AMPUTECHTURE

The opening and closing psychedelic affairs are pretty hard to sit through, mostly because they last much longer than necessary. Other than that, AMPUTECHTURE is a sonic assault on the ears with a very prog-like complexity to it. The songs are generally in the mini-epic to epic range with the ''Tetragrammation'' thing taking the cake at nearly seventeen minutes.

AMPUTECHTURE is much louder, more aggressive and more relentless than many of the classic prog albums from the golden age of prog. ''Tetragrammation'' starts with a bang out of nowhere after the calm ''Vicarious Atonement'', and retains the listener's interest throughout the epic length with guitar squeal-outs, odd-timed ''choruses'', and appropriate dynamic changes. It's in competition with ''Days of the Baphomets'' for the best song on the album as Baphomets has an interesting bass solo at its beginning.

Some fundamental cases of ''stretching a piece too long'' are here with ''Meccamputechture'' and ''Asilios Magdalena'' with noise ambiences that seem to add nothing. ''Vermicide'' is an awkward attempt at something more radio-friendly that gets warmer as you keep trying to listen to it. Cedric's vocal overdubs sound way too chirpy and are annoying at worst.

DE-LOUSED is a better album for starters, but even with its flaws, AMPUTECHTURE sees the Mars Volta at a peak compositionally that aims for the listener's attention.