NOCTOURNIQUET

Let me start off this review by saying that this is quite possibly The Mars Volta's best work. After repeated listens it seems to just keep getting better, it's slowly creeping it's way into my top 2 TMV albums with Deloused and Frances up there previously and it shows no signs of slowing it's journey into my favorite records of this year and of all time.

What's great about this album is that it sounds very reminiscent of Bedlam only it's songs flow more like Deloused making it some kind of hybrid between prog rock greatness and avant alt-rock. Heck, there are even some electronic music elements in this record, moments that recall memories of Jeremy Michael-Ward's work with the band whom they undoubtedly took a ton of influence from.

It's a record seething with emotion and like most TMV records uses that to make the songs memorable and fantastic-sounding. It's a formula that's been working for years now but with Noctourniquet it seems very much refreshed, like this is a new era for TMV. I can't complain, whatever they did with this record works, I'm still singing "THAT'S WHEN I DISCONNECT FROM YOU" in my head endlessly.

An album, that I'm having trouble describing sure, but a great record nonetheless. I'd go as far as saying this is a good introduction to TMV, right up there with Deloused.

5 star record no doubt.