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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Come into the "Comatorium", January 24, 2005
Indie-rock band At the Drive In shattered just as they were starting to make it big. But from the ashes of At The Drive-In came: The Mars Volta. And their full-length debut album, "De-Loused At The Comatorium," is a rousing, blasting, strange and magnificent lump of space rock.
"Son Et Lumiere" is a melodic buildup to the fireball of "Inertiatic ESP," the eerie string-driven "Tira Me A Las Aranas," the haunting drum-laden "Drunkship of Lanterns" with its lamenting howls, the rollicking "Eriatarka," the slightly overlong but very compelling "Cicatriz ESP," the chaotic "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed," the soft and melodic "Televators," and the At the Drive-In-influenced "Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt."
It's rather rare to have a concept album now. But this full-length debut definitely is one. It tells of a Mexican artist who committed suicide in the 1990s. Here, he falls into a coma and lingers in the world of "De-Loused" for a week. (It sounds depressing, but it isn't) The plaintive, surreal songs make a lot more sense once you know the story.
"De-Loused"'s sound is hard to classify: a combo of rock, psychedelica, a hint of jazz, Latin music, and a few others that are hard to identify. For that matter, it's not really much like several songs, as a single song that bobs into different musical genres. Often the songs will melt into one another, one barely pausing as it dies away before the next melody starts. It gives "De-Loused" the feeling of a big, glorious tapestry.
The lyrics and music reflect this feel; the lyrics are wrenchingly weird ("Nobody is heard/compass wilting in the wind!"), with an undeniably powerful melancholy, dark edge. It's never more evident than in the despairing wail of "Now I'm lost!". The music can switch from shattering guitar riffs to delicate instrumentals tinged with a synthesizer. And though at times they sound chaotic as a thunderstorm storm, it's obvious that they know what they're doing.
Mars Volta is a blast of explosive new rock music that blows away the rubbish. "De-Loused in the Comatorium" is like stepping through a door into a world where the normal rules of music don't apply. Step through the door, into the Comatorium....
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Alternative Acid Rock ??, July 28, 2003
When I first listened to this I knew it was different - not like anything you'd hear on the radio - definitely not like any of the popular bands - a very unique sound - kind of like being in a mosh pit - your constantly being bombarded with different musical styles and sounds - one minute calm and surrealistic, the next it's loud and pounding you ears and senses. Give this one a try . . .
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The biggest at the drive-in/ The mars volta fan's review, November 7, 2003
A Kid's Review
This cd shows the creative side of former at the drive-in members Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguiez as they have shown in their other band, Defacto. This musical masterpiece is the best new release of 2003. But one correction to a reviewer on this cd, Jim Ward has never been on the mars volta, he formed the band sparta which is not as good as The mars volta. This cd is worth buying, it also features a bonus track that the American version does not aqquire.
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