Reviews (page 5 of 8)
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
The voice reminded me of Geddy Lee, but whereas Rush is literate, this is nonsense. The music is decent for the most part.
This seems like a divisive one. I've listened to this record a couple times over the years, but it's never really been a record that I go back to. You can definitely hear the post-hardcore roots of this band, along with the progressive aspirations of the band. It's decent enough even though it doesn't entirely click with me. I tend to prefer the moments where things slow down a bit, but its all pretty listenable. I find myself neither as inspired as some nor as irritated as others.
Didn't love it, but I did like some of it. Won't listen again.
Almost great, amazing drumming.
Definitely an ambitious undertaking. I think there’s a message in there but I’m not really in the mood for this at the moment. Will probably listen again with a bit more focused intent when the mood is right. 3
3.5
Not a word. Not an absolute word, but I'm not sure it mattered. The voice is great even if it was complete nonsense and when the band properly goes for it it's got a great vibe. A strong 3 that isn't quite a 4.
Cool album, and instrumentally there were lots of things going on that I liked, but I’m not sure what I think about the vocals. At times I didn’t mind them but at other moments they could be pretty grating. Anyways, for an album that is an hour long, this flew by pretty quickly, so that’s good. It kept me engaged and like I said I like a lot of what’s going on instrumentally. 3.5 stars. Favourite songs: Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Eriatarka, Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt
I think I like this - but only in smaller doses. It gets too stressful for me
3,4 Highlights: Inertiatic Esp, Eriatarka
I'm not sure what I just listened to because I had it on in the background. The music seemed interesting, but the vocals didn't hold me. I probably need to give this another chance, so for now it is a 3.
Enjoyable but I didn't love it. Interesting to read that Rick Rubin was involved with this one.
It's a conflicting thought that while I don't actively like this it's much better sounding than most others I've encountered here.
I didn't know this group, but they're OK.
Yeah some pretty damn good songs here but it's half filler, also not really my thing but it's solid
I just can’t get into these guys. It was fine.
Prog emo, but kinda loses what’s good about either genre. The talent and production are here and every once in awhile it clicks, just not enough. Devolves into noise
I expected good things from this but I'm also aware that I've had a bit of a go on The Mars Volta before but always come up a little short. They always felt like a band that required some patience and unpacking so I'm attempting to give this that bit of breathing space and a few listens over a few days. Overall, there’s a lot of clatter and chaos but some great moments amongst the madness. I never wanted or expected 3 minute pop songs and I have plenty of time for chaotic, noisy and unstructured music. But I would have appreciated a little more melody and for the instruments to feel a little more in sync than they do here. There’s a jazz-fusion-like tendency for everyone to go off in their own direction and it can be jarring, but occasionally satisfying when it does come together. Part of me would like to hear more instrumental music from these guys as his reverb-drenched punky wailing irked me at times as well. I think the drums also feel all over the place, racing away from the looming instruments in a blur of fills and cymbals that don't quite fit the mood. I suppose all this can be summarised as amounting to less than the sum of its parts. Lots of interesting things happening but not really working together to create something that's as enjoyable to listen to as it ought to be. I'm intrigued enough that I plan to have a skim through their other albums but again, it probably requires a little more patience than I might be prepared to give.
3.0
Gostei do álbum. As guitarras e baixos soam muito bem. É um disco legal. QoA Cloudscape.
⭐️Cicatriz Esp
Ambitious and liked
Random thoughts: * Like most metal albums, I'm having a hard time evaluating this one. * This was a bit more math rock plus some metal. I do like the vocals overall which makes it more enjoyable for me than other harder sounding bands. * Apparently this is actually progressive rock according to Wiki. * And the theme/concept of this album is wild: "the concept album is an hour-long tale of Cerpin Taxt, a man who enters a week-long coma after overdosing on a mixture of morphine and rat poison." * Cictriz Esp had a little Santana meets metal sound to it. Nice! * Ok, I just listened to this straight through while doing some work. Good album overall and enjoyable. I would need some more in-depth listens to get all that this album has to offer.
