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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly Astonishing, 1 Sep 2003
WOAH. Like every ATD-I fan, I believed that their inplosion was a tragedy for all those who believed that rock had been reinvented, finally. The post-hardcore adrenalin merchants were the most exciting thing to happen to the rock genre in years, "Relationship of Command" unfortunately was not only their breakthrough, it was their final album. As the members went their seperate ways, Jim Ward and co formed Sparta, a good band in their own right, but were pretty dissimilar to At The Drive-In. A few years later, Rodriguez and Bixler appear again, after the relative failure of De Facto, this time with a new band, The Mars Volta.
The first track I heard of these was an early version of "Roulette Dares", a pyschedelic fusion of latin jazz and prog which culminated in an epic 6 minute song which told the world that the duo were back with a new band, a new sound, and a potential to better their previous work.
A year later, I heard "De-Loused in the Comatorium". I hadn't heard their "Tremulant" EP, and was eager to see what Rodgriguez and Bixler had produced. 67 minutes later, passing through eleven tracks, I had heard what is undoubtedly THE album of 2003, the best debut album in years, and finally a new and utterly unique blend of adrenalline-fuelled, prog, jazz, latin, hardcore rock which penetrates your brain, throws and kicks it around your head, and leaves it for dead, all in the best way possible. Its a concept album, inspired by the life and work of Texan artist and deceased friend of the band Julio Venegas, which tells a story of a coma victim's amazing thoughts and dreams during his deep sleep, when he is woken, all he wants is to return to the adventures inspired in his coma. The songs are incredible, "Son et Lumiere" blasts the album out of the speakers, and is proceeded by the album's first "proper" track, "Inertiatic esp", a fast, pounding, stomper of a track in which Bixler reapeatedly cries; "Now I'm Loused", and at four minutes long, is short compared to the other songs. Once recovered from that, you are thrown back into the mayhem with "Roulette Dares (the haunt of)", I was expecting the more or less the same version I had heard a year before, oh no no no, after the hasty build up, the track explodes with a cocktail of furious guitars and electronica, and is a 7 and a half minute epic which eventually slows down into a jazzy conclusion, and leads immediately into "Tira Me a las Aranas", a short intro for "Drunkship of Lanterns", another ferocious song which combines prog, latin rock, electronica, and hardcore. "Eriatarka", "Cicatriz esp", and "This Apparatus must be Unearthed" are all quality, astonishing tracks, typical of the Rodriguez-Bixler vision, the music is slowed down in "Televators", easily the mellowest track on the album, before an epic conclusion in "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt", bringing this musical nightmare/adventure to a dramatic end, and I say nightmare in the most complimentary way possible. This album takes you on a journey, when I listen to it, the album takes me underground to a place resembling hell, I'm sure others imagine their own stories or dreams to accompany the unique sounds of "Deloused in the Comatorium".
There are many reasons as to why you wont like this album, the lyrics are as indeciferable as the song titles, the hard nature of the songs will not cater for everybody's taste, some may feel that the album is too long. But I urge you all to listen to this album, whether you buy or borrow, its an experience which you must attempt. Half my music mates love it, the others think it's overrated tripe, I feel its an amazing and epic journey which plays on so many music styles, mainly prog, and leaves you in a state of euthoric shock, eager to listen once again. "Deloused..." lays the ghost of ATD-I to rest, and celebrates the arrival of the world's most exciting new bands, long live the Mars Volta.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a musical revelation, 4 Jun 2004
By A Customer
Being a big ATDI fan, I was expecting this album to be something incredible, and my expectations were even higher after hearing Sparta's incredible debut.My first encounter with the Mars Volta was when i got the opportunity to see them play live at the Leeds festival, and given their incredible space age and dynamic sound, they managed to play two songs in about twenty five minutes. I left feeling very confused, id liked bits of what i'd heard, but was it really music?? I subsequently heard the album, and again, loved elements of it, but the whole thing left me a bit confused. It was only when i bought my own copy, and listened to it several times that the whole concept began to come to together in my head. The subtle bass and drum interplay, the manic guitar riffs, the genius of Jeremy Ward, the genius interlinking of several instruments seemingly playing several different songs (especially on inertiatic esp), the wonderful soaring vocals, the impossible time signatures... This is a magnificent album. Truly life changingly incredible. the best album of last year, the best album of the decade so far. There is no praise to great. I always think it's the mark of a great album when everybody thinks that a different song on the album, and reading through the reviews here on amazon, almost every song is hailed either as somebody's favourite, or 'the highlight of the album'. Everyone has their personal favourites, as do I, because there are a lot of incredible tracks on this CD. Somebody here writes that the Mars Volta aren't heavy enough. Being a fan of Pantera, early Metallica, Fear Factory etc... I would happily call the Mars Volta heavy enough, but they are not a band to be judged by their heaviness, save that for death metal. They are a band to be judged by their genius. I agree with another review here, they are the biggest musical revelation i have had since i first heard Jeff Buckley back in the nineties. Subsequent to really getting into the album i was lucky enough to go and see the Mars Volta live again, and this time, having heard the album, and having the chance to see a longer set than previously, it was just as revolutionary as the album. Omar's guitar talent isn't readily apparent on the album, but live it becomes apparent just how virtuoso each and every one of the albums riffs actually are. So if you have seen the Mars Volta live, and aren't to sure, or have heard some singles, which also dont do them justice, then take a risk and buy the album. I am very strict with reviews, and will not hand out five star reviews to anything but the very best, practically flawless albums, and that applies here. You can guarantee that any negative reviewers simply haven't given this album the time it deserves. It is better than you can possibly imagine.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING, 13 Nov 2003
By A Customer
This album is astounding. As a huge fan of ATDI I expected a lot from this album and i got it, be warned its not at all ATDI but there are obvious similarities (especially the distinctive vocals). rather than conventional guitar, drums, bass rock The Mars Volta incorporate every different style of music and instrument into this album, there are influences from rock, jazz, metal, latin and even techno producing an immensely unique and immersive sound. You start the album with 'Son Et Lumiere' a mini-intro track leading into 'Inertiatic'. The album throws you in every different direction from the upbeat and lively 'Drunkship of Lanterns' to the passionate and beautifully sombre 'Televators'. the added factor of the purpose of this album (the death of a close friend of ATDI's) gives it an edge that is clearly visible throughout the album. guaranteed, it takes a few spins to fully appreciate but my god i came to fully appreciate it.
this album is like nothing youll ever hear and i have yet to find anything as original and moving. (also buy 'Wiretap Scars' by Sparta and 'The Shape Of Punk To Come' by Refused)
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