The Mars Volta has completed Octahedron, their fifth full-length album, marking the band’s second in the last two years.
Octahedron marks their escape from an evil Ouija board purchased in Israel, a gift for vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, who helped line the tracks for The Bedlam in Goliath.
The band does not have a set story to follow, such as their Frances the Mute, but their musicianship and lyrics do not stray from the issues they have tackled in the past.
‘Teflon’ is a metaphor for a immaculate government, where no criticism can ‘stick.’
The song ‘Nembutal’ is named after a drug similar to cyanide used in recent executions in China.
The album started out as a concept, but as Zavala said in an interview for Web magazine Drowned in Sound, it did not work.
‘I thought (Octahedron) was going to be, but never really got around to writing about anything in particular. Just a lot of instant song composing and regular themes that I wouldn’t even want to elaborate on ‘hellip; kidnappings, vanishings (and) ‘what if’ scenarios,’ Zavala said.
The frightening knowledge of humans’ immortality is a major theme of Octahedron. It is undeclared whether this is a break for the band.
History has shown they won’t keep fans waiting. Most were sad to see the previous musical endeavor, At the Drive-In dismantled, but it only opened a space for The Mars Volta to experiment with new sounds and musical ingenuity.
The band has also released two singles from Octahedron in preparation for next month’s U.S. tour. These songs can be found at http://www.themarsvolta.com
‘Since We’ve Been Wrong’ is a ballad straight from the ’70s that walks a line normally crossed with their cosmic jazz melees.
The band is surprisingly and pleasantly mellow as in previous single ‘Televators’ from De-Loused in the Comatorium.
‘Cotopaxi,’ is more like their normal sound. The song features frantic colliding chords mixed with hints of Latin music and takes on new forms as it progresses.
The group has etched out a reputation as one of the most progressive bands of ourgeneration. No album is duplicated and no songs are left wading in the shallows. Octahedron stays true to The Mars Volta, and fans will not be disappointed.
The album was released June 23 and is available on iTunes.
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The Mars Volta
Octahedron
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Verdict: Keeping it real, pleasant to the ears.
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