all the parts. Whilst modern prog rock shouldn't be my thing, this is a really enjoyable 60 minutes of interesting, complex, loud, and surprisingly accessible music. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Inertiatic Esp Date listened: 02/01/24

Great surprise

Wish I had heard this album sooner. What a jam.

Verrassend goed eigenlijk. Ik had het veel experimenteler verwacht

You never forget your first delousing. I can’t wait for the day that I get deloused in a comatorium. With that out of the way, I’m unsure if I’ve heard The Mars Volta. I’ve definitely come across their name, but I’ve no idea if I know their music. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Roulette Dares, Ambuletz So much of this album is amazing. The vocals are great, and the music itself stays consistently interesting with enough weirdness through in with the expected. My only frustration with this is the amount of ambience between the songs. I don’t mind some interlude tracks, but there seem to be a lot here, even having them in the middle of individual tracks. This could have been higher rated if not for this, but I did still enjoy the album.

Nie vorher gehört und eine Bereicherung.

It’s kinda like if My Chemical Romance got inspired by Muse then just went crazy with it. Very thoughtful very technical i just need to listen to it more

Outside of 'Inertiatic Esp,' I wasn't nearly as familiar with this project as I am with At The Drive-In's discography. Kicking myself for not diving in sooner, as this new iteration takes the latter band's angular guitar work and disjointed narratives to 11, opting for proggier, more symphonic tracks that twist and turn over extended runtimes. The technical proficiency on display is immense, Bixler-Zavala somehow managing to deliver some seriously impressive vocal chops on top of the most precise, laser-sharp guitar I've heard. This LP really shines more in its compositional work, though, crafting a melodic throughline that borders on concept album without tying the songs together irreparably. Not all of the longer tracks' twists and turns felt especially necessary, but the overall journey was still a hell of a ride.

Awesome albums. Songs are long and instrumentals are a big part of it but it’s very pleasant to listen to. It makes me think I’m a mechanic working on a body shop.

okay wow! Awesomeeee metal/screamo/rock band. Actually really loved this.

Great album So close to a 5 Math rock guitar. Omar is outstanding on this record

Cooler than I remember it being

Bangers on bangers on bangers

Buen disco de rock, bien producido, saliéndose un poco del estándar de álbum típico de rock. Buena voz. Los conocía solo de nombre

Favorite Songs: Inertiatic ESP; Drunkship of Lanterns REgrettably I had never heard of this band, what what a solid album. Will definitely give them another look.

Très moderne malgré l'année, certains chansons à la production un peu brouillone je trouve, mais musicalement riche

Interesting to learn this is apparently a concept album with a story, I've always been of the correct opinion that Mars Volta and At the Drive In lyrics were exclusively nonsense. Relationship of Command is one of my favourite albums and I still return to it, so I was primed for Mars Volta when they started up. They shook me off around Frances the Mute though, just too pretentious and daft. I definitely enjoyed a lot of this when it first came out though, but I've not revisited like ATDI so let's see. Intertiatic still hits. These do frenetic energy exceptionally well. How could I have not recognised the story on this album with lyrics as evocative and imbued with narrative strength such as "exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed" and "dress the tapeworm as pet"? Roulette Dates is another banger though, despite this utter nonsense. The longer this goes on the more daft I feel for sort of mentally writing MV off years ago, this goes in directions my tastes have caught up with since, prog, Latin, afrobeat etc. all mixed in with that sweet, sweet hardcore. Oh I remember now, songs like Eriatarka are much too long for their own good without doing anything with the extra time. Conversely, Cicatriz noodles along for ages doing stuff but I find myself getting bored instead of drawn in. Bit of an Icarus wings situation. So close to a 5 but I remembered why I don't listen to it and got bored before the end so I can't possibly. Woke me up for the weekend, at any rate. Time to dip back into the back catalogue I think.

When Mars Volta are good, they're great, the guys voice is so unique, really intricate angular prog rock/punk but with a Latin American tinge. They are however very self indulgent, even by the standards of the genre. This album is actually fairly focused compared to some of their other stuff and I still found myself waiting for the wibbly ambient bits to end. There a 5 star 40 minute album in here but as is it's a 4.

The creative force can't quite sustain itself. At times bombastic, frightening, amusing, and bizarre, and frequently within the same song. The album is far too long though, and would have been a fantastic recipient of some pretty sharp editing. Still, I greatly enjoyed the general sound and will listen to more of their stuff.

Knew of the Mars Volta but never listened to them. Was thinking while listening that this has to be the singer from at the drive in, and it is.... Distinctive voice, which I really like. I enjoyed bits of this, however probably the stuff which was more like at the drive in, heavier with the phrenetic guitars. Other parts of it were a bit too progressive, too big gaps where nothing interesting was happening in very long tracks. I recognised "inertiatic esp", which was also the best track imo. "Roulette dares" was good too. The second half of the album, I found tough to get through though. Kept wishing it was at the drive in! Tough to rate as I did really like some of it, it just got a bit much by the end! Might give it another go. 3.5

I liked this a little less than the first EP and more than the follow up...this band seems to lose me a little more with each album they release which is odd because they have all the makings of an incredible band.

I used to like this album a lot.

Takie muse trochę ale nie wyróżniające się. Może 3/5 dam, a może 4 bo Drunkship of Lanterns ma fajne tempo

Very interesting and probably important album. I can hear a lot of modern post-rock, post-metal bands in this record, especially with the way all of the instruments work together despite the possible chaos. What's surprising is how user friendly this album is, despite a massive amount of experimentation. It didn't strike me as an undisputed great modern album ever, like some people think, but I do find it very enjoyable and pretty important in popular music history.

Interesante, relisten seguro

This is not for your average music fan. This is a cohesive work, high on production. I feel like so much of the music I love that this needs to be digested in full.

I, too, enjoy my prog rock with a heavy dose of noise and energy.

