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The Mars Volta – De-Loused in the Comatorium
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Scott Sipling [Freelance Writer]; Age: 20; Top 5 bands: Radiohead, Coldplay, twothirtyeight, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Bright Eyes. Musical Preferences: I like anything that stimulates me either emotionally or intellectually. If it doesn't stimulate me in one of those two ways, I probably won't like it.
 With all the success of At the Drive In, many fans were left wondering why the band split up just as it was receiving mainstream success. With the release of Sparta’s album, Wiretap Scars, fans of ATDI were given slightly more accessible music without the lead vocals of Cedric Bixler Zavala and without the guitar work of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. These two large-haired former members of ATDI are the driving force behind The Mars Volta’s first full-length record, De-Loused in the Comatorium.
This album, as stated in the album’s cover, is “based on the life and times of Julio Venegas.” Venegas was a friend of theirs that struggled with mental issues until he committed suicide. Just by hearing that, one would not expect a very bright and poppy kind of album. Honestly, when I picked up this album, I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t sure whether it would be something I was interested in.
The album starts out with an effects intro that has a Radiohead-esque kind of feel. The vocals come in heavy on the effects with a typical ATDI type melodic line. After this is when it gets quite interesting. Choppy guitar licks are mixed with the effects intro leading into the first full song of the album, “Inertiatic ESP.” This song for me is one of the high points of the album. Combined with the amazing intro, it is a driving glimpse into the head of Julio Venegas. The chorus simply repeats the phrase, “now I’m lost.” With Bixler Zavala’s unexplainably high range mixed with the combination of driving guitar and background effects, this song creates an amazing opening and a glimpse of what is to come.
The album gets no less enthralling from the beginning to the end. Many bands shy away from the prog-rock label, but Mars Volta seems to embrace it. Every song seems to bring one surprise after another. It kicks you in the head so many times you forget which way is up and which way is down, and then it lets you down with an emotional ballad, “Televators.” It’s Santana meets Led Zeppelin meets Herbie Hancock meets At the Drive In. You can almost feel the pain, agony, and confusion of the friend that the album is dedicated to.
Some call this album a concept album, but I just call it the album of the year. I could write 10 more pages describing every song in great detail, but I won’t make you read that. Just buy it and discover the sheer brilliance yourself. We didn’t lose At the Drive In, we gained The Mars Volta.
Grade: A+
**To comment on this review or provide feedback to the writer please head on over to the Music Dojo ( click here) and post your feedback under the topic for this release.** |
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