I love both...but i lean towards Mars Volta

couldn't bring myself to vote, too hard of a choice, but if i had to come up with an album hierarchy:
Francis=Deloused>Acrobatic Tenement>RoC>Amputechture>Vaya>Tremulant>Octahedro n>El Gran Orgo>Bedlam> I/C/O

and btw if anyone doesn't know, new Mars Volta in March -"Noctourniquet"

Have to go with Mars Volta, De-Loused, Frances and Bedlam are all superb, and whilst I dig ATDI a lot, for me Volta just go down more interesting avenues with their music.

do we even need a contest about this?

I'm not even going to vote. This post is just so I don't freak out whenever Howard's name pops up in the newest posts.

I listen to At The Drive-in a lot more now than The Mars Volta. I think The Mars Volta are kind of goofy in retrospect. ATDI were a lot more visceral.