This album sounds like electric spiders who are good at math are screaming inside my brain.

Wat een energie! Wat een drive! Wat een overdaad aan geweldige muziekale ideeen en catchy melodieen! Het wordt hier en daar wel wat top-zwaar en dreigt dan onder zichzelf te bezwijken, maar godallemachtig wat een stelletje briljante freaks bij elkaar!

Really interesting and I loved the guitar work on this album. Another reminder to listen to more of their stuff

Terrible title. Awful cover. Bullshit lyrics. Pretentious band name. 12+ minute track. All of this should add up to an hour or so in sonic hell; but ... actually a really enjoyable listen.

Immediately this album sets the tone. The opening track lets you know what you are in for, and then Inertiatic takes off running at full speed, and never really slows down to let you catch your breath. I use the term "beautiful car crash" because it's hard to describe the kind of energy this has in any other way. But I think it's wonderful. This isn't my first forte into The Mars Volta. I've heard Frances the Mute before, and I enjoy that album a lot. Since they rose from the ashes of an already existing band, there was no time for them to find their sound. Cedric and Omar already knew what it was, and they were ready to share more of it with the world. I have to say, I love the mixing on this album. Every sound is so pronounced and hits with so much power, yet you can hear each piece of each song so clearly. They did a fantastic job at giving each instrument its own space. I also think Cedric is a really great vocalist. His voice has always stood out to me since the moment I first heard the chorus on Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus. He has the perfect amount of 2000's emo to his voice, and his range is insane. The highs he hits in these songs are sick. The only two real issues I have with this are two specific songs. I think Cicatriz ESP is a good song, especially the beginning and end of it. I love how thumping the bass is. But that long stretch in the middle of just ambiance throws the song off for me. This is an issue that will become more apparent in their sophomore album, but that is its own thing. And with Televators, there just isn't much to the song. In an album filled with breakneck bangers that damn near give you whiplash, Televators is just kind of boring. TMV is a divisive band. Some love them for what they do, and then there are some who really get up in arms about their music. Some of the most extreme online music reviews probably exist on one of their albums. To me, there is nothing inherently wrong with their music. Calling it unlistenable trash is so extreme, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I think The Mars Volta represents the best parts of modern prog rock. Prog rock hasn't ever been super beginner friendly, and has always been a genre that can mix with so many others to become this huge melting pot of music. I think for a debut, De-Loused hits really hard, and sounds great.

More, please! Progressive rock, ftw! 4/5

Going into this a big fan of late 60s/early 70s prog, so looking forwards to checking this out. Not a huge fan of the vocal style, but the instrumentals are really impressive and the songs are interesting. Favourite Tracks: Inertiatic Esp, This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed

This was awesome. Never listened to them and pleasantly impressed

I was a fan of At The Drive In but somehow missed this band. Great to discover them now. This album sounds very 2000s so there's a bit of nostalgia going on, but I'm probably more open to the progginess than I would have been back then. Will definitely listen again.

fuck yea. and Flea was a bass player on this?! Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) really feels like the album is in full swing, but then immediately drops back. The obsessions with swinging 3s makes for a rythmically engaging sound. This album has a much more approachable sound than something like Francis The Mute. Eriatarka is my favorite track so far. Cicatriz Esp has this weird downtempo ambient section that just feels like a filler. The back end of Take The Veil Cerpin Text also feels a little languid.

I've known of this band for ages but never really listened to them. And I don't usually like this sort of music. But these tracks grew on me after 2-3 listens

Wow, this kicks ass. Energetic, interesting, great instrumentation and vocals. No idea what the lyrics are about but I don't care. This is some good-ass rock music.

There is so much going on. Quote noisy. Liked it

9/10

Bra, lite väl stökigt ibland, men i stort en bra platta

I'm surprised this has a rating over 3 tbh. I though it would alienate so many people. Masterful Latin heavy prog rock . Conceptual and the lyrics are mostly gibberish but but does it rock and hook and have drive and purpose. An utter force of nature. 4

C’est explosifmais c’est quandmmeme original’ j’ai aime le style. 3.90

This album is simultaneously treading new ground, but is still very much of its time. The guitar tone and the style of playing are very much early to mid-2000s, but the use of the Latin and jazz rhythms is unique. This album feels very influenced by Rush’s 2112 in its scope and overall self-indulgence (not necessarily a bad thing). I think I need to give it a couple of listens before I really make up my mind, but I did enjoy it quite a bit.

Far out, maaaaaan

A very interesting and captivating listen. Drummer is a beast. Really cool blend of emo/prog/psych.

Relationship of command was always an album I loved although Stand out tracks - - This apparatus must be removed - Inateric Esp

EXOSKELETAL The folks will never forget the meta that was initiated at Terminal 5 in NYC in late September. The boof was hit, Mike V was met, Family Guy was watched (the open with Osama bin laden doing comedy), and the fellas initiated meta.

you already know this album is a banger. It’s the Mexican Weeknd singing for gods sake

It was good but was a little bit like noise sometimes

Super enjoyable and creative. Started to drone on a bit toward the end of the album, but hung on as a great one.

Holds up

Ret fedt album.

turns out i like the Mars Volta...

I was dreading trying this one. Something in my head just made me groan as soon as I saw The Mars Volta pop up, despite being a fan of At the Drive-In. I remember trying to listen to Francis the Mute ages ago and being turned off almost immediately, and that’s always colored my perception of this band. Then I heard Inertiatic ESP and realized I may have made a mistake. Like the best At the Drive-In tracks, there’s a lot here that rips, and the constant switching between different dynamics every minute or so always keeps you guessing. It’s as if the band has some sort of physical reaction as soon as a song enters any stage of comfortability, only being able to play a part over again in service of the occasional chorus or rousing rallying cry. The lyrics are often abstract, conveying twisted thoughts and feelings that mesh well with the constantly contorting musicianship at play. That rhythm section! You definitely won’t walk away from here feeling bored, but you may feel like you’re losing your mind a little if you truly dive into this one.

