Type: Album

Label: Warner Bros

Release date: 26/03/2012

 

At the end of last year, the one question every Mars Volta fan wanted to ask Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar Rodriguez Lopez was, when would they be dropping a new album? Such interest in their latest offering was, however, somewhat overshadowed by the announcement in January that their previous outfit – seminal post-hardcore legends At The Drive In – would be reforming. So the arrival of “Noctourniquet” came as a slight anti-climax, even before its release.

This record marks the band’s sixth studio output, double what they achieved with At The Drive In and, compared to its rather laid back predecessor “Octahedron”, has a lot more punch. There is still much fret noodling and cinematic production that hearkens back to the 70s, but for those of us who appreciate it, it’s great to hear the guys sounding how we first remember them. Opening track “The Whip Hand” gives out a powerful blast with both guitars and synths likely to send electric shock waves through an ageing stereo. With “Aegis” comes an unlikely comparison with Radiohead but maybe more because it could benefit from the addition of Thom Yorke’s vocals. Not afraid to experiment further, they throw in a bluesy-esque tune “The Malkin Jewel”, where Cedric showcases his powerful vocal range, proving he really is one of a kind.

As great as the musicianship sounds on the album, this, like a couple of their previous efforts, does need time to grow on you. Progressive music is never an easy genre to tackle but with tracks like “Lapochka” and “Trinkets of Pale Moon”, do we really need the self-indulgent space-jazz music that drags along like a recalcitrant dog? The album is saved by tunes like “Molochwalker”, though, with an ubersound that make it by far the standout track to be heard.

Overall, don’t imagine this is a comeback. It’s pretty standard Mars Volta fare, but even that is far better than 95 per cent of bands of their ilk. Plus it’s nice to see Omar take a break from releasing solo records every few months that sell less than a hundred copies. Although this album may not be cherished by some of the purist among their fanbase, it still sits comfortably alongside the rest of their discography and if you still don’t like it, well there’s always “ Relationship Of Command”, I suppose…

 

 

 

 Album Rating: 7/10
 FFO: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead