De-Loused in the Comatorium | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 24, 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2002–2003 | |||
Studio | The Mansion, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 60:51 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
The Mars Volta chronology | ||||
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Singles from De-Loused in the Comatorium | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
De-Loused in the Comatorium is the debut studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta,released on June 24,2003,on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Based on a short story written by lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and sound manipulation artist Jeremy Ward,the concept album is an hour-long tale of Cerpin Taxt,a man who enters a week-long coma after overdosing on a mixture of morphine and rat poison. The story of Cerpin Taxt alludes to the death of El Paso,Texas artist—and Bixler-Zavala's friend—Julio Venegas (1972–1996).
Co-produced by Rick Rubin and guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López,it is the only studio album to feature founding member Jeremy Ward,who was found dead in an apparent heroin overdose one month before the album was released. Following the departure of Eva Gardner who had appeared on the band's early demos and EP,Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea performed on De-Loused.
The music contained in De-Loused is distinguished by its enigmatic lyrics,Latin and jazz rhythms,and Rodríguez-López's frenetic guitar riffs,which are often strongly dissonant. The title of the album is taken from the lyrics of the song "Eunuch Provocateur" on the band's previous release, Tremulant (meanwhile,"Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" contains the title of Tremulant). The cover artwork is by Storm Thorgerson.
Two songs from the album,"Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" and "Cicatriz ESP",first appeared in 2001 as the band's very first demo recordings with bassist Eva Gardner and drummer Blake Fleming;notably,the early version of "Cicatriz ESP" (then known as "Cicatrix") was slower and much shorter (4 minutes) than the album one (at 12 minutes being the longest track on the album).
The album is a progressive rock [3] [4] and art rock [3] album that also incorporates influences from psychedelia, [5] Latin jazz, [6] heavy metal, [6] punk rock [5] and blues rock. [5]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 82/100 [7] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [8] |
The Guardian | [9] |
Los Angeles Times | [10] |
NME | 9/10 [11] |
Pitchfork | 4.9/10 [4] |
Q | [12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Spin | A [5] |
The Village Voice | C+ [14] |
De-Loused became,both critically and commercially,the band's biggest hit,eventually selling in excess of 500,000 copies despite limited promotion,and was featured on several critics' "Best of the Year" lists.[ citation needed ] The album was ranked number 55 on the October 2006 issue of Guitar World magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar albums of all time. [15] "Drunkship of Lanterns" was named the 91st best guitar song of all-time by Rolling Stone . [16]
As of February 2007 it had sold 434,000 copies in the United States. [17]
As of June 2016,the album had a score of 82 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "universal acclaim". [7] Alternative Press gave the album a perfect score of all five stars and said it "takes multiple listens to absorb,and,even then,you're probably not going to have a clue to what Bixler's raving about." [7] Yahoo! Music UK gave it a score of eight stars out of ten and said it was "not an album to listen to casually. It insists on taking over your life for an hour,demands a level of concentration rare in rock,amply repays multiple plays." [18] Under the Radar gave the album eight stars out of ten and said that the band "has created the antithesis of ATDI,leaving behind any formula or typicality. What they kept was the fire,the fury,and the passion." [7] Drowned in Sound gave it a score of eight out of ten and called it "truly exquisite and well worth the wait." [19] Playlouder gave it a score of four stars out of five and said,"There are moments of prog rock,jazz fusion and freakydelia in this rush of ideas and if that sounds awful then don't be put off. Instead of the shambolic mess that this kinda influence normally entails Mars Volta have come strictly disciplined." [20] Uncut gave it four stars out of five and said:"Imagine a jam session between King Crimson,Fugazi and '70s Miles. Now imagine it working. That's the Mars Volta." [21] Blender also gave it four stars and said it "Roars like Led Zeppelin,churns like King Crimson and throbs like early Santana." [22] Tiny Mix Tapes likewise gave it a score of four out of five and called it "a very strong debut album for the Mars Volta." [23] Ink 19 Magazine also gave it a favorable review and said it was "definitely worth checking out,but make sure to keep an open mind and check any preconceived notions at the door." [24]
In 2014,readers of Rhythm voted it the ninth-greatest drumming album in the history of progressive rock. [25] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [26] The album was included as number 25 on Rolling Stone 's list of "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time". [6]
All lyrics are written by Cedric Bixler-Zavala with the help of Jeremy Ward; all music is composed by Omar Rodríguez-López, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Son et lumière" | 1:35 | |
2. | "Inertiatic ESP" | 4:24 | |
3. | "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" | 7:31 | |
4. | "Tira me a las arañas" (instrumental) | 1:28 | |
5. | "Drunkship of Lanterns" |
| 7:06 |
6. | "Eriatarka" | 6:20 | |
7. | "Cicatriz ESP" | 12:29 | |
8. | "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed" |
| 4:58 |
9. | "Televators" | 6:19 | |
10. | "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" | 8:42 | |
Total length: | 60:51 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Ambuletz" | 7:03 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" (live BBC session) | 9:29 |
2. | "Drunkship of Lanterns" (live BBC session) | 9:38 |
3. | "Cicatriz ESP" (live) | 16:08 |
4. | "Televators" (live) | 7:18 |
The following people contributed to De-Loused in the Comatorium:
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [27] | 47 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [28] | 74 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [29] | 26 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [30] | 47 |
UK Albums (OCC) [31] | 43 |
US Billboard 200 [32] | 39 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [33] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [34] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López, Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis.
