THE MARS VOLTA

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).

Conceptually, Frances the Mute is a complex, fascinating and engaging tale that's supposed to be 'learned' - what I mean by this is that its story isn't quite clear with only a few listens. In this way, it maintains a great replay value, like Pink Floyd's The Wall, for example, which is the golden standard for concept albums in my opinion. This may be recency bias, but Frances the Mute's story is almost as beautiful and memorable as The Wall (even though it doesn't match the songwriting of Roger Waters), which is quite high praise. I look forward to further listens, as I'm pretty enthralled by this album that I've listened to it around three times already.

But the aspect of it that truly mesmerised me is the soundscape and the musicianship of the members. It blends some of my favourite things to be heard in a prog rock album, like free jazz elements, use of synthesisers, excellent guitar work and the liberal use of avant-garde sounds. However, I usually dislike it when prog music is on the heavier side. But, while I didn't enjoy it to the fullest, this heavier album was enjoyable to listen to. Undeniably, this album was very ambitious in using elements that are not often heard in most mainstream prog albums. This makes Frances the Mute a difficult album, which is a good thing when it comes to prog. However, the maximalist approach to the album's musical features also includes a few things I dislike. I found most conclusions of the songs that featured extended sound effects to be a drag to listen to. I felt that these parts made the songs a bit too long. This is one of the reasons I'm giving the album four out of five stars.

My favourite part of Frances the Mute is the amazing prog epic Cassandra Gemini, which I think is the best song on the album. It might be one of the best prog epics I've heard.

In summary, while it (unsurprisingly) fails to reach the heights of albums such as Close to the Edge by Yes or In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson - albums that set the bar very high, it's still an amazing record that most prog fans will enjoy, if they tolerate heavier, lengthier compositions.

Though, what about the actual studio output? Well with the band going pop in their last album, I figured they'd continue that streak, but instead Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacio changed things up dramatically, and honestly it took a bit to grow on me. In a way this is probably their most psychedelic venture yet since Noctourniquet, hell probably more.

If I had to describe the sound on this album, it'd probably be if Spiritualized made an album that was a lot more pop focused and had Latino elements.

It's very much a mix of ambient pop, art rock, and neo-psychedelia, rolled in a blanket that is not too dissimilar to some of Omar Rodriguez Lopez's solo works. It's honestly such a weird, but cool sound for the band to do. Cedric's voice is more of a focus here too, giving out very beautiful performances that are a stark contrast to the hard edged stuff he had made in the past. Not only that, but the fact the band is changing things up, even under a pop context, shows their progginess thoroughly even when they moved away from prog. Would I consider Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacio prog rock? No. Maybe prog pop at most, but this is definitely not under the same threshold as The Bedlam Of Goliath. But even still, this is such a different direction to go compared to what one would expect coming off of their last album.

However, I can definitely see why a lot of people are kind of coming into it very confused and lost, because?this album is just weird? It has the beats of a modern day Mars Volta album, but it never really presents itself as one? I don't know how to describe it, but at least initially it doesn't feel like a Mars Volta album. Sure you could say that about their self-titled too, but that one I'd say would still be recognizable as a Mars Volta album, even to the most casual of fans. This album, though, feels so out of left field even for a band such as this, that it ends up being kind of hard to get into, at least for me.

This album's biggest weakness is that while every song is good, even some really great ones like The Iron Rose or Morgana, the aforementioned confusion still persists, and I end up having more questions than answers. I have gotten more accustomed to it with each relisten, and now see it as another album by The Mars Volta, but even if I may have the pieces to the puzzle, organizing the picture is still quite hard.

I also think a weakness this album has is, while this may be more personal, I feel like the live versions I had heard in that Deftones concert sounded better, and thus I am just a tiny bit disappointed in the studio output. Now, no duh, of course songs sound better live, but like?if you listen to old live recordings from the band, it's clear that their studio and live sessions had a similar quality to both. Like, there are some differences, like the live material being far more jammier and wild, but at the end of the day the studio version of say, Tetragrammaton, sounds just as good as the live version of it. Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacio, though, sounds kind of empty on occasion in the studio compared to what I had heard live. It's not an awful emptiness, but it's very apparent these songs are more meant to be played live.

