When At The Drive-In disbanded, I was pretty bummed out. They had just released the thrashing, cathartic Relationship Of Command, and had all the momentum on their side, and then it was over.
Soon after, I heard that Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala had embraked on a new endeavor called The Mars Volta. Hearing one song from their Tremulant EP, I was taken aback, surprised and a little weirded out. By the time they released the overstuffed, unflinching experiment in terror De-Loused In The Comatorium, I had nearly forgotten ATDI existed.
Watching ATDI's reunion set at Coachella last spring, I noticed just how much fun Cedric seemed to be having reconnecting with his old mates, and also how seemingly little Omar wanted to do with it all. Then in fall, when a Mars Volta hiatus was announced so that Omar could focus on new project Bosnian Rainbows, I didn't think too much of it. However, last night, Cedric took to Twitter to leave no doubt:
Thank u 2 all VOLTA fans u deserved more especially after the way u rooted for us on this album. I tried my hardest to keep it going (cont-)
— Cedric Bixler Zavala (@cedricbixler_) January 24, 2013
But Bosnian Rainbows was what we all got instead. I can't sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta. (cont-)
— Cedric Bixler Zavala (@cedricbixler_) January 24, 2013
Throughout the series of tweets, Cedric also reveals that he's almost finished with his new project, which (according to him) sounds nothing like Volta or ATDI; who he's working with on this one is unclear right now. He also makes it pretty clear that Omar's shifting focus to other projects and inability to tour last year's Noctourniquet are the main reasons for the split:
What am I suppose to do be some progressive house wife that's cool with watching their partner go fuck other bands? We owe it 2 fans to tour
— Cedric Bixler Zavala (@cedricbixler_) January 24, 2013
Mud may be slung over the coming days and weeks, and many will mourn this loss, but I'm looking for the positive and remembering what it was like twelve years ago, when I was baffled as to why they'd want to wreck a great thing like At The Drive-In.
Anyway, here are (in my opinion, of course) The Mars Volta's ten greatest moments, in chronological order:
Drunkship Of Lanterns:
My first exposure of TMV's excellent debut album, and the moment where I knew just how transcendent this band was.
Televators:
Mars Volta - Televators from The Saline Project on Vimeo.
A stunningly beautiful video for a stunningly beautiful song, and a temporary break from total chaos from De-Loused In The Comatorium.
Cassandra Gemini:
Frances The Mute is a sprawling behemoth of an album, an impenetrable mass of noise and violence that sees its boundaries and smirks as it oversteps them. Its centerpiece is Cassandra Gemini, sliced into separate tracks on CD to qualify Frances as an album; its eight parts rationed haphazardly. Taken as a whole, Cassandra Gemini is 32 minutes and change of sheer insanity. Glorious, beautiful insanity.
Vicarious Atonement:
Leading off TMV's third album (the underrated Amputechture) is Vicarious Atonement, a gorgeous and off-kilter dirge that breathes and seethes for over seven minutes before abruptly ending. On the album, it smashes into Tetragrammaton, a 16-minute beast that bursts down the door of sanity and proceeds to chase it away.
Aberinkula:
The Mars Volta's fourth album, The Bedlam In Goliath, was arguably their last truly amazing album (and an album with one hell of a story should you choose to dive into it); a concept built around a Ouija board, The Bedlam In Goliath sees TMV at their most frightening, muscular and sinister, which explains why they made such a silly video for opener Aberinkula.
Goliath:
A swaggering, snarling rock monster that skirts the edges of chaos while managing to keep its hands inside the ride most of the time, Goliath is definitely one of the Volta's most satisfying jams, and a strong case for Thomas Pridgen as TMV's best drummer (er, they went through a few).
Teflon:
Taken from the somewhat subdued, yet still adventurous Octahedron, Teflon rides a spooky groove and packs more melody than your average Volta composition. It's a great way to lure unsuspecting non-believers in before hitting them with Cassandra Gemini.
The Whip Hand:
The lead track from what I suppose now is TMV's last album (2012's Noctourniquet) introduces electronic flourishes that took longtime fans by surprise. Another dark alley that most wouldn't venture down, TMV didn't shy away from synth and loops; however, where it usually makes most bands sound lighter and happier, it only makes the Volta scarier (especially when Cedric starts howling about being a landmine).
Zed And Two Naughts:
What would turn out to be The Mars Volta's final album track is also their final coup; it's easy to forget that TMV were signed to major labels all this time. That's a coup in and of itself, but consider that Zed And Two Naughts is included on the in-game soundtrack to MLB 12 The Show. Just try to imagine any ball player doing some BP to this track, and start giggling.
They likely won't ever see induction into anyone's hall of fame, and they'll never be critic's darlings, but to understate the importance of the imaginative spirit that was on full display over the wild course of TMV's six albums is to wish death upon imagination itself. Here's hoping for many more awe-inspiring moments to come.
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