The Mars Volta is an American rock band formed in El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, whose partnership forms the core of the band. The band's current line-up also includes founding member Eva Gardner (bass), Omar's brother Marcel Rodríguez-López, Leo Genovese and Linda-Philomène Tsoungui (drums).
Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a Puerto Rican guitarist and songwriter. He has formed or played in several bands, including The Mars Volta, At the Drive-In, Antemasque, and Bosnian Rainbows. He was the bassist for the dub band De Facto. He has embarked on a solo career, both in studio and in concert, frequently described as experimental, avant-garde, or progressive. He has also collaborated with numerous artists, such as Damo Suzuki, John Frusciante, El-P, Mon Laferte and Calle 13.
Frances the Mute is the second studio album by American progressive rock band The Mars Volta released in February 2005 on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the album incorporates dub, ambient, Latin and jazz influences, and is the first to feature bassist Juan Alderete and percussionist Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez. The album also includes contributions from future saxophonist Adrián Terrazas-González, who joined the band during its subsequent tour.
Tremulant is the debut EP release by progressive rock band The Mars Volta, released on April 2, 2002, on Gold Standard Labs. Produced by Alex Newport, the EP marks the only appearance of founding bassist Eva Gardner until the release of The Mars Volta's self-titled album in 2022. A remastered version of the EP was released on April 16, 2014.
Acrobatic Tenement is the debut studio album by American post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, released on August 18, 1996, on Flipside. The album was reissued by Fearless Records in 2004, along with the band's subsequent albums In/Casino/Out and Relationship of Command, and was re-released again in 2013.
Cedric Bixler-Zavala is an American musician. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the progressive rock band the Mars Volta since its inception in 2001. He was the lead singer and only constant member of the post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, the lead singer of the band Antemasque, and singer and guitarist in the band Zavalaz.
Jeremy Michael Ward was an American musician, best known as the sound technician and vocal operator for The Mars Volta and De Facto.
Randolph Isaiah "Ikey" Owens was an American keyboardist known for his work with The Mars Volta, Jack White and an array of bands from the Long Beach music scene.
De Facto is an American dub reggae band which has included Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodríguez-López, Isaiah "Ikey" Owens and Jeremy Ward.
Scabdates is the second official live recording from the band The Mars Volta. It was released on November 8, 2005 and features music recorded between May 2004 and May 2005 during the tours in support of De-Loused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute. In 2011, NME magazine named it one of the 50 greatest live albums of all time. The "And Ghosted Pouts" section of "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" was used in the film Get Him to the Greek.
Amputechture is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the album marks the final appearance of drummer Jon Theodore, and is the first studio album to feature guitarist and sound manipulator Paul Hinojos, formerly of At the Drive-In and Sparta.
The Bedlam in Goliath is the fourth studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on January 29, 2008, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Motown Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodríguez-López, the album's creation was fraught with strange occurrences after an experience with a ouija that Rodriguez-Lopez bought as a gift for vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala. The album is their first to feature drummer Thomas Pridgen, and the last to include guitarist and sound manipulator Paul Hinojos, wind multi-instrumentalist Adrián Terrazas-González, and keyboardist Isaiah "Ikey" Owens.
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The discography of The Mars Volta, an American progressive rock group formed in 2001, consists of eight studio albums, one live album, two extended plays, and nine singles. The final lineup of The Mars Volta consisted of the two founding members Omar Rodríguez-López on guitar and production, Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals and lyrics, along with Juan Alderete on bass, Marcel Rodríguez-López on keyboards and percussion, and Deantoni Parks on drums.
Cryptomnesia is the debut studio album by El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez, released on May 5, 2009. The album is the first of three albums recorded by the band, and is Rodriguez-Lopez' eleventh record overall. According to Rodriguez-Lopez, the album was "recorded in the summer of 2006, around the same time I did Old Money. It was a very, very fun record to make. I made that record in five or six days."
Octahedron is the fifth full-length studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on June 23, 2009. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records in North America and Mercury Records worldwide. It is the last studio album to feature drummer Thomas Pridgen and guitarist John Frusciante, and the first not to feature contributions from keyboardist Isaiah "Ikey" Owens and multi-instrumentalist Adrián Terrazas-González.
Antemasque was an American rock supergroup formed in 2014 by former members of At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta, Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. Their first album featured Red Hot Chili Peppers's Flea on bass and Dave Elitch on drums. Both Flea and Elitch had previously played with The Mars Volta. Omar's brother Marfred Rodríguez-López eventually joined as a permanent bassist with Blink-182 member Travis Barker taking over drumming duties.
Antemasque is the only studio album by American band Antemasque, released in 2014.
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