But, perhaps this direction ends up making this one of the most interesting Mars Volta albums ever. I mean, sure it may not be conceptually as interesting as Frances The Mute, but musically it's very?anti-Mars Volta. It's as if the very band itself went into an opposite world, and recorded an album with their mirrored counterparts. It's a bizarro Mars Volta, having beats and melodies that feel like something the band would make, but just off enough for it to be quite the head turner. And honestly, in this context, the album just becomes 10x cooler! It's so Mars Volta to make a Mars Volta album that doesn't vibe like a Mars Volta album.

Initially this album was a 3.5/5, but with each new listen I end up raising the bar a tad higher. Now, at a 4.5/5, I think I now know what to say. The Mars Volta NEVER misses. Sure, some of their releases are better than others, but if you ever ask me if they have any bad albums, I'd tell you no. They have unique, strange, and off putting material, but they do not make bad music EVER. Anyways, listen to Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacio, it's great.

Best tracks: The Iron Rose, Cue the Sun, Celaje, Morgana, Cue the Sun (Reprise)

Worst tracks: Mito de los trece cielos, Detrás de la puerta dorada

TMV's new album is Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacio (Dirty Luck; the Eyes of Emptiness). It's 18 songs long, so that daunted me a bit at first glance. But the total runtime is under 50 minutes, so it's not as bad as I initially feared. I was dreading the prospect of something with the sound of their self-titled coupled with the length of Frances the Mute.

I'm happy to report my fears were largely misplaced. Lucro sucio is a huge improvement over The Mars Volta. The songs are relatively short, but they don't suffer from the same underdeveloped quality their reunion record had. Songs flow together smoothly, giving this a sense of cohesion the last album sorely lacked.

The album starts with a pair of songs that barely crack a minute: "Fin" is an airy, (mostly) a capella piece with a sweet atmosphere, and "Reina tormenta" features some interesting electronic elements. Despite these two songs adding up to less than two-and-a-half minutes, this is already showing a lot more promise than their self-titled. This proves you can write short songs without rushing things, which was a major issue on The Mars Volta.

Latin drumming, droning sax and eerie guitars give "Enlazan las tinieblas" an unsettling feeling. While distinct from the sounds of their heyday, this, unlike anything on TMV, actually feels like The Mars Volta. It's spooky and exciting, and everything feels meticulously crafted to feign chaos. Flowing directly from this song is "Mictlán", an eerie atmospheric piece.

"The Iron Rose" is a bit of a step back. Cedric's voice doesn't sound great here, and the writing feels a bit lazy. It's a slow and forlorn piece that doesn't do a ton. It's not awful, but after this album's strong opening, this was a noticeable downgrade.

"Cue the Sun" shows more promise with groaning guitars, throbbing synths, and hoarsely-muttered vocals giving this a tense and anxious aura. "Alba del orate" doesn't feel like a separate song, but more like the second half of "Cue the Sun". I love all the electronic touches, and even the relative simplicity of the indie rock flourishes feel like they belong.

Latin flavors are prominent in "Voice in My Knives". It especially reminds me of certain moments on Amputechture. This song slinks along, and I really like the percussion. The short runtime suits this side of Omar's songwriting well. "Poseedora de mi sombra" sees things start to veer off in a more experimental direction. Chords are slightly off-sounding, and it sees a sense of urgency build. Though, much like "Alba del orate", this feels more like the second half of the preceding song, rather than an independent composition.

The processed vocal effect that plagued Cedric on The Mars Volta returns on "Celaje", and it distracts from what is a pretty interesting composition. Jazz touches and rhythmic inventiveness hearken to some of this band's classic era works, especially on Frances the Mute and Amputechture. 

"Vociferó" isn't my favorite song here. Moody synths, lo-fi-hip-hop-sounding drums, and Cedric giving a middling vocal performance do not really add up to much.