Good math rock but still math rock
I don’t love the lead singers voice but some of it is pretty cool.
It was kinda cool. The lyrics are... nonsense? Idk but the music itself reminds me of a lot of 2000s bands I used to like.
This was pretty interesting. Some parts were a little too "weird" for my tastes. But the less strange parts I really enjoyed. My favorite was the opening track. Might take more listens in order to really get it.
These lyrics are so funny. They didn’t even TRY to make them make sense. Music is good though. Really fun guitar stuff. I gotta say though, I wish the songs were shorter. Endless guitar solos get old.
Some cool things happening, but ultimately not for me Great album art though
Quite the mixed bag. Starts off pretty banging with epic vocals and guitar work. Slowly gets weirder and some songs go on way too long. Found myself a bit bored in the second half but Televators is a great track near the end of the album.
This is confusing. In a good way.
Alright to pretty good :)
Interesting album. It's not the kind of thing I usually like to listen to, but it sounds quite alternative and original at the same time. 3 stars.
Huh, this definitely an interesting listening experience. First of all: The cover was not promising. At all. But hey, many good albums have covers i don’t like. Then there is the concept of it: An album that follows a guy who overdosed, falls into a coma, has some out-of-body experiences, wakes up and decides to commit suicide. A heavy concept, but done well carries a lot of promise. So i opened Genius to read the lyrics while listening to. And there the problem started: This reads like Thesaurus, the album. The lyrics don’t really make much sense in telling a semi-cohesive story. They barely make sense at all. The annotations on Genius tried to explain the lyrics, but I suspect they read the accompanying book and found some parallels. A concept album loses a lot of its appeal when the lyrics don’t carry the concept. So I gave up reading the lyrics after Eriatarka because WHAT DO YOU MEAN on that song the protagonist gets operated on by a doctor with dogs for hands? But okay, lyrics are not everything, there is of course the music itself. And the music is quite solid. Now, to be fair, 2000s prog-rock isn’t something I dipped my toes in before or would seek out - so this is not my favorite genre. That being said, i enjoyed quite a few moments on the album. All the salsa and latin elements really surprised me and I enjoyed very much - Drunkship of Lanterns is a real highlight in that aspect - then there are the wird sci-fi-esque moments like the final minute of Eriatarka or the mid-section of Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt. My big problem is, that these are over so quickly - they are either buried in the mix after a while or just stop and that got a bit frustrating. The more expected prog-rock and metal-leaning parts are for sure well done and i’m sure are technically superb. But the album left me with the desire for the band to explore these other sounds a lot more. But a lot of stylistic preferences on my side play a big role here, so i’m sure someone else would get a lot of enjoyment out of the album in that regard. I’m quite happy that i got to listen to the album since there are a lot of cool ideas on here, but i don’t think i will go back to the album as a whole. Nonetheless, i saved three songs to my library (Drunkship of Lanterns, Eriatarka and Televators).
The Mars Volta are a strange band with a strange history and I like this debut release. Deloused is abstract with Radiohead and Rush tones. I had heard of the band prior but didn't know their work. Recognize the tracks "This Apparatus Must be Unearthed" and "Televators" though I don't know where/when from. Can't pin down a top song from this record. It blended well together and I pretty much cruised through it. I'll have to go back for another listen and pay more attention to the lyrics to really get into Cerpin Taxt's comatose state. 2.94 mars-stars this go around.
I've had friends mention The Mars Volta over the years through their connections to RHCP and At The Drive-In. I've wanted to check them out for years but for some reason just never got around to it. Was excited to fire this one up and see if they have anything interesting to offer in their overlap with some other popular acts. On the surface level I enjoyed what I got from some modern prog-rock/metal. The vocals are a little closer to emo/hardcore stylings than I typically prefer, though it didn't drive me away from this one. A few of the longer jams are fine to vibe out to if you are feeling a bit angsty. I didn't love Deloused but it was creative and good enough to pique my interest. I can see where the allure in Mars Volta is in a decent melding and crossover of a handful of genres. There appears to be some pretty talented musicians involved and they seem like they are willing to go outside the box at times. I'll have to talk to some buddies and maybe check out another album from them down the line. Deloused it a decent album, not enough to wow me, but also unique enough to maybe come back to with some more exposure. 2.67 stars
Mostly ok
I think this is what this list should've been, a lot more of this. Sure, it's not a 5 or 4 for me, it's not Fruupp, it's not Crimson King, and no Hendrix either. But it's doing something different, not the 100th album of American folk country soft pop 'I'm listening to this cause i want to cosplay an elite music ball man on Instagram' ass album. Didn't love it, didn't hate it, but much respect.
