AMPUTECHTURE

Third TMV studio album is quite different from its predecessors. For sure, it still same dready noisy chaotic sound, but ... not so rebelish. I always expect extreme energy from band's early works, it occurs there as well, but on very controlled level. Unusual. All the sound is muddy and a bit polished, what is unusual again. This combination gave a bit strange feeling - it looks that album is too bulky, a bit raw and too extended.

After some repetetive listening, I caught their music deeper there. No, everything is OK, great musicianship, crazy mixes, melodic, even acoustic pieces. In fact - same Mars Volta. But this time all this is placed not on the surface, but under the skin. So, you just must to try harder to understand this album's music. Then you will find everything you expected from true Mars Volta album.

Knowing great band's potential, I evaluate this album still as one of their worst. Not enough concentrated (for 76 min length), a bit too psychedelic, and the sound is only very average. But it doesn't mean that the album is bad. It just not as great as some other their works. Just 3,5, but rounded till 4 ( for one of the greatest heavy prog band of last decade).