via//chicago

The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
Universal, 2003
buy it here

I’ve seen “neo-prog” thrown out in regards to this album, and in a way it’s quite fitting. Overblown sense of scale? Check. Pointless noodling? Check. Inane lyrics that are supposedly telling a story? Check. Then it’s a pretty good descriptor because Omar and Cedric have churned out a prog album that only works about half the time. There are some interesting and effective instrumental sections on this album, but the supposed concept is so far buried beneath the “5 dollar words” strung together that the overall album falls a little flat. They have a great album in them, but this isn’t it.