Have no idea why did this album need to be made.
As a teenager in the early 2000s, I had no idea The Mars Volta were really more prog than emo/screamo. This was really cool in concept but I couldn't really engage with the music across two listens.
I didn't mind some elements of this, but it's also a lot. Many tracks are 8-12 minutes long, which is great if you're into it, not so much if not. Not a huge issue for me, but I was ready for the album to be over by track 8 of 10. High 3/5
I think if I listened to this a few times my appreciation of it would grow. Liked the guitar work, sounded like Robert Fripp of King Crimson. The vocals grew tiresome after awhile.
This is too much for me. An hour+ of relentless songs wailing on the same vocal range, with largely nonsense lyrics about some anime-level lore that I frankly don't care about. I need texture, I need moment to digest. I've been familiar with this album for nearly 20 years and in all that time I've never found a moment for it in my life, and that still hasn't changed. The first track into the second is great. After that, I really want a different texture in there. I'm exhausted.
Quite interesting, some cool ideas, pretty long too
Deloused in the Comatorium The Mars Volta 2003 Genres: Rock Styles: Alternative Rock, Experimental, Prog Rock, Post Hardcore 1. Son et Lumière (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Introducción de la historia. Cerpin Taxt intenta suicidarse y comienza la transición hacia el estado de coma que dará inicio a todo el viaje. 2. Inertiatic ESP (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Cerpin entra en el Comatorium, un mundo onírico donde la realidad se descompone y su identidad empieza a fragmentarse entre visiones y recuerdos. 3. Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: El protagonista es perseguido por sus miedos, culpas y entidades simbólicas que representan sus conflictos internos durante el coma. 4. Tira Me a las Arañas (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Breve pieza instrumental que funciona como transición hacia una zona aún más profunda y perturbadora del universo mental de Cerpin. 5. Drunkship of Lanterns (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Cerpin atraviesa un paisaje caótico y alucinatorio lleno de violencia, desorientación y simbolismos, mientras pierde cada vez más contacto con la realidad. 6. Eriatarka (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Comienza a aceptar que ya no controla su destino. La lucha por aferrarse a la vida se mezcla con la resignación ante lo inevitable. 7. Cicatriz ESP (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Clímax del álbum. Cerpin enfrenta sus heridas emocionales y psicológicas en un largo enfrentamiento consigo mismo y con las fuerzas que habitan el Comatorium. 8. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: El protagonista inicia el regreso hacia la conciencia. Empieza a comprender parte de su experiencia, aunque continúa dividido entre la vida y la muerte. 9. Televators (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Cerpin despierta del coma y contempla nuevamente el mundo real, pero descubre que ya no encuentra sentido en él y se siente completamente desconectado. 10. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Decide aceptar definitivamente la muerte. El "velo" simboliza el paso final hacia el otro lado y el abandono voluntario de la vida. 11. Ambuletz (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Epílogo presente en algunas ediciones del álbum. Representa la conclusión del viaje de Cerpin y su desaparición definitiva, con un tono mucho más sereno y contemplativo que el resto de la obra. -TOTAL = ★★★☆☆ (3)
I struggled a bit with this one, the post-rock thing isn’t really my jam, but it wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t listen to them again
Damn it’s close to a 4. Heard it described as “Prog rock at its most pretentious” and yeah, that tracks.
This one was interesting, smart, and technical, to my ear. Not something I'd probably listen to otherwise.
