The Mars Volta Thread (the band has un-broken up)

[Lolzeez]

and never got the opportunity to see them live which makes all of this a lot worse.

Me too. 

[PuffyPat]

and never got the opportunity to see them live which makes all of this a lot worse.

Me too. 

Cedric did say that he wanted to get back together with Jon and Ikey, so maybe in the future they might play music again, but with the way Omar goes through music I wouldn't be surprised if this is truly the end.

[Perpetual Change]

They were absolutely terrible and imagination shattering both times I had a chance to see them live so count yourself lucky honestly. Shoulda known since how bad Scabdates was, though.

[ariich]

I saw them at Sonisphere festival a couple of years ago, and I thought they were good. There was an improv-style section in the middle that dragged on quite a bit, but the beginning and end of their set were amazing!

[Nel]

Amazing
----------
Deloused
Nocturniquet
Octahedron

Awesome
-----------
Bedlam
Frances
Amputechture


So yeah I'm going to miss this band

Someone who understands! 

Amputechture would be sooo much better without those awful, awful slower songs.

[skydivingninja]

They were absolutely terrible and imagination shattering both times I had a chance to see them live so count yourself lucky honestly. Shoulda known since how bad Scabdates was, though.

When I saw them I think they only played 6 songs in an hour/hour and a half or so.  No opening band.  Lots of improvisation I think.  I left after the Widow because I was a freshman who didn't want to miss class the next morning but apparently they stormed off the stage after that.  The sound was terrible and muddled.  I think it was just an off night for them because they were playing in more of a repurposed basketball court than the actual venue that other bands play at (Asheville civic center). 

But I wanted to see them on this tour regardless.  Surely they wouldn't have another bad night like that...

My rankings:

Deloused
Nocturniquet
Bedlam
Frances
Octahedron
Amputechture

Its odd to me how I go through periods of listening to nothing but TMV while only really liking two of their albums and a handful of songs from everything else.

[Perpetual Change]

Unfortunately, I think they had many nights like that. I talked to people who went to TMV shows I decided NOT to go to, and they came away pretty disappointed, too. I think they had real issues gelling as a live band when they lost their first drummer.

[cyberdrummer]

I saw them twice.

The first time we got this 2.5 hour setlist and it was amazing:

Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
Viscera Eyes
Wax Simulacra
Goliath
Ouroborous
Tetragrammaton
Agadez
Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus
Aberinkula
Drunkship of Lanterns

The second time they were visibly annoyed about something - they played well but only for 1.5 hours.

I'm not as upset about this news as I thought I might be, since I didn't rate the last two albums highly at all.

[Lolzeez]

  Never got to see Day Of The Baphomets live.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

According to Cedric's Twitter description thinger, he's now El Paso's realest housewife.

[ytserush]

Well, I'm sad.

[Dimitrius]

I hated that Cedric was so "pointing the finger" towards Omar.

[PuffyPat]

After a year to let Noctourniquet sink in, I have to say that I really enjoy this record. It hasn't moved on my list at all, but I feel that I can really appreciate it now. I can't listen to it all the time, but sometimes I just feel like I need to put it on.

[SoundscapeMN]

15 Unreleased B-sides/Demos
https://forum.thecomatorium.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=126715

a friend/fellow blogger's description (I haven't heard them yet personally)

1 - 14 (possible outtake from Noctourniquet LP)
2 - 98d87 (Molochwalker demo)
3 - cmv8 (Sea is Rising demo)
4 - dp (Omar Rodriguez-Lopez possible only demo)
5 - EF4 (possible Casate Colmillo demo)
6 - eog-3
7 - f39h (elements later used in the live version of Trinkets Pale of Moon)
8 - f9h0 (another possible Casate Colmillo demo)
9 - K49 (possible outtake from Octahedron LP)
10 - pi4 (possible Happiness demo)
11 - QR5 `
12 - s [FQW (similar to the first track on the collection)
13 - XV8 (possible New York City demo or Asco Que Conmueve Los Puntos Erogenos demo)
14 - y2g (Vicarious Atonement demo)
15 - ytj6 (also similar to the first track on the collection

[PuffyPat]

Bumping this thread because Omar and Cedric are back at it with help from Flea and Dave Elitch in their new project ANTEMASQUE. It wasn't at all what I expected, but I love it nonetheless.

www.antemasque.bandcamp.com

[adace]

Can't say I like it as much as TMV, but it's still pretty cool.

