THE MARS VOLTA

This is the benchmark for all progressive rock that will be done in the first century of this millennium. Our children will grow tired of us moaning about how much better The Mars Volta were than the newer school of rock and roll in the future.

It features top of the line musicianship and almost unparalleled rock-drumming from Mr. Theodore. If you like the opening songs, just go ahead and get it and never look back. However, do not believe too much of this band. Peel back the phenomenally crisp and clean production and you are still left with an earth shattering album, true. But look even further in and you might cringe at the absurd amounts of pretentiousness and polish in their music.

For me The Mars Volta is the best rock band in the world, theoretically. In practice they are just another gang of crazy, crazy, crazy skilled musicians who have their ups and downs. The fault lies in me never being able to measure them on their own merit instead of the unreasonable hype that surround them. When it comes down to it, I don't "feel" their music, I'm merely impressed by it.

This is my only review of any of The Mars Volta's releases, made so I can have my peace with them. Yes, they are as good as you've heard. Move along, nothing to see here.

(I can't in good conscience give this album a five star rating after all I've written above; no matter how important and fantastic it may be. In theory; yes it deserves five stars--in practice; hells nay!) 4/5

Look at all these reviews with one or five stars! At least, it menas that they aren't boring again!

I like their two forst albums, and I think, that if you like their way of thinking/doing music, you wouldn't be disapponted with "Bedlam ... "as well. I am tired to read again and again that some listeners are shocked by their noise attacks or hate Cedric's voice. Understandable. I know many people who prefer Big Mac against spicy half roasted steak. Understandable, it's just question of taste.

Any way, if you prefer mellow romantic prog with symphonic arrangements and pseudo- Gabriel voice, better forget about The Mars Volta at all. For sure, this album wouldn't sounds too much pleasant for you. But if you like storm, ideas, energy, nerves and sound of breaking glass, welcome to the club.

The album in fact is different from predescesors: much more structurised, without long and deep psychodelic ambient trips, with very fast guitar/synth rhythm. Kind of controlled explosion.

But again, I am sure you wouldn't be bored till sleep ( if you will survive this album till the end). More metallic, a bit more "normal" ( in metal sense of normality), but very technically excellent and interesting, as usual with TMV.

Octahedron is not a usual TMV album. Not really "acoustic" as was advertised, it less complex, less chaotic and most pop-friendly album they recorded till now. I think, many newcomers will be happy with it, for sure it is most accessible. ( I am sorry about Cedric voice, he sings there as usual, so his voice haters wouldn't be happy with this album).

More ballads, more acoustic moments, less spacy synth sounds, not so shocking sound mixing. But it still TMV at all their best and worth. In many moments you can catch their usual melodies and constructions, a bit more polished for that release. Not too many new ideas, not too many experiments, but still sound fresh and interesting.

I feel that TMV trying to find a new direction for their music. After two first masterpieces, they just searching all around for new directions. This album is more transition than the new way.

It will be really interesting, what will be their next album/sound.

"Octahedron", while still not a favorite of mine, is a step in the right direction and quite an improvement over both the boring "Amputechture" and the hyperactive "Bedlam in Goliath". In this most recent album, THE MARS VOLTA finally seems to have decided to restraint their drummer, who doesn't seem like he's trying to steal the spotlight away from the entire band anymore, and who plays like a regular, skilled musician. The over-emotional vocals by Bixler-Zavala are also more rational this time around, and there's less jamming/experimentation/waste-of-time on this record.

There seems to be a much higher focus put on creating actual songs this time around, and the best evidence strikes us right from the start: "Since we've been wrong" is one of the most melodic, best songs the band has ever released, actually (and incredibly so) catchy, memorable, without losing credibility or atmosphere. Never since their debut album did the band manage to make me want to press "replay" in my player, but with this song I had to do it. Tracks like "Cotopaxi" (named after a volcano in my country, who would imagine) signal a shift in priorities, which nowadays would appear to be more in the making good songs and music side of things. The band fails to deliver another fantastic song after the end of the first one, but it nevertheless accomplishes the unthinkable for me: it made my sitting through the entire album an smooth, satisfying experience. Less emphasis in feedback and distortion and more in melody seems to have helped matters.

A good album that is in no way a masterpiece or even an excellent record but that signals better things to come. 3 stars is the perfect rating in my view.

Having played catch-up with TMV's discography, I finally caught them at the release of their fourth album and found myself at a block: I just didn't have anything to say about this album and it dropped out of my sight rather quickly, and now I'm returning to it after having discovered the following Octahedron?.. only to find roughly the same blank page not being filled-up by my musical ramblings. I don't know if that's the reason, but it is the only album of theirs that has been in my deck as a SACD (not sure about this, but I don't think we had the choice then, unlike before and today) and not as a normal Cd. Is this why this album seems much more difficult to me than their other works? It might sound stupid, but something's bothering me sonically speaking. Sure the religious crap is certainly not helping this old atheist getting in the thick of the album, but then again, I never really do that with TMV anyway. Generally I'm one who reads and tries to understand lyrics, but with TMV, I don't seem to bother.