Interesting

Electric energetic with matching melodies and timely interludes!! (87%)

Is there a 3.99 rating?

4 .5

4.4 - OK, this is pretty sick actually! It's like Muse but much darker, proggier and more atmospheric. Or like Tool but less doom metal-y. The lyrics are ridiculous with gross-out references to death and medical conditions, and the song titles are obscure. And the vocals, though effective, are screechy. If you can get past all that, this is a dynamic record full of surprising twists and turns.

What can I say, I like prog. In a very crude description: it sounds like music to me. There's melodies, there are repeated themes, there are stories in the lyrics (not necessary but it helps), there's variation in rhythms and styles, there's sometimes interesting sounds within... Prog is great.

4 1/2

Not so much my flavor, but I tip my hat to a very impressive effort.

I knew The Mars Volta beforehand and I’m always keen to listen to songs of theirs. Somehow, however, their debut has always eluded me. I like it a lot, but I guess I like the later work even more.

4 because it’s pretty good but way too long.

Features Flea and produced by Rick Rubin… noice. Liked this more than i should have, but some songs were rather lengthy

all music is intrinsically art by nature, but some albums, such as de-loused in the comatorium, are so purposefully made that you are smacked in the face. since it's progressive music, the album can be jarring at times but it isn't overwhelmingly so. overall the sound is better when it's not so distorted or discordant--but that is their style so i won't split hairs. progressive metal is definitely not a common genre, but whenever an artist utilizes progressive music, they must be top notch musically. volta's drums and guitar stood out multiple times--and imagine my surprise discovering flea was the bassist for most tracks here! the lyrics are strong and well crafted. the mars volta is a band with a vocalist (cedric bixler-zavala) who is incredibly well-suited for this kind of music. 3.5

I don't know if I liked it or not. The musicianship is top notch. Great vocal range as well. It just wasn't very enjoyable music for me to listen to. Also, I feel like they make up a lot of words. Regardless, four stars on musicianship alone.

Really good i like it a lot

very impressive, kinda forgettable. my prog friends back in high school ate this up and starting using greek/latin gibberish song titles

Notes - Debut album Prog rock legends the mars Volta - Concept album written based on a short story by the band’s singer - Album released a month after the death of band member Jeremy ward - Flea on bass lol - Produced by rick Rubin - sounds great - Drumming is so good - I used to be a huge mars Volta and at the drive in fan but I barely ever listen to them nowadays - Complex and complicated while still sticking in your brain Fav - eriatarka - really like the sort of emo influence on this one least fav - this apparatus must be unearthed - good chorus but the verses weren’t for me 4.5/5 really good, need to be in the right mindset to fully enjoy

I didn’t know the meaning of two words in the album title. Thanks to 1001, I now know what the words “in” and “the” mean. This is quite heavy and full of energy but not the same old / same old heavy and not the same old / same old prog rock. The first five or so songs are exceptional as are the cover and alternate cover.

I was not looking forward to a post-2000 prog release and listening to the intro, which ends with 2112-like guitar chords, I was expecting the worst. But the singer is no Geddy Lee. In fact, I thought he had a top-tier hard rock voice, up there with Robert P or Freddie M, but with a much better name – Cedric Bixler-Zavala. I guess if you’re going to be singing choruses like “Exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed” you shouldn’t have a name like David Jones. The guitar playing is wicked and arty, the song structures are certainly original and the song-titles are entertaining. It’s an intense, ambitious effort, especially for a debut album, and it’s worth a high mark from me despite my co-judge’s insistence that I listen to it on my head-phones.

The best part of 'At-The-Drive-In' breaking up was the subsequent formation of this band. Experimental and energized they assault the listener but in a great way.

Ok

New and great

Mistenke at da kan bli litt slitsomt i lengden, men enn så lenge va da bra

Very 2003, but love the progginess of it all with the interconnected tracks.

An enjoyable ear journey.

Very good but too dense

By coincidence I just listened to this album a few days ago. It's great!

Learned about this band through Flea and John Frusciante playing on their albums, haven't listened to it in a while and frankly forgot how much I like their music. I don't think I've heard mars volta music I didn't like but it does require me to be in a certain mood but when I am it's brilliant!

Well, this was awesome. I don’t recognize a single bit of it, although I should have been exposed when it was new back in 2003. I don’t think I would have been ready to like it then, but I love it now. I’m still never a fan of the screamo voice. But I could look past it, and maybe after repeated lessons I’ll get over it. That’s really the only drawback!

Well, another band I have had a lot of reservations about - to me the Mars Volta are rather overwrought - from the name, to the lyrics, to the 8 min songs. On paper they should have been one of my favourite bands - being that I was a big fan of At The Drive In... but.. anyway.. back to this album My first reaction at revealing this album was of dismay, however, I actually enjoyed most of it - a lot of it stuck from previous listens, oh so many years ago, and it still holds up after all these years. I actually liked it quite a bit especially given I started with a negative precondition. All in all it has a lot to sink your teeth into, and the intricacies of the songs aren't going to turn up within 24 hours - however, it's a solid record, despite its length, it's never boring, and merrily steam rolls through its 1 hour of length easily. One thing about this 1001 album exercise - it gives you perspective - I've now hear albums which have the traits I had disliked about Mars Volta, amplified many times over, so in comparison, this is almost feels like a Ramones album in terms of lean-ness - only relatively.

streak of very good shit

I just knew Rush and Dream Theater. This wasn't an easy listening, it took me a few plays, and even though I have mixed feelings about the nonsensical lyrics, I can't get out of my head that exoskeletal junction at the railroad delayed. Love the complexity, the changes in tempo, and especially the drums. I'll be checking out their other albums soon.

