Artist of the Day: The Mars Volta

Have we covered The Mars Volta here before?  Perhaps, and that shouldn't be surprising, considering the avid fan base that the prog-rockers have accumulated.  Hell, this writer even considers them to be a favorite band of his, as they were pivotal in driving him towards one of his favorite hobbies--music.

And it is with a heavy heart that this very writer pens "The Mars Volta on hiatus," a handful of words he hoped he'd never have to write.  While they were only active for a decade, they leave a huge crater in the music world.  Rarely can a band be so off the wall and unapproachable, yet be so loved.  With roots starting in post-hardcore, the band quickly changed up their sound into a more progressive delivery.  With an insane amount of members, The Mars Volta always sounded huge.  Strings, brass, and a myriad of percussion create a bombastic sound that channels salsa, rock, and psychedelic into one beautiful modge podge.  Always challenging, the band released albums that nearly wore on one's patience, with wild concepts and long run times.  However, the fervent "catchiness" and complex writing always made it worth it.  Added to that, mastermind Omar Rodriguez Lopez always reserved his most brilliant production skills for each of the band's six albums.

The word hiatus is much more hopeful than a break up, but the band is tight lipped on getting back together.  And while Noctourniquet was a lovely album, it didn't feel like the swan song it should have been.

The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet

Although news articles and artist spotlights are supposed to be impartial, I cannot help but express my unfathomable excitment after hearing about the latest from my personal favorite band, The Mars Volta.  The last we heard from them was in mid 2009 when they dropped their fifth album, Octahedron, which was seen as their "acoustic album," although there was little acoustics used.  Since then the band has been mum on a release, aside from their typical "we've had our new album written for years!" schtick that continues to be more difficult to believe.  Yet here we are, three years later, and The Mars Volta have finally revieled details concerning their sixth album, Noctourniquet.

Not a whole lot is known about Noctourniquet, save for the track list, release date, and album cover.  And while that information would be enough coming from any other band, one cannot predict what The Mars Volta will do next.  They could reinvent pop, delve further into electronics, or even do death metal--there really is simply no way of knowing.  One could speculate, but chances are it would miss the mark.  After all, the jazz infused prog rock of Frances the Mute and De-loused in the Comatorium are a far cry from the alt-rock stylings of Octahedron.

My anticipation, interpreted by Cedric Bixler-Zavala himself

Yet it's the glorious uncertainty that always makes each release special; a fresh and exciting revelation that the listener is truly being treated to something new.  Noctourniquet drops on March 27th, and is definitely something to keep on radar.



Tracklisting:
1. The Whip Hand
2. Aegis
3. Dyslexicon
4. Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound
5. The Malkin Jewel
6. Lapochka
7. In Absentia
8. Imago
9. Molochwalker
10. Trinkets Pale Of Moon
11. Vedamalady
12. Noctourniquet
13. Zed And Two Naughts