Gros rock. Moyen
The Mars Volta sound like you diced up one Tool record, one Rush record, and the Rocky Horror soundtrack and made a dinner size cobb salad out of it. No dressing. Individual bites are kinda good but I'm not going to finish the whole thing.
Its been a few days but I remember liking it okay.
#381 I’ve never properly listened to the Mars Volta before, although I had a friend who liked them and I even agreed to go see them with him, but he lost the tickets and so we never went and that’s where my Mars Volta journey ended, until now. Musically this was pretty good but I could take or leave the vocals, to be honest. It possibly didn’t catch me at the right time because much of it passed me by, and it was a bit overlong. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die? 🫳 Fave track(s): Drunkship of Laterns Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Requires further listening
Un excelente disco de Neo Prog, una locura en armonía y complejidad, largo y épico.
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.
From the Vault #21 (June 26, 2026) IT'S DARE Here we fucking are! This is the final album on my list which is over an hour in length. It's been an arduous 51 albums, though this review series is finally over, just like my pre-written reviews for all of the hip-hop albums on the list and the albums which were removed from later editions of the book. Unlike the hip-hop and removed album reviews, however, it feels real good to be capping off these hour-longers. I worked my way down the list by order of runtime, starting with the 4-hour slog that was Sings the Gershwin Songbook, meandering through the two-hour DnB offerings, leaping through the hour-thirty live albums and coming to a close with this meagre offering. It's been real satisfying to watch these albums become less burdensome over time, though the hour-tenners were still grueling. I don't know why, but the hour-ten runtime has always frustrated me. I can weather longer and shorter albums, though I always come out fatigued after sitting through an hour-tenner. It's simultaneously a long runtime for an album and a short runtime in comparison to other forms of entertainment. Anyways, the album. When going purely off of the album name I had the impression that this was an edgy, nu metal release, though I'm not so sure now that I'm looking at the cover. I think it's equally likely that this is an unassuming indie rock act or a downtempo, electronic album. I'm leaning more towards electronic, though I'll bust out the coin of indecision to make things more interesting. Heads is indie rock and tails is electronic. Here goes. Tails. I guess the coin has my back. Here goes. Fuck, it's prog rock. This stupid coin could have at least nudged me in the right direction. I oughta melt it down. Anyhoo, I didn't mind this album. The lively vocals are well-suited to this style of music and the instrumentation is solid on the whole. The strong, breakneck power chords keep the album from ever being unengaging and the quieter moments still managed to be engaging thanks to the bassy, reverberating, full sound which lingers in the background. Functionally, this album is perfect relative to what it sets out to do, though I came out of it feeling strangely flat and empty. Honestly, I blame my level of interest in this music and the mastering on the vocals. Some of the vocal effects were solid, though on the whole I thought the singer of this band had an unpleasant, over-produced sheen layered on top of his voice. There also isn't much of consequence going on with this album. The music is chasing a constant high of soaring power chords without anything to really ground it's lofty ambitious or make them land. Overall, I was content with listening to this album, though the experience felt a smidge vacuous. Book time. Has a wide range of influences, notably Fela Kuti and Miles Davis as well as electronic and old school Latin music. A friend of the band, Julio Venegas, injected rat poison into his arm, causing it to wither. He later committed suicide after surviving an overdose-induced coma. I guess that explains where the album name comes from. The book describes this as "...a lucid, Dali-esque blur of an album". Wikipedia says this album is the only one to feature Jeremy Ward, who contributed the effects and mastering of this album. Ward was found dead from a heroin overdose one month before the release of the album. A lot of death and substance abuse surrounding this specific album, huh? Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers contributed some of the bass to this album. One of the co-founders of Hipgnosis created the artwork for this album. Critics were somewhat polarised, though the general reaction to this album was positive. The album only performed modestly on the charts, usually peaking at ~40 in the six countries where it charted. Hmm. Hmmmmmmmm. I was expecting this album to have more going for it, though that doesn't appear to be the case. This kind of indie sound is also in no short supply among the 2000s nominations. I propose that we remove this album. In its place, I humbly submit "Feelin' Kinda Free" by The Drones for inclusion on this list.