Following a pointless little interlude, the next real song is "Un disparo al vacío". This is another unfortunate miss. Cedric's vocal cadence is awkward, and the backing is rather minimal. "Maullidos" continues with the torpid mood, and I feel like I've already heard this song elsewhere on this album. "Morgana" doesn't do much to stand out, either. At least the Mellotron flutes add a nice bit of texture.

After that disappointing run, we're treated to a reprise of "Cue the Sun". It provides some good momentum after three consecutive slow songs. It's lush and exciting, and it reinvigorates the record.

The album ends on "Lucro sucio". It sticks with the understated mood this album has cultivated so far, but it's the most akin to classic TMV. It's sinister and foreboding, and this song features a vocal effect that I like. I do wish the percussion were a bit more muscular, though. Parts of this song can border on soupy or mushy, and a stronger rhythmic backing may have helped this ill.

Lucro sucio is the best Mars Volta album in a while. It far outshines their self-titled, and I'd place this above Noctourniquet, too. I would still probably put Octahedron over this, but that has more to do with the sheer strength of songs like "Cotopaxi" and "Luciforms" than any sort of overarching solidity. Lucro sucio is a chill take on the sound of this band, and I overall enjoyed it. I would like to see them put a bit more grit back into their sound in the future, but as it stands, this is a perfectly good release.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2025/04/14/album-review-the-mars-volta-lucro-sucio-los-ojos-del-vacio/

The Volta parted ways with Flea for this effort but lost absolutely nothing in the range of talent on offer here; guitar and vocals are especially brilliant as well as stylistically unique and innovative. The percussion is also an awesome display of capability switching from metal to ballroom at the drop of hat and always coloured with latin rhythms. Like the first Volta release, this is another narrative concept but if anything, it works together in even greater fashion; it is a true classic of the 2000s but is sadly not receiving the recognition it so richly deserves. For this I think we need to reference the accessibility of the album - it is perfectly understandable when people struggle badly to get into something so frantic, complex and dissonant.

The music is constructed of so many textural components that it never fails to provide meaningful impact response at all levels and right across the full range of instruments. This is most especially enhanced by the vocals being delivered with enormous levels of passion and the guitar that is never afraid of sounding ugly in order to get the message across. With complex rhythm and a well delivered dose of orchestra there is everything you need to ensure this one is first choice when it comes to making your desert island discs selection but only once you have managed to stay the course to digest it - you are going to need a huge appetite though.

The lyrics are immensely complex, not least because they are a mix of English and Spanish but they can be baffling in both languages and provide the avid prog fan with another layer to focus on, listen after listen. The theme of the album needs that raw edge to the production which really sits well with the textures to create the enveloping emotional experience and a meaningful journey. As far as the album's progressive nature; it really is extremely difficult to imagine something that is more progressive which is perhaps the main reason this work is under appreciated. The longer tracks versus Deloused do give the listener more time to access the material but the high levels of dissonant guitar, obscure lyrics, heavy jazz and latin influence all contribute to making this work one of the most challenging there is. It is fortunate that there are a couple of great riffs and mind-boggling stylistic shifts because those sections are easy to love which generates a real need to return to the album. It is only on repeated listens that appreciation of the other more complex, less accessible sections becomes possible, so without them, many might discard this work without giving it a fair crack.

They really don't get much better than this and it sits right at the top of my list.

