Amputechture by The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta is a badass band created by Omar Rodriguez Lopez and his brother Marcel Rodriguez Lopez. They combine funk into progressive rock which creates fast paced catchy music. The album, “Amputechture” takes their music to another level.

The first song, “Vicarious Atonement” is simple and to the point. It’s not like any of the other songs on the album, this one is softer. But when “Tetragrammation” begins, you’ll know that whole idea for the first track was to keep the progressive flow. Tetragrammation is an almost seventeen minute track taking the concept the album – possessed nuns and other crazy shit. The track is pure magic – Amazing guitar solos, jazzy parts, and random exploding parts. The vocals are another thing in this track I love. They’re so wacky and powerful, going up to really high notes that men are not supposed to sing, but it’s ok because it just adds onto the craziness to the song and makes it sound better.

“Vermicide” is the shortest track on the album, but it’s still catchy. This track isn’t as jumpy as the rest, but the vocals are what are focused in the track obviously.

“Meccamputechture” is a track that only gets better each time you listen to it. Holy fuck, the introduction should be enough to get you into the band. This song is really an out of body experience. The intensity just blows my eardrums and this track has nonstop surprises. The lyrics are another thing I love. The whole song continues onto this possessed nun story by explaining the life of Jesus, the resurrection and in my opinion, this song depicts how the religion has used this story to make people join it (“Using humans as ornaments”).

“Asilos Magdalena” is an acoustic track all sung in Spanish. The vocals add onto this haunting feeling that the lyrics represent. Many people have debated if the song is about asylums set up in the 19th century in catholic churches, the devil’s plan to kill god, or a man who wants to kill god himself (“Carried the blade to God”).

“Viscera Eyes” is really a kick ass song. Half of the song is sung in Spanish and the other is in English. This song is about someone debating their faith and then turning into this zombie like Satan creature. I think this song is also making many references that make fun of Jesus(“Your convalescent thorns are but a crown of maggots. They rot the shakes inside that third glass eye. Come on and die”).

“Day of the Baphoments” is groovy and has an amazing bass solo. The saxophone and guitar, insane drumming – I mean, you could put twelve sticks of dynamite in my mouth and my mind would explode so high it would reach the sky. “El Ciervo Vulnerado” is the final track and ends just like how the album starts. I really like the guitar soloing over the saxophone going off every once in a while. When you get about eight minutes into the song try not to shit bricks with those vocals.

Amazing album. If you like progressive rock or not, listen to it. The concept is strange and interesting. It has some of the best guitar work I’ve heard. Just put this on while in your car, turn the volume up, windows down,  and let people driving by go, “What the fuck is that person listening to?”