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The Mars Volta

The Bedlam in Goliath  Hear it Now

RS: 4of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2008

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"I'm starting to feel a miscarriage coming on," Cedric Bixler-Zavala announces in a tremulous bark in "Goliath," well into the crowded cerebral-metal violence of the Mars Volta's fourth studio album. It is late warning. Torsos already fly as thick and fast as the wasp-army guitars and rock-slide drumming in the first track, "Aberinkula." Bixler-Zavala and guitarist-producer Omar Rodriguez-Lopez work furiously to achieve prog-rock transgression: compressing dissected time signatures and stammering riffs into seizures that sound like three Mars Voltas going off at once, splashed with the non-sequitur gore of Bixler-Zavala's singing in tongues (inspired this time, the band swears, by lethal spirits conjured on a Ouija board Rodriguez-Lopez found in Jerusalem). Parts of Bedlam seem indistinguishable from the frenzy on 2005's Frances the Mute, and it gets precariously close to nonsense. At one point in "Metatron," Bixler-Zavala appears to be in a different key and headspace from the rest of the Volta. But there is a great leap in the songwriting — closer to classic hard-rock force and melodic drama — that, in "Goliath," "Cavaletta" and the Holy City atmospheres of "Soothsayer," is even more jolting than the weirdness. It doesn't help you get any sense from a lyric like "I am a deaf con of Angora goats." But as Bixler-Zavala crows in "Cavaletta," "If you came here/For semantics/It's only a matter of folding/Time and space/Before I become your epidemic."

DAVID FRICKE

(Posted: Feb 7, 2008)

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Review 1 of 12

tgreid2321 writes:

3of 5 Stars


The music is awesome, these guys are the best of the best in my mind when it comes to prog rock/fusion funk/hardcore..... however I cannot help but compare them to "at the drive in". At the end of the day the driving force behind the start of TMV was Omar and Cedric.... Unfortunately again the latest offering from TMV still doesnt hold up against "relationship of command" for me. Alas if I have to listen to this as new stuff from mars I am still a happy man.

(ps. the epic and capturing songs(ie. long) that I hold dear still belong to TOOL!

Jul 21, 2008 06:35:12

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Review 2 of 12

justinowski writes:

4of 5 Stars


Just very interesting, and saying that knowing the band means alot. You can hear all the pop and hooks the whole way through. Even on a nine minuter. Just great. These guys can do anything, and it is not always what I want to listen to, but when I do it serves great purpose. As always there increasing talent is Missrated at best.

Apr 23, 2008 01:06:31

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Review 3 of 12

emasingill writes:

5of 5 Stars


I don't understand how anyone couldn't think that these guys are the most exciting and talented thing to have come into rock music in the past 10 years (outside of, maybe, TOOL). Everything they put together, even the free form of their music comes together in perfect coexistence with their arranged music. To me, every album they have put out has been amazing. I can't wait for anything else they have to offer.

Feb 28, 2008 20:37:12

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Review 4 of 12

clarkiedude writes:

5of 5 Stars


Absolutely astonishing! The Mars Volta continues to amaze with "The Bedlam in Goliath", their strongest album to date. I've listened to it time and time again on my Zune and--with each listen--I get closer to understanding the mystery behind the riff-heavy masterpieces each song offers. In a world of pre-digested pablum, "The Bedlam in Goliath" is absolutely delicious!

Feb 20, 2008 15:27:21

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Review 5 of 12

TopShelf writes:

2of 5 Stars


A mediocre album at best. The story behind it is intriguing, and supposedly involves a shady encounter with a Ouija board, but it's not enough to carry the album. Zeppelin-esque mystique, duly noted, Bedlam in Goliath isn't anywhere close to this band's masterpiece, Frances the Mute. I can't help but feel there is an ungodly amount of potential with this band, though. Keep trying, guys.

Feb 16, 2008 02:11:24

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Review 6 of 12

AshTrey1 writes:

5of 5 Stars


This is an excellent record. I find it interesting and entertaining to know the story behind the album while listening to it, it makes it more of a story and in terms of concept albums done by the Volta this is the best next to De-Loused. I'm kinda of tired of that comparison that people make of new Volta records against De-Loused. A great album don't get me wrong but I think the reason people love it so much is because it was so fresh and new to them at that time and now they expect the Volta to wow them with another new sound from record to record which is obviously difficult to do which is why we have this rehash bullshit being pumped through the radio waves. The Bedlam in Goliath has so much energy, maybe derived from their new and phenomenal drummer Thomas Pridgen or the fact that Omar said he nearly disbanded the group because of that demonic Ouija board. Whatever it is it sounds great and in my first listen without even knowing the concept of the album you could feel the transformation and felt as though you were seeing the story taking place. This record is very loud and you will discover that after the first track. I think this is the first album the have totally nailed next to De-Loused. In fact it is no my favorite of the Volta. If you love the Mars Volta your gonna love this one, in fact you probably already have it.

Feb 7, 2008 11:39:08

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Review 7 of 12

nowaybac123 writes:

4of 5 Stars


i felt the album was very solid if u ask me. i loved the fact that is was a funky album deffently going to the roots of the P-funk. and the rythem section, thoumas blasting ponding drum beats and fills are memerizing and juans amazing bass riffs where on the dot. but what i relly loved about this album was how it wasent all about omar uselly in volta albums the guitar deffently rise above the rest of the band. not bashing on omar he is probly the best thing since robert fripp i just liked the fact he clamed down and was more focused on persession and the rythem in this album and the band blending together as a whole. but omar stil has crazy riffs and amazing jazz fusion solos that bring u to the heavens and down to earth. and with cedric high pitched vocals and use of crazy effects on his voice it reminds me of the braineacks and with cedric amazing lyicrs and rymeing reminds me of syd barrit. and for thoes of you that only listin to de loced and france the mute open up ur mind and start cheaking out outher artisit like king crimson, bjorke. blonde redhead ,larry harlow. jhon coltrain even dub king lee perry all these artest deffently had a major impact on the volta and the musicget of your ass and stop lisiting to the widow over and over again cause the volta is more then that. and if your still craving sum volta cheak out there dub outfit de facto an amzing mixture of ambient sounds jazz and dub that only cedric, omar ikey owens and jermy ward can make.

Feb 6, 2008 19:17:33

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Review 8 of 12

Zeplike writes:

4of 5 Stars


I personally felt it was a great departure from their last two albums.This album seemed to get right to the music without any real interruptions or filler, which was a strong presence in Francis the Mute and Amputechture. By all means, this is not music for the faint of heart. There are a lot of things going on in the music; your 'average' music listener wouldn't nessessairily be attracted to the sound, at least by first listen. Although it is nowhere near De Loused (I doubt they will get there again) but I feels its a really solid album, and a welcome break from the past 2 releases.

Feb 2, 2008 13:08:30

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