The EP opens with Cut That City, which has two different phases. The first phase is this spacey and electronic sequence of echoing notes, and though it's interesting to some extent, it drags a bit and is far from the best point on this album. The next phase starts with a heavy and progressive riff that embodies what The Mars Volta would become, but I don't like the vocals of this song. I can barely understand Cedric with the effects on his singing, and his true potential is just put to its full use. The song continues, changing every once in a while, and is just simply a good song. Maybe even great if the band worked on it a bit more. The next song is Concertina, which in simple terms can be described as Roulette Dares but weaker. For those who don't know, Roulette Dares is the second song on their debut album and is an incredible achievement and masterpiece of the modern progressive rock scene. Moving on to the actual song on the EP, it has a dynamic between descending and low experimentation on the instruments with an annoying vocal performance and some really nice and loud heavy bits. Jon keeps the rhythm going the entire time with Cedric switching between Spanish and English. At around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, the song speeds up in power before slowly winding down again after this brief burst of energy to quickly kill it off for a brief moment before bringing it back again for an emotional and energetic ending. Eunuch Provocateur is the last and longest song in the album, and it's pretty solid. It opens with a simple guitar piece by Omar before Jon adds a drumbeat that's almost a form of hardcore punk before Cedric comes into the picture, and while he brings more depth to the song as a whole, his vocals just aren't there yet. The band continues to follow a rough outline of this opening part while also branching out and experimenting with what they have available, gaining momentum as they do so until they end up at this electronic beat that over time breaks down and fades away. I'm not a big fan of this ending, and I feel that they could've done more for the finale of this EP.

In conclusion, it's alright. It has its great moments while being evened out by lackluster aspects. The main problem I found was that Cedric, as good a singer as he is, just generally has a bad performance on the EP. There are too many effects on it; I can't understand his lyrics, and he would do much better later on. My second problem is the opening and ending. Its electronic breakdown at the end is just boring, and the opening ambient phase of the first song carries on a little too long. I would recommend the EP to people who are either pretty familiar with the band or are looking for more of the earlier music of The Mars Volta, but definitely not for beginners. My final rating is a 3/5.

Track 1 - Son Et Lumiere

Sound effects fade in, and a keyboard rhythm emerges. Vocals join in with effects on them. The band joins in with some accents. Leading to the first full length track:

Track 2 - Inertiatic ESP

Fast tempo, and high-pitched vocals. High energy song, I like it. I like the tremolo-picked guitar part. Things change just after the 2-minute mark. A little jazz-fusiony for a moment. There are some dissonant guitar feedback parts, but it works. We end in a quick 3-4 time (that gets slower) and some unusual guitar sounds and effects. This leads to?

Track 3 - Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)

After some connecting sound effects, we have a very fast riff, joined by vocals. Then the tempo changes to a slower 6-8, and the music mellows out a bit. Then the dynamics increase. Loathe of Loud/Soft sections, then the fast riff returns. There are more time changes than I can type fast enough to keep up with! We have a bit of a chaotic instrumental break. The time and tempo changes keep it interesting. There is a very mellow instrumental break/guitar solo at around 5 and a half minutes into the song. Sound effects fade the song out and lead to?.

Track 4 - Tira Me A Las Aranas

The sound effects give way to an acoustic 12-String guitar that sounds slightly out of tune (but I think it's intentional, for effect) Some electric sounds join over the top, and sustained sounds lead to?

Track 5 - Drunkship of Lanterns

Very fast tempo with a complex meter, and guitar with delay effects. Vocals join in and there are some nice harmonies. Occasional accents from the band. The playing is very tight! I would call portions of this track "controlled chaos", but they hold it together nicely. The vocals may be an acquired taste for some, but I like it in the context of the song. Interesting sound-effects and guitar sounds take over at around the 4-minute mark. We have a guitar solo break at around 5 minutes. Sound effects take over again at around 6 minutes with a subtle bass rhythm keeping things together. Then different sound effects lead to?

Track 6 - Eriatarka

A short guitar/drum riff starts us off here, then the tempo slows to an arpeggiated guitar pattern, joined by vocals. We are in 6-8 and feeling kind of floaty. Big power chords lead to a fast complex rhythm and vocals. Sound effects briefly take over, then we are back to 6-8 with a short guitar break and another verse. Fast tempo kicks back in around 3:20. Again there are a number of tempo and time changes as well as "feel" changes that keep the track very interesting. Loving it! Once again, the track ends with sound effects that carry us to the next track?

