The Mars Volta- Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta, if you are less than familiar, is the most artistically extravagant progressive band this side of the millennium. Originating in El Paso, Texas and formed in 2001, frontmen Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala sort a musical platform that would truly allow them greater artistic freedom. Their previous band, At the Drive-In, whilst of great significance for their audience, had become an artistic dead end for them and thus The Mars Volta was born.

‘Deloused’, was the first full-length album from the group and the credits read like a Hollywood blockbuster in musical terms. Rick Rubin producing, known for his work with the Chilli Peppers and Rage Against The Machine producing iconic records, along with John Frusciante and Flea from the Chillis making cameos on their respective instruments. What I adore about this record is that you can hear the influences from all sides, the bass has that signature ‘Flea’ flow, the drums with a Jazz like approach from John Theodore and the overall mix and energy of each track being focused by Rubin into coherent phrasing. The Mars Volta is more of a collective of individual talents, allowing each other to express themselves under the guise of a band, something you might see in a below street level Jazz bar in Berlin on a Thursday night. Expression with little boundary… freedom.

Each track is woven together on deloused by spatial soundscapes and you may find yourself after listening through a few times recalling each phrase like a leading melody. What on first listen seems like a wandering electric guitar forms itself into the only melody that could fit there, specifically engineered to fill that precious space in the mix at that very moment. Thunderous riffs are evened out by haunting soundscapes, balancing each other and pushing and pulling you through a rollercoaster of sound. Particular favorites include ‘Inertiatic Esp’, ‘Roulette Dares (the haunt of) and ‘Drunkship Of Lanterns’. For a more melancholic moment, ‘Televators’ creates a wonderful departure from some of the more frenetic moments.

‘Deloused’ was an entirely new experience for me when it was released in 2003. I poured over the artwork whilst listening through and absorbed every part of it into my musical vocabulary. It stretched the limits of what I thought possible with recorded music and remains one of my most revisited records at home when cranking up the gigawatts! Whether listening on cd, vinyl or via a good quality stream, ‘Deloused’ easily earns a ‘McPlaylist Must Have’ recommendation.