Queue here to abuse The Mars Volta's 'Amputechture'

talk about it, be about it.

OK, well, for a start, the transition in opener 'Vicarious (Tool reference?) Atonement' is beautifully managed. The first five minutes drift along with mournful vocals, atmospheric Pink Floyd-y geetar and various ear-candy electronic effects, increasing but not fulfilling any anticipation, before all falls quiet and we shift into the first real bass progression of the album. It happens to be a brilliant bass progression, doom-laden and quietly dramatic, and as it repeats itself, the voices, guitars, and horns steadily grow, from a whisper, louder and wilder, accompanied by some (very good) noodly bleeping (virtually the same as that found at the end of The Beta Band's 'Smiling', for those in need of a reference point), before being cut-off mid-build. The song has not had the chance to take its shift anywhere, or draw it to a conclusion, with the result that the listener is in the midst of a high when 'Tetragrammaton' kicks in with huge guitars playing an immense, destructive riff. It took me a couple of listens to realise this, but the switch is superbly conceived; it's almost as if the album has skipped a load of meaningless waffle and fast-forwarded it from the start of a massive build-up to the terrifying end-product. Of course, later on in 'Tetragrammaton' the doomy bass progression reappears, perhaps not the same note-wise but identical in terms of emotional tenor, although in this case the doom is not to come, it is right before our eyes, vivid, monstrous, and inescapable (I mean, the song's 17 minutes long, the only escape is the skip button and as we all know that's CHEATING). A similar progression appears in the middle-eight of 'Vermicide' and throughout final track 'El Cuervo Vulnerabilio', and it is in these tracks that I believe the soul of 'Amputechture' lies, with the other songs offering a stylistic and emotional counterpoint to the breast-beating despair I've been describing.

I don't dislike what they "stand for" as I just dislike their particular version of what they stand for - particularly their boring dynamic patterns and lack of pretty melodies. Good prog is all about fun surprises, which they lack.

You're right that good prog is about 'fun surprises' (which I'd amend to 'good surprises'), and indeed, for me, that's actually a necessity for music as a whole, the ability to shift me through various imagined states which when placed together construct a nuanced yet clearly definable unit, be it song, album or compilation. I'd say that this particular album itself, however, does in fact contain good surprises, so whilst our aesthetic is similar, our individual interpretations of this piece differ. There's no harm in that.

I'm interested in the phrase 'boring dynamic patterns', though. One of the things I've noticed about this album is how much subtler it is than the first two, and there's certainly very little jackhammering 'loud-quiet-loud' (well, maybe in Asilos Magdalena) post-rock style heavy-handedness. When do dynamic patterns become boring (except in Mr. Beast, of course)?

i liked the first ep and album.
liked a few songs on the 2nd album.
completely hate this new one.

it's not as immediately catchy as Frances, but i've listened to it 3 times now and it's definitely growing on me.

most reviewers hate this band because they're not At The Drive-In and don't play like ATDI.

i like this band and i cant sit through this album. it brings the rock like twice. viscara eyes is awesome.

I them too, and haven't heard any of this, but did anyone who *likes* them get into Scab Dates, either? Should I keep trying with that one?

nah i never got into scab dates either :/

i liked scab dates, well, except for the last 20minute track of noise

...wow, i always thought they were "jukes". sumpin new every day!

deloused is still awesome.

I never really got into 'deloused', aside from the first couple of tracks, but I'm unashamedly enthusiastic about the shimmering brilliance of 'frances the mute'. however, what I've heard of the new album doesn't really excite me...nevertheless, a trip to the record shop is definitely on the cards.

I will now attempt to verbalise a generic Mars Volta track: Wraaaaawwwwhh. Dig-a-dig-a-dig. Donk. Donk. Wrrawwwwhh. "Woooooaaahhh!" Dig-a-dig-a-dig.

I'd buy that. but then again I'm not very bright.

Their television ad has succeeded in making me not want anything at all to do with them ever.

They have a television ad? My idol has fallen. :(

Is the same drummer on this album? I hope he joins a good band after MV.

I like Deloused, parts of FtM (though I never listen to it), and I'm not really interested in the new one.

It is, but he's apparently forming a new band with Zack De La Rocha. Whether this is a good, bad, or utterly irrelevant thing is not mine to decide, though.

Great band, but it's weird that they're as popular as they are. They really are strange and offputting. I think it's the guys voice that's most alienating. It's just too cock-rock. I'll take At The Drive-In over this any day.