Track 7 - Cicatriz ESP

At 12:29, this is easily the longest track by nearly 4 minutes over the next longest. An underlying driving rhythm propels the song forward with vocals on top. There are guitar flourishes over the top of everything. The music stops briefly then it sounds like a helicopter and then a fast tempo section. The music returns to the previous riff and another verse. The chorus explodes! An instrumental break follows. After that, the music chills out. Surprisingly, I am feeling a lot of Led Zeppelin influence on this track. The drumming is giving Bonzo vibes, and the guitar playing is kind of experimental-Page influenced style. And it feels like JPJ on the electric piano behind it all. After the instrumental break, we have a section that reminds me of a cross between the bowed-guitar of Dazed & Confused and the quieter part of By-Tor and the Snow Dog by Rush. This section is quite lengthy. Drums start bringing the rhythm section back at around 9:15. Now we have Santana vibes! We come back to the initial rhythm and another verse & explosive chorus. This is a great 21st century prog song!

Track 8 - This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed

We begin with sound effects here. Then a guitar with many effects starts a rhythm and the band kicks in with a very fast tempo again. The bass & drums keep things moving with guitar flourishes over the top of the vocals, then the full band comes back in. The pattern repeats itself following that. Lots of excitement on this track! The ending is a bit noisy with a looped drum sound, and abrupt finish.

Track 9 - Televators

This one starts out quite quietly with soft distant bird chirping and nature sounds. The song fades in with finger- style acoustic guitar and clean electric guitar accents, then a melodic vocal part. The opening verse is very peaceful, but then begins to build in intensity. A sustained guitar part leads us to the next verse. This one reminds me a bit of pre-Dark-Side Floyd. 6-8 time with bongo drums underneath, ending in, you guessed it, sound-effects.

Track 10 - Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt

A quick tempo starts us off here. It gets even quicker on the chorus. BTW, Cerpin Taxt is the subject of the concept album. At around the 3-minute mark everything stops except sustained keyboard sounds, (mellotron, perhaps?) Then a dissonant guitar pattern begins to take over. We get a very proggy instrumental break following that. Then the bass takes over with a solo. The band comes back in with a nice smooth groove. A cool guitar solo follows. Feeling a bit "jam band" here. Then the fast tempo kicks back in for another verse. A big exciting final coda hits next.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I have to say that this album exceeded my expectations! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is definitely "experimental", but not to the point that there are no song structures. The music was constantly changing in interesting ways. I didn't feel like it was all blending together. On the downside, the sound effects might be a bit excessive between songs, but it doesn't take away from the overall experience too much. Not one of my all-time favorites, but very good, nonetheless. I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

In terms of alt prog, I think Deloused was the genre's Fragile, but Frances The Mute is the genre's Close To The Edge. I consider this, namely in the fact this is a big album for me, as it really made me wish to push myself to look further into this strange and wild world of prog rock. I listened to this album in late 2021, and at the time I never really liked The Mars Volta all too much, but when I listened to Frances for the first time, I really knew this was an album that is worthy of being called a masterpiece, but it wouldn't be a little later into 2022 that I knew WHY this album is a masterclass of prog rock.

For one, compared to the bombastic but very controlled Deloused, Frances marks when The Mars Volta went from boys to men, as they matured dramatically, not only in music, but in creativity, and just straight up bizarreness. The music here is this chaotic butchery of what Deloused put down, and not only rips it to shreds, but rebuilds it into this weird mix of psychedelic infused latino rock, jazz, hardcore, avant garde rock, drone, and just so much more. They also cranked the latino and hispanic scores to 11, with scores written in a more latino-focused sound and energy, utilizing rhythms that ferment through salsa sounds, and moments of samba, with lyrics often times written and sung in Spanish, such as L'via L'viaquez and Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus.

At first, this strange mix of various styles, genres, and sounds may seem like it'd be the worst time ever, and to those who do think this, I can totally get it, but I just absolutely love it. The band pulls this giant, chaotic bull by the horns, and rides it until the very end. This disorganized but energetic and lively music is what I drive for with The Mars Volta, and is a big reason why this album always struck me as amazing since it does it the best.

