DE-LOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM

This album is quite extraordinary. For a modern prog band, The Mars Volta is quite popular, and I decided to finally check them out by purchasing this, their most well-regarded album. I wasn't expecting the music to be as chaotic and upbeat as it is, but it's really much better than what I was expecting. No song on the album is really even weak; they all not only serve their purpose of moving the concept along, but they also are all enjoyable to listen to. The Mars Volta blends many influences into one, including many jazzy, latin, and other bits of genres into their music. The result is pretty cohesive, too. I'd say that they sound like a fusion of King Crimson, Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, along with several contemporary influences. Regardless, the music is phenomenal. In the end, because every song is enjoyable, as is the concept which is carried along with ambiguous, possibly even unintelligible lyrics make this a fun album and, in my opinion, one of the best modern prog albums.