Recuerdo haber escuchado este disco alla cuando fue lanzado y no lo entendi mucho, no entendi la propuesta ni la idea ni la musica. yo estaba ahi por las guitarras y las melodias, pero todas las complejidades me pasaron por alto. Supongo que nunca es tarde para recuperar un disco, para volver al pasado y escuchar aquello que se ignoro. Mas vale tarde que nunca. Al final, este disco es toda una sorpresa, un rock progresivo lleno de ideas y recovecos, un album que se puede escuchar una y otra vez.

what is this? prog metal? it sounds pretty cool I don’t like metal but I love bands that make the most out of the genre, Mr. Bungle is probably the best example anyway, this was really enjoyable I’d say it’s a solid 8/10

The start was extremely strong but the tail end of the album blended together

10/03/2022 Playing a lot of catch-up today. This album was a fucking monster. The instruments go so fucking hard, they step on your chest, and don't take their weight off of you for the entirety of the album. I really love the singer's voice. There seems to be some kind of ominous, dark energy surrounding this album though, so I'm not sure if it was good enough to pull me back in for another listen. I'm very particular about my sad and brooding albums They remind me of so many different bands all at once. Muse was the first that came to my mind. I would typically give an album like this 3 stars, but the instrumentation on this album is just so incredible and so tight that I have to bump it up to four stars even though it's unlikely that I would ever listen again.

Excellent band, unique sound and excellent album.

This was really good. Trippy, creative, hard driving and free-ranging. Lyrics are completely obtuse, but I don't even mind. A lot of subtle moving parts in these songs. I imagine you'd hear something new every time you listen to it. Fave Songs: Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Inertiatic ESP, Drunkship of Lanterns, Eriatarka, Son et lumière, Televators

Didn't get it first time hearing it, but I really enjoyed it after listening to it a few time afterwards.

Impressive modern prog rock, notes of Rush and King Crimson with some touches of modern rock like My Chemical Romance. Liked it but lyrically it overly reaches to be something nuanced

Incredibly weird at points but I think it makes the record a fun experience. The lyrics are fine, the vocals are cool, the guitars are great and the drums are so active. The production was incredible and the album was comprehensive which is a great thing for any album. No song sticks out in a bad way, they're all interesting and fun to listen to. Favorite Track: This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed, Inertiatic Esp Least Favorite Track: Tira Me a Las Aranas

Very good must listen again. It’s like MCR meets prog rock

One of the best! Prog rock with fresh sounds, still feels cutting edge 20 years later.

This is one of those albums that took me a few times to really get into. Which I've luckily done already a few years ago. If I had heard it for the first time today, I might've written it off as prog rock that is trying too hard to make as many sounds as possible. The whole fusion of jazz, experimental, latin, sound manipulation and straightup hardcore matches so remarkably well that the whole album feels like a storytelling. The switching between spacy, balladlike singing and fullblown machinegun drumming keeps you on your toes the whole time.

7/10 this is dope

A solid prog rock album. It has some great moments on it

this is definitely what King Charles III is listening to to come to terms with the death of his mumsy. i never got the mars volta before, probably because i was a simpleton indie centric tosser, maybe its the death of a monarch that has opened my Rudi van DiSarzio style 'Door of Kukundu' and allowed the light in. some of this is brilliant.

Even Scott Davidson likes this

Surprisingly good rock! Musical and heavy when it needs to be.

Classic

ALBUM GRADE: B ALBUM RATING: 3.89 TRACK RATINGS: 1. Son et Lumière - 4.0 2. Inertiatic ESP - 4.0 3. Roulette Dares (The Haunt of) - 4.0 4. Tira Me a las Arañas - 3.5 5. Drunkship of Lanterns - 3.5 6. Eriatarka - 4.0 7. Cicatriz ESP - 4.0 8. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed - 3.5 9. Televators - 4.0 10. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt - 4.0

Pleasantly surprised. Fast paced songs. Heavy rock on a lot of songs. Sounds a bit like Rush without the long hippy nerdy interludes, and with maybe some Rusted Root percussion thrown in on some and some fast System of A Down type patterns on others. Definitely some tricky drum rhythms. There are some slow filler type songs mixed in that I would rather skip, but the fast ones hit pretty hard.

4.5 this shit is good

Very original, although a bit exhausting to listen to because of the constant rhythm changes and the many layers of sound. Since the tracks do not feel like cohesive pieces, the transitions between tracks are not as noticeable. As a result, the album feels like one hour long piece, which is too much, in my opinion.

Favorit

Experimental rock, sounds like newer Jack White. It's pretty good.

This is very modern in a retro way- has all the ingredients I like (musicianship, weird oddbeat things and wailing vocals that make no sense). It borrows from lots of other sources (in a good way) from Muse to Rush and even way back to 70's Prog and Psychadelic Rock. The only thing I would level at it is that it feels very contrived ( which may be their intention?). I do like it.

They try so hard, but its solid stuff

Liked it more than I expected.

Who is The Mars Volta? A greatly under-rated and amazing band.

Such a cool album, the driving fast tempo is fantastic.

Aggréablement surpris, album concept très intéressant, définitivement à réessayer et aussi jeter un coup d'oeil au reste de leur discographie.