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
Early 2000s nonsense
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.
vokali pek beğenemedim ama o soundlar neydi ya
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.
Trodde jag aktivt ogillade det här bandet, men det här var ju helt ok!
Lyckades hålla sig intressant trots långa låtar och kanske brist på "hits".
2000s alt-rock. Fast guitar riffs. Slightly weird, haunting soundscapes. Creative, theatrical, sometimes unsettling.
Pretty cool at times, but the whole overly dramatic verses do get tiresome.
6/10
Prog rock al massimo
I liked this more than I expected to. But it started to wear on me by the end.
6/10
Not the most memorable album I have listen to so far, but it was still a nice discovery.
This should be right up my alley. I dig more than my fair share of prog rock. The band members share many of the same influences as I do, and I recognize the inherent technical virtuoso skill (at least for the instrumentalists), but I'm not really feeling a vibe that is greater than the sum of its parts here. The drummer is technically precise, even if a bit heavy handed, but I would prefer bit wider dynamic control to give the story of the songs more nuance, something to keep the ears interested, and when the songs move into the power grooves to really let those bits shine. I love the latin influences, but I feel like their groove got lost a bit by being too busy and would have benefited from a slight opening up of the drum arrangements a bit more to let those grooves truly breathe. The narrative frame of the album is a classic prog rock setup, but I don't think you'd ever figure it out without reading press clips from the band. The lyrics are gibberish and they are performed and mixed nearly incomprehensible to the human ear. Also, not a fan of Cedric Bixler-Zavala's singing style. It sounds like an a combination of an uninspired version of Maynard James Keenan without any of his ability to shape the vocal performance and your typical mundane emo punk from the 2000s. I think I would enjoy his vocals more if he worked on his diction, with regards to clarity and space. His vocals, like Jon Theodore's drumming on this album, could also use some exploration of the dynamics between mezzo piano and forte. I do give them props for taking the creative risks that they did with this effort. Most bearable: "Drunkship of Lanterns" and "Cicatriz ESP" I am reminded of Dream Theater, which also has all the right components as well, but ends up only working for me on "Pull Me Under". I saw someone on here declare that this was the best prog rock album of the 21st Century. I don't quite think so. I think there are plenty of prog rock albums from artists like Rush and Tool among others that are just as or more deserving of that honor. One of the reasons that I came to this conclusion was after I saw the list of guest contributors. It appears that the best parts of this album were by the contributors (at least on the bass and guitar side) more than the band itself. I don't feel like I can rank it higher than a 3, for the creative risks and the solid engineering and production by Rick Rubin and his peeps.
Musically quite strong but vocally bad. Vocals ruined it for me and the guitar playing is deliberately sloppy. A lot of energy in this album. 3/5
Cool prog rock vibe but not as memorable as other albums. Good example of this era and genre, but it's not my era and genre.
Dimly aware of the band (or at least, the name), this passed me by when it came out, which is unusual because it came out around my paying-attention-to-new-music peak. The music put me in mind of a cross between My Chemical Romance and, in places, Bloc Party. I quite liked it, although several of the tracks were a length I'd consider over-indulgent. I also found the tone a desperate tone a bit wearing after a while (is this emo?). Would happily listen to a track or two of this among a selection, but not sure I'd listen to the whole album end-to-end again.
I enjoyed the music a decent amount, but struggled with the vocals.
Fine. I prefer less rawk in my prog.
Ok but too prog for me.
Correcto
Odd, progressive rock that is soothing at times. Can definitely feel the Pink Floyd and Tool vibes. Top tracks: "Inertiatic ESP," "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt," "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed"
Pretty good, but could be shorter. Definitely one of the better 21st century prog rock albums. Crazy cover by the way.
Wtf?! + 1 star for concept, + 1 for drums, + 1 for all other instrumentation, -1 for incomprehensible lyrics delivered via annoying voice. Wtf?!
Loucura, parece uma banda que o Gus iria num show em São Paulo numa terça feira. Álbum experimental com uns sons da hora, foi outro que fiquei curioso de pesquisar, apesar de nenhuma música chamar atenção. A obra como todo parece ser divertido de sentar num sofá, colocar o som e comer uma berga.
