Album Rating: 4.0

[quote=Iluvatar]how boring Cicatriz is[/quote]:o, I love the drums in that song, they're groovy.

'This Apparatus' fucking owns. Most of this album is still growing on me, though, but I can safely say thats my favorite MV song right now.

Hmm... Interesting....

Of course, that's since shifted to 'Cassandra Gemini'.

So I've listened to this alot today (at least until I got Dog Problems), and I'm confident I've decided on an appropriate rating. I'll probably wait until tomorrow just in case addiction kicks in overnight.This Message Edited On 08.29.06

Great Review. This certainly is the bets Mars Volta album. However, as of late i find it very difficult to appreciate the pretentious, overrated, poor mans pink floyd known as TMV. John Theodore is an outstanding drummer and i do give Omar much praise (on this album only) for original guitar work. But the thing is, these guys arent really very original like everyone seems to think. Their live show is absolutely terrible. If they arent screwing up because they are completely trashed on stage, they are going into repetative, pretentious latinesque (maybe not a real word?) solos that would have Carlos Santana saying enough is enough. Ahem, sorry for the rant getting off the subject here. This is definately their best album, It has the most interesting and original material of any MV full length, and i admitadly enjoy the album from start to end. I just wish they would have kept on track and kept pushing for new sounds instead of just regurgitating old crappy 70's music like they do in the later album. Omar was so much more original when he sucked at the guitar.This Message Edited On 09.05.06

Album Rating: 4.5

I honestly don't see how TMV are a "poor man's Pink Floyd". They don't sound that much alike.

Album Rating: 5.0

This album will probably be the mars volta's best ever, as omar let the reigns go WAY to far on frances the mute, and he doesn't seem to have pulled them in too much for the new album either (although i haven't heard the entirety yet). rubin managed to distil all the energy and sheer talent of the band into a set of perfect songs. ideas are rarely overworked (like they are on frances the mute) and things never slow down to the point of tedium (again like frances the mute). don't get me wrong, i like slow, introspective passages and i appreciate the epic ambition of omar but there's a difference between sprawling brilliance and over-indulgence, and FTM is unfortunately largely the latter, whereas De-Loused is certainly the former

Your right jungler, they do not sound very much like pink floyd. Maybe i shouldnt have called them that, however, i do think that Francis the Mute was completely trying to emulate the atmosphere that pink floyd creates with their albums. Which i believe they fail at, because pink floyds ambiant noises transition songs seamlessly, where as i believe that it seems too forced by TMV. Songs do not have to tie together for an album to have a "Story" or "Theme" feel nor does making a 70 minute album impress me if 30 minutes are just noise.This Message Edited On 09.06.06

Album Rating: 4.5

"This is just a rollover from their At the Drive-In days, except they lost the intensity from that without really getting enough of their new sense of self to really make anything special."



De-Loused is the album TMV was least influenced by post-hardcore and their previous band At The Drive-In IMHO. The album, and band for that matter was created because Omar and company wanting to break the obvious restrictions and gimmicks of ATDI and the genre as a whole. When listening to Frances and even their newest release I always hear the hardcore and post-hardcore influences much more then on this album. That may be the reason I like it much more.

Album Rating: 4.5

Just because they have longer songs, and very different structures, does not take away from the simple feel of a post-hardcore band. Lyrics, vocals, chords, etc, all tend to make me feel that influence on other albums, rather then on De-Loused. I just simply hear ATDI on Frances much more then I do on this album.

Wow. Called a tool.. that was harsh... I don't recall ever saying pink floyd invented that. I merely pointed out that it was them TMV was trying to emulate, and that Pink floyd did it more successfully.

Album Rating: 4.5

In what way does TMV copy Floyd? Many bands use progression in their music to convey what they want with their work, so why are you not in a Dream Theater thread rambling off such nonsense about how they copy Floyd because they use the same method? Also why Floyd, why not King Crimson, Yes, or all the other similar bands. This Message Edited On 09.07.06

id say they have more musically in common with zeppelin or santana than floyd

So let's just end this by saying the ultra generic...They draw from a huge pool of influences to create their own sound.This Message Edited On 09.07.06

Album Rating: 4.0

just got this... i must say that after listening to the start, i'm more impressed than FTM... this album has more energy. in FTM, you have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it...



i'm definitely growing to like TMV... while Cedric's voice is not the most enjoyable.. it suits the the flow and thats what's important. the band clicks.



looking forward to amputechture.This Message Edited On 09.16.06

I have heard good things about Mars Volta in this site,and I want to buy one of their albums.But I don't know which one?Can you help me please?

[quote=an inquisitive young listener]I have heard good things about Mars Volta in this site,and I want to buy one of their albums.But I don't know which one?Can you help me please?[/quote]

About Half will tell you De-Loused in the Comatorium, while the other half will praise Frances the Mute.

For me, I found that it was easiest to move from classic rock to The Mars Volta via Frances the Mute. Something about the tone reminds me of Zeppelin.

Son et Lumiere actually means sound and light in french, and is a perfect intro for Inertiatic ESP. Other than this it's an awesome review.

This is one of my all time favorite albums. I can sit in the dark, with my eyes closed and. listen to this album fos hours