Quand cet album est sorti, j'avais de grosses attentes parce que je venais de découvrir At The Drive-In, groupe précédent dans lequel figuraient Omar Rodriguez-Lopez et Cedric Bixler-Zaval, et l'album Relationship of Command était une grosse claque au visage. J'adorais cet album et j'avais hâte d'entendre la suite. Puis il y a eu la dissolution du groupe. Mars Volta est un des groupes né des cendres d'At The Drive-In. On retrouve ici la voix vraiment intéressante de Cedric et l'énergie qu'on avait dans At The Drive-In. On est moins post-hardcore et un peu plus rock progressif/psychédélique. La production de Rick Rubin sur ce premier album complet est impeccable comme à l'habitude. Les manipulations sonores, notamment sur la voix et les rythmes latins amènent un vent frais sur ce rock très énergique. Encore aussi bon aujourd'hui. Pièces préférées: This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed, Drunkship Of Lanterns

Here's an album that I hated when it came out and liked this time around. I don't know that it's the album that aged well. I think it's more that I've become more open to weird shit as I've gotten older. And this is definitely weird. It's a post-prog concept album which... well, it would have been a hard no for me except that the drum work here is exceptional. Jon Theodore absolutely crushes and manages to keep everything on the rails even when the rest of the crew is skewing into chaos. So many bands in the same vein end up sounding like the musical equivalent of the guy who gets so high, walks in the kitchen, forgets what he came here for, and starts trying to bake a cake without a recipe because "that sounds awesome right now, dude." Jon Theodore's strong rhythm backbone keeps everything coherent. The music never forgets what it was doing. The biggest issue with "De-loused in the Comatorium" is the same thing that plagues most concept albums. The songs make no damn sense. In attempting to tell a story that spans a whole album, none of the tracks say anything of substance. Add on the fact that the "concept" is itself kind of a disjointed fever-dream and you're left with mostly nonsensical vocals. And that's a real shame because the musicianship is exceptional, the production is fantastic, and the performances are powerful. But the end result is just... mostly good.

Nice

Good

Great but at the drive in is sorely missed

Man... it took me some time to get used to the vocal and style, but when I did, I found lots of depth. Sophisticated compositions, playing with tempo and rhythm but at the same time maintaining the scale of an opera. It was an experience.

Альбом интересный, как и прогрок в целом. Какие-то вещи даже King Crimson напомнили.

trippy as hell still, really holds up. those soaring vocals

This is a band I had heard of but knew nothing about. Didn't even know what kind of music they play! Turns out it's kind of a meld between NuMetal and Pop Punk. Aka, it's probably not for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Love the weird song names and the wild long guitar solos.

Killer album from a very unique band

not sure what this is but i like it. Rock, avante guard, shoutness with plinky plunky bits.

I kinda figured I'd be the only one in the group with a positive view of this one. I really dug this album when it first came out, and still mostly do. While I think I prefer At the Drive-In, the previous band from The Mars Volta's driving creative forces, I like "Deloused in the Comatorium" and "Frances the Mute." I totally get why they can be too much though. To many, the vocals are probably polarizing, or just straight-up off-putting. But I don't mind the frantic, high-energy shrieking. The pace shifts are also off-putting to many I believe. Something about time signatures? I kinda know what that means musically, but will probably sound ignorant trying to describe it. The songs quickly accelerate or decelerate, and sometimes devolve into chaotic noise or meandering background sounds. I don't know, but I dig it. And I listened to ATDI's "Relationship of Command" again, and like it even more than "Deloused."

Pretty good stuff at times

Barasta ansi hressandi og skemmtilegt, hæfilega tilraunakennt og kröfugt. Fjarki, nær fimmu en þristi.

Ah fuck, I don't want to listen to modern prog rock today. What frustrates me about this band is that they are clearly talented, and I can hear bits and pieces of what I loved so much about Relationship of Command. However, this band is not that band, and for all of the good elements of this album, it's never going to achieve the raw power of Relationship of Command. On the other hand, this album is a good listen overall. I want it to be something that it is not, but that's on me. The vocals and the instrumentation are very good on this album. It's also less proggy than other stuff I've listened to from Mars Volta. Guess I got to give it 4 stars, especially since listening to this album improved my shitty mood moderately 4/5 4/5

Hi ha una diferència notable entre el rock experimental que tracta d'obrir nous camins fet per ments artístiques i inspirades i el perpetrat per wannabes amb ambicions. Gran part de la tradició, que a les últimes décades s'extén amb bandes com Butthole Surfers als '80, Super Furry Animals als '90 o The Icarus Line als '00, per posar tres exemples distanciats entre sí, es basa en la intenció d'acumular sons i la pretensió d'epatar a l'oient, sense pràcticament res aprofitable en les seves propostes. The Mars Volta és una altra cosa, molt diferent. Rock visionari, amb textures úniques, mutacions de géneres i melodies identificables. Aquest primer disc tras la ruptura de At the Drive-In ja deixa veure tota la màgia que portaven al seu interior, i que gairebé mai va deixar d'assecar-se fins la seva dissolució

Yea this was best. Before omar started controlling everything

Best Song: Inertiac Esp. The true kickoff to the album, this song launches like a rocket and never slows down. Worst Song: Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of). Very atmospheric, but slower than I want from this group. Overall: Chaotic music with a progressive edge, constantly cutting in with fits and starts. Complex enough to always be interesting and nostalgic enough for me that I have a sweet spot for it.

I guess some of the music was cool. Pretty long though. 7/10

It is an ambitious and creative work, reinventing prog-rock for the post-"rock" generation. (7/10) FT: Inertiatic ESP, Roulette Dares, Televators

Most of the music I enjoyed. There were only a couple of moments where I thought the "new tech sounds" were a bit forced in the music, but overall, enjoyable.

Have you ever met a dumbass sporting an afro? Me either.

Love this album! I have no idea what any of the lyrics are about and the song titles make no sense. I could listen to this album over and over again. Tangent: I had about a 2 year period between the start of my last semester of college before I met my wife. I was pretty lonely and that's the period of time when I started running. This album came out during that time and I would listen to the MP3's on one of those goofy mp3 players that strapped around your arm all the time. Music from this era always reminds me of that goofy time in my life where I was really lonely, but kind of really found myself through running.

Fuck there's a lot going on here. I dont pick up much on lyrics but the music hooked me after I initially thought "No". But then reading up on the album on Wikipedia I now feel I need to go through the lyrics. Needs a full re-listen again

Need to listen more but enjoyed it a fair bit.

Weird but superb, a couple of spine tingling moments. Who knew that weird guitar jam with latin beats and a lunatic would be so compelling

Remember when Chris and Mark became friends over their experience of...um... experiencing this band live?

Huh. I actually enjoyed this!