Better than I expected
I did listen to this perhaps in about march or maybe April and like I did think that it was a. good album a bit mental I think it had good sonics in my headphones rather maximalist perhaps a bit busy but it did it pretty well. yup. don't particularly want to relisten to it but it certainly wasn't a poor quality album. yuuuup. God apparently this was from May 2024. that can't be true. I probably listened to it after that. I can distinctly remember where I was when I listened to this. so theres no way it was a year and ten months ago. theres no way I was 19. I probably returned to this page at some point in the meantime and didn't reactivate the page.
3/5 - Word Salad: The Musical. The modern prog rock here is alright, but the lyrics are like actual output of and infinite monkey theorem experiment.
Fun record. I’m not sure how I missed them before.
I know I should like this, but I just can't. I mean it's fine. But it feels so incredibly extra. I just want to rock.
The histrionic singing and the drummer being in a constant state of soloing are not really my thing. This is the same reason I'm not into Yes or Rush. I do get the quality here though for people that are into prog rock.
Trying a bit too hard with this album, appreciate the arrangement and the band are super tight but feels like its lacking any soul.....
Not really my type of music but if it was it would be quite a cracking album! Reminded me a bit of Rush. 3 for the bands talent
Interesting music. Not bad.
listened to this a while ago some songs are really cool but only a few the vocals kinda dont fit this sometimes imo
I enjoyed it plenty. It was some nice prog rock. I don't have much else to say about it.
3/5 It was so nice honestly, but the gibberish turned me off from it a bit.
good
Honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Surprised it came out in 2003. Could get into this and vibe to it while listening. Like a 3.5
Not my prefered style of prog, but it has its moments. 3.5 stars
"No es lo mio" as they say in Spanish... Do they actually say that? Can't be sure, but it means "not my thing" and the band members are out of El Paso, so I figured why not? Prog Rock is the Not My Thing part, but I can appreciate musicianship. Couldn't focus on the lyrics, I think some in English and some in Spanish. But apparently their live shows are something to see, which I could easily believe. So while the genre ain't my jam, talent comes through. Probably closer to 2 1/2 stars, but 3 for these guys.
Kind of emo. I did find moments in the songs that I genuinely liked, but then I listened to the vocals and immediately hated it. I don't know about this album, I don't want to say I liked it and I don't really dislike it.
I loved the first few songs and then it went downhill from there.
rock music
Not my favorite. Teetering at a 2.5 but I’ll round up because it reminds me of My Chemical Romance.
Good record never left me bored, but nothing that sweeped me off my feet. But I can picture liking it more as time goes on
Thought this was a woman singing at first.
loved the drums, loved the bass, the instumentation in this album slaps. the only problem is i don't want to listen to this album anymore. once was enough. that does not slap.
Ok, there is a place and time for this. I did not hate it; kinda like it. Three stars
The instrumentation and compositions work for me. Sounds good for 2003. The vocals and lyrical content not so much. Especially liked the instrumental stretch of Cicatriz ESP.
3.5 rounded down. I like this type of music, it feels like middle school, but this album didn’t stand out.
Haven't listened to it enough yet but pretty fun, different rock for sure?
I've given Mars Volta a few tries over the years and they just don't grab me. In the moment, I like it a lot. When it's done I forget that it existed. This album had a lot of good noise nuances but really all the songs just ran together for me.
Alright alt rock. Not quite for me, but I think I can understand the appeal. Except for the 12 minute song that utilized water dripping noise halfway through, as if people left mid recording, mic left on captured a drip and some ambiance, then band came back and just picked up where they left off
Not my thing. Unique. interesting. technically brilliant. Completely deserving of being on the list. Just not for me personally. Scoring on the basis that I found it interesting to listen to and am glad I’ve heard it. Even though I probably won’t come back.