This album isn't all chaos though, there are a lot of downtimes in the songs too, namely The Widow and Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore. While I love the fast and hardcore rhythms and energy found here, the times of slow, reflective, but equally bizarre music just washes over me, and I love every second of them. This also goes for the ambient and drone pieces from song to song. While it is very divided among fans, and I do see why, I think they are a neat and actually needed element, to let each song settle and transition smoothly into the next. I feel like removing that part of the album just wouldn't work as well, and in fact, would actually ruin the album for me personally.

I think another factor I really love about this album is just the bizarreness of it all, with lyrics containing nonsensical phrases and descriptions, but it is stuff that Cedric sings with such energy and power, that, while I may not understand fully what he is trying to portray, I can definitely feel the energy, so I don't even care, I am here along the ride, no matter what you have to say.

Speaking of Cedric, the musicianship here is just immaculate. Omar, Cedric, and the rest of the band put forth this cathartic instrumental palette that I will eat up anytime, anywhere, and in their giant substream of sounds do I just feel their energy flow through me. Sure, the energy may be extreme and even a little dark and scary, but I live for the fear here, and I think people who may not like this album should take this album into, not one that is the same prog fanfare of Renaissance, or King Crimson, but one that isn't fanfare at all, and more of this dark and underground punk palette, and simply just experience. That is the best way to listen to this album in my opinion, just alone, with nothing around you, and just experiencing the music at hand. I say, from my experience, it works like a charm.

I don't have much more to say other than to just listen to this album. Even if you may not like it, I still say it is an essential listen in both prog, and music in general. This album is one I doubt I will ever stop liking. It is just THAT good.

Now, ten years after their last album?2012's Noctourniquet?they've reunited to put out their seventh full-length release. The core of the band remains the same; Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is still on guitar, and Cedric Bixler-Zavala is still the vocalist. Beyond that, though, there has been churn in the lineup. Bassist Eva Gardner has returned to the band after last appearing on their 2002 Tremulant EP. Omar's younger brother Marcel?formerly the band's percussionist through 2010?covers keyboard duties. (Longtime TMV keyboardist Ikey Owens passed away in 2014, though he did not appear on Noctourniquet.)

In reading about this album's background, I found that Omar (always the lead (and usually sole) songwriter) consciously made an effort to move away from prog. This strikes me as a perplexing move. Just because Omar and Cedric are recording together, that does not make it The Mars Volta. Prior to forming TMV, they were both in the post-hardcore band At the Drive-In; and the two had collaborated in the one-off band Antemasque in 2014. If they wanted to make a non-prog album, reviving this band's name doesn't strike me as a smart move. They've got enough clout in the modern music world that they could have announced a new project and built hype off their reputations.

Cedric even cites the example of the band The Jam in describing the writing process. The Jam shifted sound, but they rebranded as The Style Council. So the decision to keep the Mars Volta moniker comes off almost as a money grab. 

That's not to say bands can't pivot genres. Ulver is my go-to example for successful 180 degree turns. They went from playing raw black metal to electronica, and both are very good. Thing is, it's hard enough to do one genre well. Getting two (radically different) genres under your belt is a tall, tall task. 

A better comparison for what they attempted may be Porcupine Tree. They underwent big shifts in sound twice in their career. First, in the late '90s, the band pivoted from improv-heavy space rock toward more-focused pieces, resulting in some of their most acclaimed work. And then a few years later, they turned toward metal. 

As a further handicap, the quality of TMV's output had been on a downward trend ever since Amputechture. That album and Bedlam in Goliath are both good, though with some bloat and extraneous moments. Octahedron has more flaws, but about half the album is still pretty good; and Noctourniquet was my least-favorite release from this band. Even that had a few good songs, though.

Omar and Cedric claimed that self-titling this album was to give them a "clean slate," but I can't exactly agree with that thinking. If anything, it only emphasizes and increases the weight of their past work. Late-career self-titled albums are only rarely good, and they're often quite bad. Just look at Van Halen III or Dream Theater.

The Mars Volta opens with its lead single, "Blacklight Shine". Latin percussion and jazzy keys are enjoyable enough, but the slightly-robotic quality to Cedric's voice is nothing short of grating. About midway through, there's a shift in the main riff I like, and we almost get an echo of some of Omar's past guitar madness. This was the best and most Mars Volta-y of the singles, but even then, it sounds like something that was cut from Noctourniquet for not being good enough. 

