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de:The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta onstage at the 2004 Big Day Out, Melbourne, Australia.
The Mars Volta, taking their name from a film by film-director Federico Fellini, is an experimental punk rock band with wide ranging progressive rock/metal, salsa and jazz influences formed in 2001 by two members of the now defunct At the Drive-In.
The seeds of Mars Volta were planted in early 2001, after At the Drive-In (ATDI) finished its spring 2001 European tour. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the guitarist, was unhappy with the uninventive musical direction of ATDI. He discussed this with close friend and vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala, and it was announced on March 27th that ATDI were on "indefinite hiatus". They formed The Mars Volta with Laddio Bolocko drummer Blake Fleming, then recruited two new members, with the remaining members of ATDI regrouping as the more conventional emo-punk Sparta.
The progression continued unabated, until the 25th of May, 2003, when sound technician and close friend Jeremy Ward was found dead of a drug overdose at his home in L.A., forcing the cancellation of their tour that year. Later, a tribute to Jeremy took the form of the video for Son et Lumiere / Inertiatic ESP, in which live tour footage was mixed in with a message in dedication to their fallen "Sound Manipulator".
Their first release as a band, the 3 track Tremulant EP, was released in April 2002. Any ideas that The Mars Volta would follow the well trodden emo path of ATDI were quickly swept away in a swirl of convulsing latin rythyms, virtuoso guitar riffs and chaotic effects.
Their debut full length album De-Loused in the Comatorium was released in June 2003. It is a wildly eclectic concept album based around the suicide of their boyhood friend and artist Julio Venegas. It covers Venegas' surreal dreams during a weeklong coma (caused by a failed suicide attempt) and his second, successful suicide attempt after waking from the coma. Two members of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers appear on the album; Flea plays bass on all tracks and John Frusciante plays guitar on "Cicatriz ESP". Juan Alderete later joined as the bands full-time bassist, with percussionist Marcel Rodriguez, brother of Omar, joining the band onstage during 2004. They are really extreme!!!!
As of August 2004, a new album, Frances the Mute, has been announced for release sometime in 2005. As quoted from the GSL website:
"GSL is pleased to announce the vinyl version of the follow-up album to THE MARS VOLTA's 2003 debut full-length, "De-Loused in the Comatorium." Entitled "Frances the Mute", the new album features the solidified lineup of founders Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, with Jon Theodore (drums), Ikey Owens (keyboards), Juan Alderette (bass) and Marcell Rodriguez-Lopez (percussion). Once again, album art is in the hands of legendary UK surrealist Storm Thorgerson, and promises to be a mind-bender. Additionally, the double album includes a FREE bonus 12-inch single (technically GSL95) of the title track, which not only "decodes" all those on the album, but is not actually included on the album itself! Deluxe packaging includes a poster and split-colored vinyl."
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