The quick shifts in style, timing and urgent screams probably aren’t for me on balance. It deliberately loses coherence and creates a feeling of unease. This maximalist approach deliberately puts you in the mindset of a person struggling [in this instance from substance abuse]. There is a very real humanity to this album, and my overwhelming feeling is to feel sorrow for its subject. Raw and experimental
I’ve had a weird journey with this record. I’ve listened to it twice, four months apart. The first time I loved the instrumentals but couldn’t get on board with the dramatic, world ending vocals, which sounded very cheesy to my ears. On my second listen however it was like I was listening to a completely different vocalist. He’s still a strong flavour but seems more in keeping with the band somehow. Maybe someone has meddled with the masters or maybe tastes change with continued exposure. Either way, what I definitely like is the chaotic, unpredictable post-hardcore elements and how they regularly, fluidly fold into ambient passages. Vocally, depending on the day, I find it far more or less challenging but there are points that now I’m acclimated I “get” and bits that I don’t.
Prog rock wank.
Confused by my reaction to this album. I like the voices but not so much the seemingly nonsensical lyrics. I love the instrumentation overall, the harsh to soft transitions make the songs interesting; good use of guitars and drums, but too much use of synth..... Some of the electro pop is too too too much. Best line "Its musk was fecal in origin" I don't need to listen to this again, but it is an interesting experiment is whatever they were trying to prove. ⭐⭐⭐
I'm not into prog rock, but a college friend introduced me to Coheed and Cambria back in the aughts. This sounds a lot like them. It's weird, but it does rock. I dislike the cover and title, though...
3.5 stars
45min of Mosh pit antics - Skunk Anansie meets Ash. Some scifi themes.
Muse-core!
De-Loused in the Comatorium is an album that comes at you at full speed and never really eases off. It is frantic, maximalist, and deliberately overwhelming, packed with complex rhythms, sudden shifts, and a sense of barely controlled chaos. At its best, that intensity is exciting and impressive. At its worst, it feels exhausting, like being trapped in someone else’s fever dream without a clear way out. There is no denying the musicianship. The playing is sharp, inventive, and fearless, and the band clearly thrives on pushing ideas to their limits. But for me, the album often feels more focused on momentum than meaning. Songs stretch and contort, constantly escalating without giving much space to breathe or reflect, and after a while the constant barrage starts to blur together rather than build. What initially feels thrilling can turn into sensory overload. By the end, De-Loused in the Comatorium leaves me respecting the ambition more than enjoying the journey. There are moments of real power and imagination, but they are buried in a density that makes repeat listens feel like work rather than reward.
Weird and not for me, but it's not annoying to listen.
A bit more emo than I was expecting but I liked it didn't love it 3.5*
Achei bem similar com At the drive in, só que mais alternas. Vi que tem o mesmo vocalista e guitarrista.
New to me, but very similar in style to Tool. I like it.
would have rather listened to Relationship of Command but here we are. last two tracks were my favorites. 3.5 shout out to my freshman year situationship's dorm roommate who picked the other side in the At The Drive-In divorce and was a sticker-carrying member of the Sparta street team. i'm sure if i spent enough time in the art buildings on campus, even 24 year later, i could find one of those stickers.
Sounded fine, everything went on too long.
Mistenke at da kan bli litt slitsomt i lengden, men enn så lenge va da bra
Nice
3.0
On paper I should like this album more, but it has never clicked with me. There are definitely some interesting moments but something about the overall mix doesn’t vibe with me.
Weird and kinda experimental but still managed to have melodies to bop your head along too. I kinda sighed it.
A loud, melodic rock record with some wailing vocals. For me, somewhere between Metallica and Led Zeppelin? Some great song titles as well. Overall, enjoyed it Highlights: "Son Et Lumiere" and "Eriatarka"
Only heard their name in passing, can't remember whether in a positive or negative context. This is perfectly fine upbeat pop-rock, I probably would've been really into this if I heard it at age 14 but I never had an emo rock phase.
Two good songs. I am going to be generous
More interesting than most rock, but I didn't feel like it
I greatly appreciate the Mars Volta. Deloused is my favorite Volta record. But this record still seems out of reach to me, and I've listened to it since it came out.
I had listened to this album before based on recommendations on Reddit. It is strange in a good way.
fun! very 2000s but definitely not slop!
