"Wow," my friend mutters as we turn down the final lingering sounds of the Mars Volta's 6th album, "That completely sucked." Sadly, I'm forced to agree. Though there are some very catchy movements to this piece, at no point in any song does the Volta recapture the feel of their earlier albums. The reason for this seems to lie in the fact that the lyrics and their delivery are both lacking. While Cedric Bixlar Zavala's vocals are one of the main attractions to most Mars Volta Albums, it seems like there's a void looming in this album from which there is no vocal deliverance.
This leaves much to be desired by the more experienced listeners. Though many of those who have reviewed this album have hailed it as the first great follow-up to their Deloused in the Comatorium, I find it difficult to find anything bearing slight resemblance to Deloused. Sporadic solos and odd timed musical interludes do still exist in this offering, but all in all to those who have been fans since the Tremulant EP, it seems as though most of this ground has already been covered and is almost a waste.
As far as I have found, the Mars volta have gone downhill from Deloused not revived a sleeping giant.
My Trusted MOGs
the reviews i've read about this are all so mixed. i'm guessing i'd feel similar to how you felt about it being a letdown. i wish they'd be as good as the deloused days but they seem to be soo far from that now.
My Trusted MOGs
What many people seem to forget about The Mars Volta is that they are a band built on the conception of reinvention and innovation, so while you may not like the salsa funk of Bedlam in Goliath or the jazzy underlayings of Amputechture, what you have to realize is they are trying to make sure no one album ever sounds the same.
Cedric has said himself that he hopes people don't like all of their work, which is only evidence of the fact that they are doing strictly what they feel and not what "Is going to return them to De-Loused".
It's still Volta at the core, maybe in new clothes, but to say the album itself sucks depreciates the immense amount of experience and skill they've developed musically.
My Trusted MOGs
Sorry, that 'review' was terrible. You're expecting something that's not possible (deloused part II) so of course you're going to be let down.