Another track just released today: https://antemasque.bandcamp.com/track/people-forget

[fibreoptix]

Not as keen on it as I thought I'd be but it's certainly not bad. Hanging in the Lurch is catchy as all hell.

Will probably keep tabs on this.

[PuffyPat]

ANTEMASQUE ALBUM ON JULY 15!

[fibreoptix]

OK, I've changed my mind. This is actually really good! I've fallen for all four released tracks at this point.

[Lolzeez]

Sounds pretty cool. Gonna be looking forward to the album.

[Fluffy Lothario]

I gave Antemasque a quick listen, and considering I'm barely actively listening to music these days, it just doesn't sound like something I'm gonna be bothered with.


The Mars Volta, as much as I love them, have always been a band that, after the initial honeymoon period with one of their albums, didn't get a ton of replay.

And then suddenly this month, I'm putting them on every day, and they are pretty much all I'm listening to.

I've even been thinking about the (for me) almost inevitable question of "condense this band into 80 minutes", which, considering Cassandra Geminni is one of my favourite songs by any band, and I couldn't possibly leave it off, is a difficult one. This is the best I can come up with:

1 Tira Me a Las Araņas / Drunkship of Lanterns (I originally downloaded these two as a single track way back in the day, and they're inseparable to me)
2 In Absentia
3 Asilos Magdalena
4 Viscera Eyes
5 Ilyena
6 Wax Simulacra
7 Goliath
8 Cassandra Geminni

Obviously missing some biggies though (for me, Soothsayer, Roulette Dares, Cicatriz ESP, L'Via L'Viaquez, and Trinkets Pale of Moon).

[PuffyPat]

1. Day of the Baphomets
2. Day of the Baphomets
3. Day of the Baphomets
4. Day of the Baphomets
5. Day of the Baphomets
6. Day of the Baphomets
7. Day of the Baphomets

hahaha, just kidding:

1. Son et Lumiere
2. Inertiatic ESP
3. Day of the Baphomets
4. Wax Simulacra
5. Goliath
6. Cotopaxi
7. Desperate Graves
8. L' Via l'Viaquez
9. Molochwalker
10. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt

That's a bout an hour. There are some others, but these are the big ones for me.

[TioJorge]

Absolutely love Deloused; but other than that, I'm honestly annoyed by half their shit.  It's really odd. I love Ilyena, and that's pretty much the only other song that's not on Deloused that I like (The Widow is also pretty neat). But yeah...I wouldn't pay a dime to see them, their sound is pretty damn 'modified', at least in regards to the singer. I'm not a huge fan of them but I might check out the new album...either way...Scabdates is horrible, and it certainly doesn't bode well for any performances...actually I'm not quite sure why they'd release that shit in the first place.

But Deloused will always be one of my favorite albums from any band. In all honesty, I'm completely okay with bands that are based in the studio some technological help...but I really don't go to concerts much these days and I doubt I will much again unless it's one of my few obsession bands... though it does take away some of the...er...magic.

[Nel]

Deloused is a fucking behemoth of a masterpiece. I'd honestly put it on my top ten albums ever. The only other song in their discography that gives me the same feeling as that album did is Day Of The Baphomets. That song is an 11-minute thrill ride that makes me want to go nuts and riot in the street.

