Music Banter - The Mars Volta- De-Loused In The Comatorium

The Mars Volta
De-Loused In The Comatorium
Gold Standard Laboratories/Universal Records
June 24, 2003
60:59
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...003-cover.jpeg

If you've never taken LSD, acid, or any other illegal upper or hallucinogenic before and don't want to risk being caught, just buy The Mars Volta debut album and they will be your dose. With enough energy to create a whole 'nother Big Bang, The Mars Volta takes you through an epic 60 minute story of Cerapin Taxt. (If you want to read the whole short story you can find it online). With Cedric Bixler-Zavala's energetic, enigmatic, and high range vocals and lyrics packed with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's:afro: sporadic, latin and jazz infused guitar playing make for one of the best albums to appear in the past ten years.

The album starts off with "Son et Lumiere" and transcends perfectly in sync with "Inertiatic ESP," with drumming to make you have a heart attack and some of the highest range singing I've ever heard. Cedric's "Now I'm lost!" echoes through the song and really shows the panic Cerapin is experiencing. The 7 minute "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" delves deeper into Cerapin's twisted adventure through his own mind, as Cedric narrates and the rest of the band plays some intense and somewhat haunting music. "Tira Me A Las Aranas" is a banjo meets latin infused segue but leads into one of the best tracks on the album.

"Drunkship Of Lanterns" is truly the whole embodiment of the album, it's energetic, diverse, musically,and lyrically impressive. It details a climactic moment in which 747's and Cesnas are crashing around Cerapin into the sea. Cedric show's some of the best singing on the album, really capturing the panic and hysteria felt by Cerapin, Omar's guitar playing is beyond exceptional, and Jon Theodore is a drumming GOD in this album with polyrythyms to die for. "Eriatarka," is an enjoyable track, it seems to mirror the drumming from "Inertiatic ESP" but all around its a good track picking up during the chorus.

"Cicatriz ESP" is easily my favorite song off this whole album, it clocks in at 12:29, but I wish it could last a half an hour! Yes, after the first 4 minutes there is an ambient 5 minute "break" if you will, but as it picks back up Cedric shows in my opinion, the best singing on the album. With a solo from John Frusciante (RHCP), killer bass, and some really good rythym from Jon Theodore it's a excellent track. On the flipside though "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" is a let down in my opinion, it has potential, but its really hard to try and up "Cicatriz ESP."

"Televators" is a good balance of soft and progressive, with some acoustic bass provided by Flea. It notes the end of Cerapin's journey as he committs suicide ("Just as he hit the ground") its a very relaxing song and contains one of my favorite lyrics ("Soon this chalk outline will circle this city/ Was he robbed of the asphalt that cushioned his face?") "Take The Veil Cerapin Taxt" is a great way to end an album, frantic, energetic, and a great bass solo from Flea really puts the icing on the cake.

There is no doubt De-Loused In The Comatorium shows just how well Omar and Cedric have shedded the Post-Hardcore label of At The Drive-In and have become on of the most repected and talented Progressive bands this decade. It is a beautiful concept album, and believe me it takes awhile to warm up to The Mars Volta.

Rating: 9.0 stars out of 10
Key track(s):
"Drunkship of Lanterns"
"Cicatriz ESP"
"Take The Veil Cerapin Taxt"