"Graveyard Love" comes next and starts with an electronic pulse. Cedric's voice has that same processed feel to it, which I do not like. There's an attempt to increase the intensity by having the percussion drive a bit faster, but in the end, this is simply a middling, unimpressive track. It's so spare it feels unfinished. The closing synth solo isn't bad, but Cedric's warbling over the top ruins it. The ending is distractingly abrupt, and this is a recurring issue on this album. It's like they came up with an idea but didn't quite know how to wrap it up, so they just stopped.

Things slow down on "Shore Story". This is torpid, uneventful molasses. Omar is barely present, and this sounds like a weak echo of TMV's quieter pieces on their last two albums. I never thought I'd describe this band as generic, but nothing about this song beyond Cedric's voice is distinctive in any way. 

"Blank Condolences" begins similarly. It has a little more spine, the melody in the chorus is okay, and this is the first place the guitarwork has truly sounded like Omar. Despite the unimpressive opening, this winds up being one of the better songs here.

The weakest of the pre-release singles, "Vigil", is next. It's more bland, mid-tempo nothingness. Ignoring Cedric's lyrics (which are way too scrutable for a Mars Volta release; I expect TMV lyrics to be like a thesaurus vomiting), the music reminds me of something that would play at a high school graduation.

Latin flavors return in the opening percussion of "Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón". At under two minutes, it's mercifully short, and this is the first song that actually sounds like The Mars Volta. It's tense, energetic, and features some very Omar-sounding guitar. It's not a good sign when the best song on the album is half the length of everything else.

"Cerulea" is an unimpressive, sleepy piece that makes zero impression. "Flash Burns from Flashbacks" is also un-memorable mush, albeit with moderately more distinctive guitar playing. I like some of the keyboard tones on "Palm Full of Crux", but that's the only thing about this ballad that I like.

"No Case Gain" has a vocal melody and delivery which reminds me of Toni Basil's "Mickey" at points. The chorus is competent, but it evokes bland, mid-2000s butt rock. At least this unfocused, unfinished-sounding hodgepodge is short.

The acoustic guitar on "Tourmaline" is creepy, but Cedric's voice should not be front-and-center with the effect they've got on it. This song calls to mind some of the band's better slow songs, like "Televators" or "The Widow", but it's just a pale shadow. Despite being less than four minutes, this song feels much longer, and its ending is irritating.

"Equus 3" shows some promise in its opening moments with sinister electronic growls, and Cedric's voice is better than elsewhere. Unfortunately, it can't deliver on that promise. Cedric's performance degrades as the song progresses, and this four-minute cut vastly overstays its welcome. The ideas?while better than elsewhere on The Mars Volta?sound underdeveloped.

"Collapsible Shoulders" might be the worst song this band has ever recorded. Cedric's voice grates incessantly and is mixed far too loud, and the music isn't much better. 

The Mars Volta ends with "The Requisition". This is a relative high point. Cedric's voice is bad only part of the time, and the music shows some creativity. Electronic touches are incorporated into the rock backing well, and there's some tension for once. This song actually has a climax, though there's not a resolution. It's a jarring end, but thankfully, it's an end.

Calling this a Mars Volta record is just begging for misaligned expectations. Sure, the band's previous two albums had been moving in a less-bombastic, more-focused direction, but they were still prog albums. Flawed albums, granted (very flawed in the case of Noctourniquet), but prog nonetheless. I don't expect TMV to reach the genre-defining heights of their first two albums, but I do expect something better than this. 

I really don't know who the target market for this is. Reviving the "The Mars Volta" name is going to disappoint longtime fans like myself, while potentially scaring off more mainstream audiences. But the name isn't the big issue here. The big issue is that the music isn't very good. This album seems half-baked. None of the songs end well, Cedric's voice is put through an awful filter, and this project just sounds overall passionless.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/09/26/album-review-the-mars-volta-the-mars-volta/