De-Loused in the Comatorium

1	Son et Lumiere 1:35
2	Inertiatic ESP 4:23
3	Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) 7:30
4	Tira Me a las Arañas 1:28
5	Drunkship of Lanterns 7:05
6	Eriatarka 6:20
7	Cicatriz ESP 12:28
8	This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed 4:57
9	Televators 6:18
10	Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt 8:41

Barnes & Noble

The tension that made At the Drive-In such a compelling band to watch ultimately made it impossible for the band to hold together, but this half of the good ship ATDI is proving more buoyant than ever -- so much so, in fact, that the Mars Volta often threaten to escape terra firma altogether. In sharp contrast to their frenetic fraternal twin Sparta, the Mars Volta believe that space is the place -- and to prove it, the members channel vintage Pink Floyd, droning Kraut-rock, and, for good measure, a hint of Rush during that band's highest-concept era. The last element is particularly evident on "Drunkship of Lanterns," on which ex-Drive-In singer Cedric Bixler wails with operatic fervor over a dizzyingly complex sonic backdrop. The prime mover in erecting that backdrop is fellow ATDI expat Omar Rodriguez, whose guitar playing -- like that of, say, Tom Morello, is more likely to comprise bleeps, squonks, and feedback loops than mere riffs (friends Flea and Jon Frusciante also up the virtuosic instrumental weirdness quotient). The trick turned on De-Loused, however, is assembling those unlikely elements into memorable melodies, which -- more often than not -- the band pulls off admirably. The album closer, "Take the Veil Carpin Text," skitters along with nervous energy to spare, spilling Television-styled solos here and there. "Eriatarka," on the other hand, takes a more studied approach, its sea-chantey balladry propelled along by the upright bass of Justin Meldal-Johnson (best known for his work with Beck). De-Loused in the Comatorium will certainly give the gray matter a workout, even as its twists and turns threaten the listener with whiplash. David Sprague

All Music Guide

When Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala silenced At the Drive-In in the midst of its popular emergence, there was no question that the two artists would return with new music as exciting as their previous band. However, there was plenty of discussion in corners and over drinks about what, exactly, that music would sound like. It was clear that much more was happening under those Afros than biting, post-hardcore anthemics laced with psychedelia. In 2002, Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala returned with the single "Tremulant," attributed to their new project, the Mars Volta. Its shifting soundscapes were certainly a hint, but with the Mars Volta's ambitious De-Loused in the Comatorium, it's clear the ATDI expats' mushroom-headed hairstyles hide bulging brains that pulsate with ideas, influences, and a fever-pitch desire to take music forward, even if they're occasionally led too far afield for the audience to follow. A concept album of sorts, Comatorium is a swirling ten-song cycle inspired by Julio Venegas, a childhood friend of the band who followed his fearlessness to a self-inflicted end. While the storyline is bewilderingly obtuse, it nevertheless unifies the album's wildly shifting sounds. Thrumming, Led Zeppelin-inspired pounding gives way to the thump of a free jazz bass punctuated with blasts of guitar squelch in "Drunkship of Lanterns." Meanwhile, the windswept landscape of "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" unfolds over seven minutes, revealing remnants of ATDI, fissures of glittering, confessional pop, and layer upon sedimentary layer of a shrieking Bixler-Zavala, harmonizing with himself over vintage 1970s organ. All of this gives way to a gentle landslide of an outro, where an expressive guitar solo that would make Carlos Santana scratch his head threads its way between brooding bass. Later, Red Hot Chili Peppers secret weapon John Frusciante stops by for "Cicatriz ESP," which undergoes a full stop after its relatively straightforward (for these guys, anyway) beginning, reentering the atmosphere to the fiery strains of at least three concurrently soloing guitarists. Though the brief-by-comparison ATDI-ish "Inertiatic ESP" acts as an opposite to the epic "Cicatriz ESP," the band's ardent desire for re-creation is defined in the latter song's shifting folds and faults. But while De-Loused in the Comatorium may well remove the stigma from the prog and art rock forms it suggests, and is certainly a monument to unbridled creativity, it can also be seen as bombastic and indulgent -- much like prog has been in the past. Comatorium is exciting, to be sure. But in a way, it avoids answering that old question about the Mars Volta: What will the music sound like? Johnny Loftus

New York Times

A delight, full of weird melodies and off-kilter grooves. Kelefa Sanneh

Spin Magazine

This is a record that creates tension from the cryptic and release from the inexplicable, and it's guaranteed to blow up the transmitter of any radio station that even attempts to play it. (A) Andrew Beaujon

Entertainment Weekly

The songs explode with creativity, fusing jazz riffs, tribal rhythms, hardcore bursts of noise, and addictive rock hooks into one of the most compelling discs of the year. (A-) Evan Serpick

Blender

Be prepared to pick up your jaw. J.D. Considine