Year in Rock 2012 Nominee: The Mars Volta

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THE MARS VOLTA
Aegis
From: Noctourniquet
Released: March 27

By now, when there's a new Mars Volta record coming out, you know to expect the unexpected. With Noctourniquet, the Volta steps further away from their free-flowing freakjazzrock days, incorporating a more modern sheen and putting some of their electronic influences a little closer to the forefront. It's most evident on the album's lead track The Whip Hand, a dizzyingly alien left hook that knocked even some of the more seasoned fans on our asses. Aegis is a better representation of the album; it's not as difficult and self-serving as their early work, nor is it a reflection of the Billboard charts. It's deceptively accessible, the audio equivalent of a PG-13 thriller. It's not overtly aggressive or offensive, but there are most definitely some ghosts and/or evil spirits offscreen.

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