Oh post-prog, dammit. So weird that this is only two years after At the Drive-in‘s Relationship of Command. So from the ashes of that band came this band, and just like that was an incredible record and pushed the post Hardcore genre up to another level this album kind of does that too. I feel like I would need to sit down with the lyrics and really give this and attentive listen to find out what is truly going on.

The year 2003 was a great year for post hardcore. It saw the rise of emo and its nerdier sibling, prog-emo. Spearheaded by bands like Circa Survive and Coheed & Cambria, prog-emo was almost antithetical to its punk rock roots, epically long tracks, experimental musical soundscapes and grandiose concepts, all filtered through power chords, acrobatic vocals and a one-two gut punch. Glorious. The Mars Volta were another band that were a fixture to this subgenre, and Deloused in the Comatorium cemented their place in the pantheon of unsung heroes of this oft overlooked subgenre of 2000s punk/emo. From the way opening track Son et Lumiere begins, with the hypnotically frantic guitar tapping and urgent vocals, leading into Inertiatic Esp, you know you're in for a dynamic ride, with heavy hitters interspersed with post-rockesque interludes like Tira Me a Las Aranas and Televators. The rest of the album is an hour long journey of spazzy-yet-precise drums, textural keyboards, and guitar styles that run the gamut of angular stabs, echo-y strums, to melodically dissonant lines. What allows this album to stay rooted in its punk roots is the fact that each of the instruments, virtuosic as they are, serves the song, and that, to this writer, is what warrants multiple listens of this album. Truly a masterclass in the balance of technique, experimentation and all out emotion.

A neoprog classic. Frantic guitar riffs and drumming are littered throughout this one, all setting a stage for the electrifying vocal performance. Mars volta really caught lightning in a bottle on this album - it's progressive but not indulgent or plodding. Technical without being wanky. A lot of sonic and tonal shifts and inventive songwriting.

Интро отдаёт криповым вайбом, если весь альбом будет таким - я буду знатно рад. уже не отдаёт..... но переход был крутой, да и трек его бодрость не портит. Мне уже нравится альбом, он дико разъёбывающий и бодрость и агрессив из него прям прёт! При прослушивании этого альбома я вижу какую то погоню в лесу. Альбом прям бодрячок, вот прям бодрый бодрячок. Окей, как минимум переходы звучат крипово... и даже индустриально, но это скорее всего я просто еблан. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed - пока что мой любимый трек. Прекрасная работа. 8/10.

Was into this band quite a bit back in the day but kinda fell off after the third album. This one still mostly rips though

Años de no escuchar este disco, oda al atasque. Aún así, tiene momentos muy atmosféricos aunque discordantes por lo que no es un disco fácil de escuchar completo. Tocan brutalmente, las letras son indescifrables. Está pesado pero es muy bueno. Es muy bueno pero está pesado. Songs: Televators, Inertiatic Esp, This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed

Este disco no lo oía completo desde que era nuevo y en aquel entonces no fue totalmente de mi agrado, pero ahora que le di sus tres o cuatro vueltas seguidas me sorprendió que se va como agua. Las canciones entre ellas tienen mucha cohesión e incluso esos interludios de efectos de sonido son una parte excelente del disco que no se vuelve aburrido en ningún momento con excelentes músicos y una voz que, aunque es chillona, cuadra perfecto con todo lo demás. Si existe un detalle que no me gusta, es que de pronto Cedric canta en un español pronunciado con las nalgas, que alguien (un pariente que en serio hable el idioma) debió haberle corregido.

Their heads barely out of the ashes of At The Drive-In, Omar Rodriguez López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala did not waste any time to rebound by forming The Mars Volta, sprinkling seventies psychedelia, latin rhythm inflexions and Zappaesque circumvolutions in their already charged post-hardcore formula. *Deloused In the Comatorium* is the result of this quick mutation, and akin to a phoenix rising over its former shell's self-implosion, the new band does a very fine job setting up high expectations for what was to come. Standout tracks "Inertiatic Esp", "The Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) and "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" are especially convincing, flaunting a technical prowess that is in service of songs sporting roaring choruses like so many badges of honor. None of the digressions in those tracks are unnecessary, and the overall production is neat and on-point, displaying very clear and panoramic vistas of the multi-layered mess so as to help the listener make sense of it. Bixler-Zavala's lyrics are cryptic as ever, digging the exact same surreal trench as the one he had dug as the At The Drive-In frontman, and his crystal-clear, energetic vocals are reaching new heights, even though he never forgets to also bring emotion and subtle nuance when needed. It's a little unfortunate, however, that the Mars Volta could not apply the same self-editing principles and direly needed restraint for a bunch of tracks across the middle of the record. See for instance "Eriatarka" and "Cicatriz Esp", where mastermind Rodriguez López desperately--and often vainly--tries to reach a full-on psychedelic scope the band would only really attain for their second LP, the criminally underestimated *Frances The Mute* (which is probably the best homage to seventies prog-rock madness ever penned this side of the 21st century, and a piece of work far more sweeping and ambitious than their first effort). In comparison to its successor, some of the tracks in *Deloused In The Comatorium* are either too short or too long, or maybe even *both*, oddly enough--too short for the ambient meandering interludes inside them to really stick and go somewhere--and too long for the *exact same reason*, mainly that those aimless interludes should have probably been better left off on the cutting room floor so as to give a little muscle to the overall songs If *Frances The Mute* avoided those pitfalls by giving its most experimental moments much-needed conceptual and atmospheric points, such miracles only too rarely happened in the rest of the band's career. After their second album, The Mars Volta even quickly got lost into their own free-jazz proclivities (read "ass"), spawning a handful of albums that did not add anything genuinely meaningful to the initial formula. And when that string of records ended, Rodriguez López and Bixler-Zaval even resorted to a reformation of At The Drive-In which turned out to be a half-baked stylistic avowal of defeat instead of the glorious reunion everyone had hoped for. Heroes fall hard sometimes. In *Deloused In The Comatorium*, the phoenix was still on the rise at least. [Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 995 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 0 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 3 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 3 ]

Emo flavored prog rock - as the genre might suggest, it is a very pretentious album! However, it's so unself-conscious about it that it circles back around to being delightful in the same way that an all-out campy halloween display is delightful. I'm charmed. Don't get too distracted by the nonsensical lyrics because each instrumentalist is impressive and essential in their own right. Favorite track - Cicatriz Esp, Televators

My ears hurt from how hard this is going! Fav song: Eriatarka

4/5

something to listen to if you like broken bells and wished they yelled more

This album still rocks. Still missing a lot of the imagery references used, but it’s still a beautiful album.