It's weird. Here is an album, and more broadly, a band, that I appreciate but have never quite connected with. A blast from the past, I suppose, it's good but with fresh ears it often feels enigmatic and drawn out for the sake of it while lacking the substance that it needs and deserves. Really, for me personally, is recognizing the eventual metamorphosis of the Mars Volta from the chaotic ATDI live performances. I don't know, maybe this band needs a little deep dive from me but I think it might overwhelm me.
7(sin acabar)
It was good, i think i would listen to it once in a while
Super out there, in terms of both the lyrics and concept itself. It's admittedly a tad strange to be listening to prog rock that was recorded after the millennium, but this isn't really the psychedelia sound that one would expect. This is more of a modern rock sound, with all sorts of influences ranging from punk rock, blues, and Latin. I mean, the lead singer himself sounds like he could front My Chemical Romance. Interesting listen, if not a little pretentious.
Well, this only means I will officially declare this list bullshit if Relationship of Command is omitted.
I have heard of The Mars Volta before but did not know any of their music and probably get them confused with Jared Leto's band. The Mars Volta sounds like if Muse focused a lot more on becoming experts of their instruments, went complete prog-rock and wrote fairly incomprehensible lyrics. There are really 8 songs on this album, as two of the songs are very brief. These 8 songs are not brief with one track coming in at over 12 minutes and three other songs exceeded 7 minutes. So, this is true prog-rock for the modern age. I do not know if I would make it a point to listen to this one again and as far as prog-rock goes I think I prefer King Crimson, but it is nice to have a modern(ish) prog-rock album in this book. Inertiatic Erp Drunkenship of Lanterns This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed Televators
Pretty good rock album for its period. To be fair that’s damning with faint praise since it was a bad time for American rock and Mars Volta made an album that survived all that and is still quite good. It’s not At The Drive In, however.
Suck it! Stuart.
Really good, I enjoyed it. Not really my style, but kept me interested throughout.
A bit intense to listen to (esp on headphones) but the concept and music is coherently unique! The lyrics are wild though. Tracks to Track: Ineriartic Esp
Way better than expected
This should be better and more interesting than it is. The album feels over produced and polished with only moments of resonance. It feels kind of like a film that critics mistake confusion for art.
Wut is that album cover?! This is so weird and I don’t know what I hate the most and what I like the most. This album with a bunch of long ass songs and 1 hr! It’s a lot! Also all there other album covers are so much nicer, Frances the mute is like a beautiful reinterpretation of a Rene Magritte painting, it’s just this one I absolutely hate!
Better than a lot of the other 2000s prog rock but still not amazing
maybe not my cup of tea. yet. i still really enjoy it (for short periods of time) prolly gonna give this a 3.5 cuz i really do see myself enjoying this in the future
First listen and I liked this better than I thought I would. It doesn’t seem to be overly pretentious despite the title and the cover. There are couple of bits that distinguish it from other rock band around at the time, but I played it twice though and both times it blended so far into the background I didn’t notice it had stopped playing.
This album was ok. Not a huge mars Volta fan. I like the noise aspect of it, but not something I really have gotten into in the past.
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
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.
Prog rock, Yes influence
Inertiatic ESP
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
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.
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.
Love me some melodic emo
Never was a huge At the Drive-in fan, but it is good shit 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.
Plain cool listen.
i kinda like it it's like a clean mess isk how to explain it
Nice, would be 3.5/4, but solid 3 will suffice
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
Cool le son
Wasn’t expecting much but I didn’t mind this.
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
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.
Interesting, gets better as it goes on. Enjoyed my first listening
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
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
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.
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
7/10
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.
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 as bad as I thought it would be. Still kind of forgettable.
Jon Theodore är en teknisk grottmänniska och omar skriver galna riff.. men jag blir trött på att lyssna på cedric för länge, stark 3a
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
Okay.
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.
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".
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.
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.
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
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
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.
piola medio emo
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.
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
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.
Je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser...
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.
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.
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.
neat
Pretty good, always a good listen
Like Rush