Hard Volume...Musings

Artist: The Mars Volta
Album: Noctourniquet
Label: Warner Bros.
Release: 2012

“I’m a landmine, so don’t you step on me!!!”...

The progressive rock equivalent to Marmite; there appears to be little middle ground when it comes to The Mars Volta.

Devotees to the frenzied, chaotic post-hardcore of At The Drive-In often baulk at the progressive, experimental, and free jazz influenced sound that guitarist / producer Omar Rodriquez-Lopez and singer / lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala have continued to produce and evolve over the past decade. 

As an ardent fan of this band, it confuses me how The Mars Volta have amassed such a sizeable number of naysayers. 

Six albums in ten years is impressive by any bands standards, however given the complexities of the personal relationships, music, and concepts of individuals albums – there is no doubt that the creativity and productivity of The Mars Volta’s is breathtaking.

Apparently the initial work on ‘Noctourniquet’, their 6^th album proper started immediately after the recording of ‘Octahedron’; however the project was quickly put on hold following Bixler-Zavala’s assertion that he could no longer keep up with the productivity of long time collaborator, Rodriquez-Lopez.

Omar Rodriquez-Lopez concentrating on his solo and collaborative work elsewhere, Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s need for appropriate time to develop his lyrics ( and some changes in personnel) appears to have refreshed the band, who have gone on to produce this wonderfully complex yet accessible concept album, if that is ever a real possibility with The Mars Volta.

The concept? Does anyone ever truly know the concept of ANY album by The Mars Volta other then perhaps the members of The Mars Volta? 

I can only surmise that the album follows the natural path of the life and travels of a being (human or otherwise: I am undecided). This view stems from Cedric Bixler-Zavala references to the nursery rhyme Solomon Grundy within a number of interviews recently and my possibly benign concept proposal is purely subjective but certainly makes sense to me (especially in this darkened room with my headphones on).

But as most fans of The Mars Volta would attest; the listening experience and deconstruction of concept, theme, and music is best described as not only subjective, but a genuine conversation stimulator.

All the tenets of The Mars Volta sound is here, Bixler-Zavala’s trademark vocal delivery, though more thoughtful and restrained, remains; the searing guitar tones of Rodriguez-Lopez are interspersed with acoustic guitar inflections accentuating the bands Latin roots. Additionally, the album truly feels like it flows organically, in spite of the flurries of electronics throughout.

Much has been made of the At The Drive-In reunion shows and the possible affect on the long term future of the Mars Volta. Personally, I hope the reunion shows are an exercise in mortgage paying, but if this album does herald a swansong for The Mars Volta; what a way to bow out.