A little draining at times due to sheer pitch, but overall fun and enjoyable. I could probably return to this, but it doesn't have anything dragging me back, which puts squarely in the 4.

Era verdad lo que decía residente del baterista, bah.

Another band i had misconceptions of. Top quality rock. The 1w minute track in the middle i appreciated without enjoying, so it drops a star for that.

Favs: Inertiatic Esp; Roulette Dares; Eriatarka Mehs: Son et Lumiere "Speculative fiction telling the first-person story of someone in a drug-induced coma, battling the evil side of his mind!" That's for me! With Mars Volta songs, I either really love an individual song or would skip a song each time. On songs like Inertiatic Esp, you get some really seriously great Rush-like, Muse-like, dash-of-King-Crimson prog-rock.

I was sceptical before and throughout, but after all I enjoyed the album.

4.5

This album sounds like something misunderstood 14 year olds would cling to.

I thought this was going to be a really good album, but it kinda let me down after the first two songs.

A good representation of the genre. I enjoyed it

new band for me, lets see! Bit like Rush but not as catchy. Ok though

I don't remember if I've heard this album before. I've heard the follow-up, Frances the Mute. I was also aware of At The Drive-Inn, which Mars Volta was an off-shoot of that. One Armed Scissors was the song that got me into At The Drive-Inn. I remember it be weird as hell lyrically but mind-blowing musically. How can one forget that lovely, eye-catching title of Deloused At The Comatorium? This is exactly what you would want from a Prog band. Slightly high pitched singer singing a bizarre operatic story of a man in a coma for a while playing brain melting guitars which brings a crazy music atmosphere. It can be dull at times but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I don't really think Prog is liked universally like other genres. I like Prog, so I like this. 3.5

Exciting, progressive and very different. Rooted in core and emo sounds this album is very well done and enjoyable. Not 100% in my wheel house but not off my radar completely.

I enjoyed this more than an the earlier prog I've heard. While it often felt as though they were more interested in showing off than actually having anything worthwhile to communicate, there are lots of moments with more sensitivity and feeling. The musicianship is impressive too.

Prog rock. I like how fast and interesting it was, but a little loud, droney, and whiny. Liked it but wouldn't listen again. 3 stars.

Stable record 3/5

They seem to have found their audience over the years and based on at least 3 tracks here, I'm happy that they did, but I'll always wonder what could've been had these two been able to incorporate their ideas into ATDI.

Slišala sm že za band, ampak poznam pa absolutno nič. Fun! Zanimiv, ne vem kaj sm pričakovala (I guess indie?), ampak ne to? Je pa a concept album. Sploh nism dojela, kdaj smo šli iz prvega ("Son et Lumière") v drugi komad ("Inertiatic ESP"), tko da, spet mamo lepo prelivanje komadov. "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" je kinda insane? Vokali me pa ful spomnejo na te razne emo bande of the same time. "Drunkship of Lanterns" je isto kinda insane - in a good way. Edin škoda za ta early 2000s produkcijo. (Rick Rubin!) Zanimiv album. Moram še kdaj ga poslušat, je tak, ki kr zahteva to od poslušalca.

I should really listen to this one

This was an OK listen but. Nothing particularly of note.

I used to adore this album, but upon relisten, I'm not sure where I stand. Some fantastic musicianship here, but so many songs devolve into jamming or just noise. Maybe not as fond of it as I once thought I was.

Very good!

its a no for me bro.

3.5 favs: inertiatic esp, roulette dares (the haunt of), televators

De-Loused in the Comatorium is a bold and exhilarating fusion of progressive rock, post-hardcore, jazz, and psychedelia. The Mars Volta combine virtuosic musicianship with sprawling song structures and intense emotional energy, creating an album that feels both chaotic and meticulously crafted. Dense, ambitious, and rewarding, it's widely regarded as one of the most distinctive rock debuts of the 2000s.

I'm not sure if I love this, or hate it... It's so out there! I've saved it though and I may listen to more TMV... Or I might never listen to them again!

Pretty interesting mash-up of genres here. I enjoyed this album even though I'm not really up to speed on prog or alt-rock or post-hardcore or experimental metal or whatever this is. I found the whole thing compelling regardless. A soupçon of psychedelia really ties it all together.

I was definitely impressed, but I didn’t have any fun.

01) Son et lumière - 7,0 02) Inertiatic ESP - 7,5 03) Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) - 7,5 04) Tira me a las arañas - 7,0 05) Drunkship of Lanterns - 7,0 06) Eriatarka - 7,0 07) Cicatriz ESP - 6,0 08) This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed - 7,5 09) Televators - 6,5 10) Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,95 (70/100) Current ranking: 534/927

Virkelig interessant conceptalbum! Jeg har hørt de første tre sange en del gange før, men har haft svært ved at høre hele albummet. Jeg har kunnet mærke at dette også har været tilfældet i denne omgang. Albummet er ret langt på 1 time og 7 minutter og jeg kan mærke at især de lange instrumentalstykker får mig til at zone ud og blive uopmærksom. Så kan næsten intet huske af sidste halvdel af albummet. De tre første sange derimod er absolutte bangers. Måske albummet kan overvinde mig mere med tiden som en helhed, men det bliver lidt ensartet i længden.

