TREMULANT EP

'Tremulant' is the debut EP released by The Mars Volta in 2002, the very first glimpse into the world of this exotic and unorthodox rock band, and the initial idea of what this post-hardcore and progressive-oriented collective had been interested in musically. Rising from the ashes of the recently broken-up band At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta was conceived by the key members of the acclaimed hardcore punk group from El Paso, Texas - guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala. Defying categorizations and breaking boundaries from the very beginning, 'Tremulant' is an undisputably excellent release that initiates that "classic" period for the band, and in many ways, anticipating the musical ventures of their soon-to-come debut studio album.

Made up of just three songs, we have 'Cut That City' opening up the 20-minute-long set, an interesting composition that begins with these oozing tones of effects and programming that rapidly transition into a psych-fusion explosion of riffs and an exploration of strong melodies, as the vocals are initially run through some sort of a trippy, distortive filter effect (that the band would reiterate on several occasions later on in their discography). The post-hardcore aggression and energy of At the Drive-In is combined with a sophisticated writing that hints at the band's Latin rock influences, too - the music is definitely daring and experimental as it becomes hard to draw comparisons to other contemporary acts. Second track 'Concertina' is similarly compelling, flowing nicely between mellow, more atmospheric episodes, and expansive, guitar-driven soundscapes replete with this rattling power that is also communicated through the idiosyncratic vocals of Zavala. Third and final track 'Eunuch Provocateur' is by far the most epic and adventurous entry on the EP, a masterful psych-prog suite that explore jazz keyboards, frantic punk rhythms and marvelous, sweeping guitar licks. Once again we see the extensive use of trippy in-studio effects as well as a lot of electronic undertones. The entire 'Tremulant' EP is a boundary-crossing work that sets the tone for the group's innovative debut album released the following year (and whose title is foreshadowed in the lyrics of the final song).

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