Review Summary: De-Loused in the Comatorium takes a few listens, but is easily one of progressive rock's best once you can comprehend the challenging nature of the album.
When listening to The Mars Volta's debut album
De-Loused in the Comatorium for the first time I was kind of confused and lost. Expecting another At the Drive-In record, the album shocked me into almost dismay because it was nothing like I had ever heard. Cedric Bixler's vocals were the only thing familiar about the band after I listened to the first two tracks. And by the end, I was completely lost and decided that I wasn't a The Mars Volta fan. But being the optimist that I am, I listened to it a few more times and suddenly the syncopation, tempo, guitar lines, and vocals all caught up to me and I actually understood everything from the whole story about Cerpin Taxt to the long, sprawling epics like
Cicatriz ESP and
Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt.
The Mars Volta's instrumental work is where they truly stick out as a good band. Their sounds often features furiously fast guitar riffs with loud, noisy bass lines; and that's right a few bass solos. And after Omar Rodriguez's crazy guitar riffs die down for a little; Cedric Bixler's strange, unique, undescribable, and often undecipherable lyrics litter the rest of the album with greatness. The lyrics may be metaphoric and hard to decode; but they still allow for you to understand the story of Cerpin Taxt who was in a rat poison-induced coma in the hospital and eventually ended up committing suicide.
The Mars Volta's music is easily distinguishable because they feature Omar Rodriguez's frantic riffs, latin rhythms, and Cedric Bixler's vocals and you quickly learn of this with the opening duo songs,
Son et Lumiere and
Inertiatic ESP.
Son et Luminere takes no time in introducing you to the album, and it quickly flows into
Inertiatic ESP; with opens up with Rodriguez's signature frentic and fast guitar riffs and Cedric Bixler's signature vocals. The song is easily the most accessible song on
De-Loused in the Comatorium if not the most easily accessible The Mars Volta song. The song sounds a lot like At The Drive-In; giving most people false ideas about The Mars Volta; but all that goes away with
Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) which flows in seamlessly with the last track. The song features the sparesly-used sythesizer noises that quickly flows into a fast section where Bixler belts out vocals at the top of his vocal range. The song slows down and speeds up really quickly; integrating the signature The Mars Volta tempo changes without an issue at all. The song is long, and features many different sections and plenty of experimental sections. Its an amazing song; and one of The Mars Volta's best songs of all time. The next duo of songs,
Tira me a las Aranas and
Drunkenship of Lanterns flow together perfectly as
Tira me a las Aranas features an indian drum beat that is featured profoundly in
Drunkenship of Lanterns. This song shows The Mars Volta's biggest latin influence, and the latin beat in the back is catchy and exotic. Omar's guitar work is excellent in this song and Bixler's vocals are good but hard to describe and understand; especially in this song.
Eriatarka begins like
Inertiatic ESP but quickly flows into its own. Its unique and definately this album's most progressive song. Its one of the album's slower songs, with plenty of signature tempo changes that manages to go to furiously fast to painfully slow. The guitar work in the song sets the stage; becoming an atmospheric work of art easily. The chorus is where the song's best section is found though as it quickly goes into a furious guitar riff section with odd rhythms and Bixler screaming at the top of his voice.
Where the first part of the album is easier to soak in, the end of it is truly where The Mars Volta turns into a progressive rock band.
Cicatriz ESP starts of with Cedric Bixler's vocals layered which turns into a funky guitar beat on account of John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at guitars in this song. The song slows up and speeds down with ease, and manages to keep all twelve and a half minutes filled with eventful sound and noise. The albums slowly fades into the much shorter
This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed which is easily the worst song on the album because what makes The Mars Volta unique is their ability to change tempos while keeping their latin influences easy to decipher. Outside of a bridge in the middle, the song retains the bland, monotonous sound of the song for most of the five minutes it takes up. Its not a bad song; just not up to The Mars Volta standards. Then it quickly flows into
Televators which starts out slow and almost silent which quickly picks up into a quieter, atmospheric epic that has plenty of great acoustics and electronic guitar work. The song is kind of the album's breather; its easily the most relaxing song. Then
Take The Veil, Cerpin Taxt is the climax and ending of the album and ends it in style. The introduction to this album is fun and addicting. Cedric Bixler's vocals are easy to decipher in the song; its really close to At The Drive-In while retaining the latin charm of The Mars Volta. Omar's guitar work is impeccable; and so is the bass work in the album. If you didn't know; Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers is the bassist in this album and gets a bass solo which is my favorite part of the album. This song truly feels like a Red Hot Chili Peppers song because Flea's basswork is shown the most in this song and featured the heaviest in this song. The album ends in style with the epic song that ties up all the loose ends on the story of the album.
The Mars Volta set their name in stone with this album; but let down their fanbase because this is easily their best album; if not The Mars Volta's only good album. This album is how all progressive rock albums should have; simple anthems to get listeners attached, then show off the progressive rock epics in the middle and at the end. The other albums didn't understand that, but
De-Loused in the Comatorium understands that; making it easily the best in The Mars Volta's repertoire. As with most progressive rock albums, the album is best when listened all the way through; its a different album that will tug at strings in all the right places and capture you in all of its sprawling, epic glory.
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