Générique d’animé type shit

Proghardhorerockpunkmetal. Niet echt mijn genre, maar ik ga er wel weer redelijk bleu in. Ken deze band niet, en wat ik lees is een van de 'belangrijkere' dingen dat Flea van de Peppers hierop heeft meegespeeld. Nummers zijn langgerekt en kunnen daardoor beetje verzanden in gepriegel zonder eind. Das beetje jammer, maar wat ik daarvoor hoor klinkt vaak best goed. De zang is.. prima, niet heel bijzonder, muzikaal zit het strak in elkaar. Neem Cicatriz Esp, heel vet nummer, maar dan duurt het daarna nog 8(!!!!) minuten, voordat het daadwerkelijk voorbij is... Dat is inherent aan progrock, dat weet ik, maar wel een beetje mn issue met dit genre, niet elk nummer of elk idee is dermate goed dat het gerekt moet worden naar de magische 10 minuten. Dan gaat het na een tijdje gewoon te veel als een jamsessie klinken naar mijn mening. FAVO: Drunkship of lanterns, This apparatus must be unearthed(ben er nog niet uit of ik de outro heel vet of heel kut vind...)

Day 45 — The Mars Volta — De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) Listened: May 19–23, 2026 Genre: Progressive Rock / Post-Hardcore / Psychedelic Rock Vibe: Overwhelming and disorienting by design — a concept album about a coma that sounds like one, dense and hallucinatory with Flea's bass anchoring the chaos underneath. Highlights: • Inertiatic Esp • Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) • Drunkship of Lanterns • Eriatarka ★ Cicatriz Esp • This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed • Televators • Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt Impression: Grew on me significantly more than expected. Once I understood the concept — a man's journey through a coma — and started listening for Flea's bass, it clicked. Not traditional music I'm used to but the musicianship is undeniable and each listen revealed more. Last listen added the most favorites. Art that rewards patience. Rating: 2.9/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Yes

Dig it. Never listed to Mars Volta. Really liked this one out of the gate. Kind wore on me a bit, the vocals can be too theatrical. Drumming is amazing, the range of sounds is amazing. All in all an interesting listen; can see this one growing on me.

Temp

There are not enough prog rock bands on this list, so I was surprised to see The Mars Volta here. "Eriatarka" and "Drunkship of Lanterns" are great tracks - multi-layered, with stunning musicianship and interesting effects.

This album genuinely confounded me. It's so interesting to listen to, but I also don't like it that much -- I am by no means a prog-rock guy, and I'm not too keen on the vocals. But goddamn, it hooked me, it's so offbeat and schizo. I'm giving it a 3 star rating because of my head, but it's a 5 star in my heart.

It was just ok. Probably would never come back to it. 2.5/5

Du rock

Plus sympa que ce que je que je m'attendais mais pas révolutionnaire

I had heard "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" on a free CD that came with Q magazine back in 2003, giving samples of what their writers deemed the best albums of that year. I’d never heard of The Mars Volta, and while on the surface, their music didn't align with my usual taste, I have to admit, I found myself listening to that track on repeat quite a bit. There was something quite unique and different about it. From the frantic opening drumming and guitar riffs that slap you in the face, to the quiet respite of the verses, to the moments of dissonant distortion that punctuate the song, to the triumphant choruses and the avant-garde freeform guitar breaks, it’s a head-swirling fever dream of a song that is irreverent to conventional structure. But I never got around to taking the time to sit down and listen to the full album it came from. So finally, here we go. Today was when I found out that Flea was playing on this album. Besides the fact that he’s possibly the best bass player in the world (that’s currently making music at least), he always tends to gravitate towards interesting music that’s worth paying attention to (I’m alluding to his work with Thom Yorke over the years especially). The Mars Volta aren’t afraid of space. Songs take as long as they need to, at times spanning over 12 minutes in duration, often expanding to soundscapes that create atmosphere rather than melody. And for all the deviation from traditional structure, it feels loose, but never too difficult. It’s weirdly easy to listen to, for such an out-there album. While it’s not my usual taste in music, and I did find the vocals a particular challenge to get past, I did enjoy it. There's so much going on throughout the entire album, it makes for an interesting listening experience. “Roulette” is still my favourite, and definitely the standout track. It only took me 23 years to get around to hearing the rest of the album. 3.5 stars

5.5/10

Notable Textzeile: Just like everyone else, I'll forget you Is there anybody around, I'll forget you Just like anyone Just because, just because, just because Es gibt einzelne Parts in einzelnen Songs, die ich richtig großartig finde, wenn das Orchestrale zusammenfindet, Gesang, Riffs, die Drums (sind oft fucking großartig). Aber es gibt viel mehr das mich nervt. Die absichtlich exaltierten Songstrukturen, bei denen man nie weiß ob das jetzt vorbei ist, wieder losgeht oder schon der übernächste Song ist. Genauso wie die kryptischen Songtexte und der ganze Vibe. Aber für die einzelnen Momente gibt es eine 2,5 wird zu

Rick Rubin again, wenn auch völlig anders. Fantastische live band, irre Intensität, aber auf Platte finde ich das schwierig durchzuhalten. Im Gegensatz zu ganz viel Prog finde ich das hier aber nicht nervig, sondern unendlich groß, ich halt nur zu klein dafür. Ein besserer Mensch würde dem 5 geben.

Ich verstehe warums in der Liste ist. Ich habe keine Geduld für 12-Minuten-Songs. Ich würde das gerne mal live sehen. Aber nicht als Album hören.

Not bad.

Never heard of this group but not bad.

O sea... me gustó bastante más de lo que esperaba.

7/10. It’s intense, chaotic, and super experimental… you can tell how talented they are. There’s a lot going on, and when it clicks, it really hits. But it can also feel a bit too much at times. I respect it more than I fully enjoy it… still, it has some really strong moments.