By By Shaun R. Kilroy
The Mars Volta, the most popular progressive band of today, has released a new live album that rivals even Dream Theater, the band that made progressive rock what it is today. The Mars Volta did this, in part, by taking a cue from Dream Theater and going in another direction.
Having seemingly taken a nod back to the powerhouses of the seventies such as Yes, Rush, and of course Led Zeppelin-in addition to their own added flair-the group has forged unto themselves.
The group formed in 2001, when Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala left their highly successful post-hardcore band, At The Drive-In, on the musical whim of Omar, who wanted to try something new. The two schoolboy companions and lifetime musical partners then recruited Ikey Owens of the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, the deceased Jeremy Michael Ward, Juan Alderete of Racer X, and Jon Theodore to complete the musically and ethnically diverse line-up. This diversity can be witnessed in their studio releases of the Tremulant EP, and the full length albums De-Loused In The Comatorium and Francis The Mute, as well as in their two live albums: Live and the most recent release, Scab Dates.
Scab Dates is a musical journey through various live shows. The set consists mostly of extended versions of songs off of the band's first two studio releases. Opening with "Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt," off of De-Loused In The Comatorium, what the listener is in for is almost immediately apparent. What follows is a dizzying, almost two-hour display of musical proficiency and mastery. Their live sound is characterized by Rodriguez Lopez's dazzling effects solos and the creation of entire songs on the spot.
The band then transitions into "Concertina," via the improvisational track, "Caviglia," and then employs the same device to reach their final, "Cicatriz." During this over 40-minute long closing, the band is afforded the ability to throw every musical device at the listener in a successful effort to bring the emotion of the show to its absolute low, and then kick back into a climax so hard that the listener is not able to tell what hit them.This is done through five different sections of the improvisation, the longest being 20 minutes in length, and mostly consisting of sampled effects and clips from the songs. During this time, Cedric's lyrical mastery can also be witnessed, as can Jon Theodore's virtuosic drum solos. But Alderete and Owens' combined mastery of improvisation is what holds the entire show together.
Of course, Lopez is the star of the show, with his inevitable showmanship and connection with the music, which seems to bleed through the speakers and into the mind of the listener. His seemingly random, yet climactic style of play has become a staple of the band's unique and amazingly popular sound.
The CD can be purchased for $13.99 on The Mars Volta's website, themarsvolta.com, and can also be bought in package deals with other merchandise.
Progressive rock band, The Mars Volta are best known for known for their intense, improvised live shows. (Image courtesy mediaeater.com)