Out of the starting block at 100 MPH, with the impressively fast-paced Aberininkula and rushing through Metatron and before you know it, you're in the horrible Wax Silacra, wondering what the hell happened with two increments. The title track brings the album back on the right track, but still with that irritating bit, even if one must recognize the musician's mastery of their respective instruments. It's not a bad ingredient, but the way/manner they're mixed in, I think. But while Goliath is again impressive, the album has not once slipped under the 100 MPH bar until the end of this very track. Tourniquet Man should be a welcome change, but actually it's not at all, being very irritating with its trafficked vocals and deformed music, only to Cabalettas building on that quagmire, but it's not a good idea. Agadez is again starting slower, and it is maybe the track we were waiting for sooner in the album (after Goliath), but the track picks up and some un-controlled ultra- trebles are spoiling at times what could've been one of the better song of the album. Askepios returns to the voluntary mayhem of Cavalettas. The rest of the album keeps going in an uncontrolled manner (I man quality instead if quantity)?.. and the end is insufferably sooooo far away, yikes? I feel a migraine coming?

Well I must say that writing this review has helped me sorting out a few doubts about the way I feel of this album, but one thing is certain, it is not one of their better one. I must say that I was generally very enthused by Amputechture and I really like Octahedron (especially that it corrected the only flaw of the latter by Amputating some length ;o)))), Just like I preferred the debut over Frances?. So it looks like I like the odd studio album (1, 3, 5) and much less the even ones (2, 4), which doesn't augur well for their future sixth album. Don't get me wrong, here?.Definitely still an honest TMV album, but just not my fave,.

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Taken as a whole, "Octahedron" slinks its way through the ears at slow tempos and extended passages of negative space. The song's heavy moments (of which there many) are much less frantic or intense than anything they have yet recorded, the band playing big, full compositions with fewer dexterity-based embellishments than usual. There is a good mixture of dynamics, with the more mellow passages standing out to me as the album's highlights. The loud stuff is somewhat bland, but still powerful; there are few things in noisier songs which catch one's attention-- especially when compared to their past works. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since it takes "Octahedron" places the group hasn't yet fully explored, but it does not as easily engender itself to the listener as in, say "Deloused". Fans of the band will certainly appreciate the change in this album's tone.

Cedric's strong singing is very listenable as well, sounding almost like a croon. Gone is the castrati-falsetto of "Bedlam" in favor of some honest-to-goodness seranades, like in the excellent "Twilight as my Guide". His lyrical content is characteristic, sending off a fun mix of sinister undertones hidden behind strangely beautiful combinations of words. Omar's stellar guitar work is largely tonal, with only one real solo which closes the album on a powerful note. There is some nice riffing in the heavy songs, but don't expect to be dazzled.

Overall, an interesting and enjoyable Mars Volta entry; far from the monolithic success of their previous works but standing tall despite expectations.

De-loused is pulled together by its constantly changing atmosphere, though mostly in your face it often times feels more like an excited friend that has big news and stops for air sometimes than an enemy that just wants to see you cry. the small pauses of "breath" is what sets it apart from the mars volta's other album, in future albums you have to stay on your toes the whole album because if you dont you will be mentaly kicked in the face,

All in all i recommend it for the prog fan who cares nothing of making sense of lyrics and has a bit more of a crazy dance side to them

Starting on a super-low and slow intro, Cedric gives us some of the most gentle singing he's done so far over the superb Rodriguez (or is it Frusciante from the great RHCP?) guitar, and then once the track reaches cruising speed some (fake?) mellotrons and drums come in. A little further down, the album, Halo Of Nembutals is a clear winner as well. The almost 8-mins Twilight As My Guide is however very Yes-inclined with a steel lap and tweer-than-usual vocals, but it certainly brings some fnesse and clam before the Cotopaxi tropical storm. Again a bit further down Desperate Graves is another mellotron-induced track and another very strong track. Copernicus is another quiet track and the closing Luciforms leaves the impression that TMV's latest album is not only their most relaxed so far, but also the most mature

Definitely an album that grows on you easier than their earlier works, which took some "getting used" to them, Octahedron is most likely their shortest album by far, clocking around a normal 70's album, and it makes it that much more enjoyable if you don't mind saying so. Albums above 60 minutes are generally not welcome with me, and when they were above the 75 mins, they not only provide boredom and confusion?. They tire the listener very easily . As with GG's Octopus, MV's 8 tracks were induced by the title

If you're into modern heavy prog like Porcupine Tree you might like this, but it is weirder, uglier (that is not meant as criticism!) and definitely more avant garde. If you're into the softer side of prog you might think that it's to high-strung and speeded. It is music that points in many different directions and demands serious listening.

Several previous contributors have delved deeper into the individual tracks; I just want to point out that it is really just one long suite: for example, the theme of track number five reappears in track number twelve.

This said, I think The Mars Volta should properly be filed under "Eclectic Prog", even if "Heavy Prog" is by no means incorrect.

When they sober down, they are making very interesting textures, though here the drums tend to be a little too repetitive. Fortunately they are often relegated to the background to let the keyboards and guitars be heard, and I like a lot their dissonant proceedings, and their use of non-instrument sounds. These people are much richer and innovative than your average heavy prog. Sometimes I think they belong in the RIO/Avant-garde section.

But those sections are overridden by the return to too much distortion and frantic drumming. For example, the first section of Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt is great, but then, in what we could call the chorus, the drums spoil it all, and the music is hidden away by the sonic pressure. Then, the first instrumental interlude is noisy and dissonant, but it's ok. The second instrumental part is calmer and longer, a bit too long, I think. Then when the singing resumes, there is so much sound you it makes you deaf. It physically hurts me. In this respect they belong to that aesthetical school where only excess means emotion: are they so stoned that they can't feel without shouting?. Or is it they take numb brains for well-being?. It is too loud. This nearly makes me throw this to the dustbin, but the good parts are really good.