[TioJorge]

Hrrmm...I'll have to check it out. Some songs though...are too crazy. This coming from someone who loves the most insane of SOAD songs...there's a lot of different kinds of crazy, theirs is a bit overbearing. There's just so much shit going on that is truly annoys me, it's annoying to hear because it's so much to take in, regardless of whether I like (or can even hear) the tune or not. For me, that pertains to almost all their discography. But juuuust the right amount of crazy...makes for one hell of a song.

I still haven't found a song that gets me into it or up and going as much as Eriatarka does. I don't think I ever will. Perfect harmony of bliss and destruction. I do have to say though...at some point in time, I think I'll listen to a song of theirs and the whole scheme will just click and I'll love all their songs.

Then again I also had a feeling that I'd turn into a super saiyan...I still can't power up without shitting myself. 

[Nel]

The song actually does remind me of some crazy-ass anime thing like Tetsuo's transformation or a well-animated DBZ fight. Just a crazy, fucked up situation that keeps escalating and escalating without stop. The song leaves you winded, but it's fucking awesome.

[The King in Crimson]

Definitely listen to Day of the Baphomets. What a song that is. Holy shit is that a song. Absolute madness but somehow coherent and... listenable. I can totally understand how someone might find TMV too chaotic to listen to. I did at first, but then I started to get into them more around the time when I was first getting into King Crimson and TMV, in my opinion, is basically the 21st Century's version of King Crimson.

1. Inertiatic ESP
2. The Whip Hand
3. Day of the Baphomets
4. L'Via L'Viaquez
5. Teflon
6. Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
7. Desperate Graves
8. Goliath
9. Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus

I wish I could fit Tetragrammatron or Cassandra Gemini on there but this gives a good overview of their sound while touching on each album.

[PuffyPat]

1. Day of the Baphomets
2. Day of the Baphomets
3. Day of the Baphomets
4. Day of the Baphomets
5. Day of the Baphomets
6. Day of the Baphomets
7. Day of the Baphomets

hahaha, just kidding:

1. Son et Lumiere
2. Inertiatic ESP
3. Day of the Baphomets
4. Wax Simulacra
5. Goliath
6. Cotopaxi
7. Desperate Graves
8. L' Via l'Viaquez
9. Molochwalker
10. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt

That's a bout an hour. There are some others, but these are the big ones for me.

I forgot to throw Teflon in there.

[fibreoptix]

Inertiatic ESP
L'Via
Tetragrammaton
Agadez
With Twilight As My Guide
Vedamalady
Televators
Imago
Ouroboros
Zed and Two Naughts

That took me forever and frankly I could easily swap any of them out for Miranda, Meccamputechture, Asilos, Goliath, Eriatarka, Cicatriz, Noctourniquet, and Since We've Been Wrong. So yeah, difficult.

And I'm not a fan of Baphomets. I'm surprised so many people are.

[PuffyPat]

Day of the Baphomets is pretty much my favorite song of all time.

[Zantera]

Bump because I've finally checked out Mars Volta and At the Drive-In, and both are amazing. Boy oh boy was I late to this party. 

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Bump because I've finally checked out Mars Volta and At the Drive-In, and both are amazing. Boy oh boy was I late to this party. 

Hell, so was so I. I only checked out TMV a while ago with De-Loused and ATDI very recently with Relationship of Command. Both are fantastic.

[Zantera]

The four-song run with Drunkship of Lanterns, Eriatarka, Cicatriz ESP and This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed is incredible. The whole album is pretty much perfect, but those four tracks in a row is just the best. I'm really loving what I'm hearing. I'll probably move onto Frances this upcoming week, since I've spun De-Loused at least 6-7 times by now.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Definitely agree with that, and my favorite song on the album has got to be Cicatriz ESP. Frances is also fantastic if you liked De-Loused. I love it almost as much.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

This is band that probably took the longest for me to get into so far. I hated it at first, but it definitely grew. I'm still not really huge on them, but I like their stuff. Maybe they'll grow even more later on.