The Ramrod Tapes

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The Ramrod Tapes
Compilation album by
the Mars Volta
ReleasedAugust 19, 2013 (2013-08-19)
Recorded2001–2010
Genre Progressive rock
Length80:31
Label Clouds Hill
Producer Omar Rodríguez-López
The Mars Volta chronology
Noctourniquet
(2012)		The Ramrod Tapes
(2013)		 Landscape Tantrums
(2021)

The Ramrod Tapes is an unofficial, leaked compilation of songs by The Mars Volta. The tracks surfaced on the fan forum, The Comatorium, in August 2013, and featured a collection of fifteen demos and outtakes. [1] A user on the forum claimed to have received a private message containing the tracks with instructions to disseminate them online. [2] Many of the songs would go on to be released on Omar Rodriguez-Lopez solo albums. [3] [4]

Contents

Overview

In August 2013, months after The Mars Volta had officially been disbanded, a group of fifteen tracks appeared on the fan forum, The Comatorium. [5] [6] The songs range from rough demos and instrumental pieces to near-finished songs that didn't make it onto official releases. [7] Such is the case with three of the tracks. Two of the tracks are instrumental demos of one of the as-of-yet unreleased songs. This piece, unofficially dubbed, "Clouds/Orchestrina," was played during a 2011 Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group show. [8] [9] Part of the lyrics of another unreleased song, k49, which was given the moniker "Whisper To Your Flinch," were sung by The Mars Volta in a jam during a 2008 show in Australia. [10] Furthermore, another track is a demo of Vicarious Atonement from their previous album, Amputechture. A demo of Molochwalker from Noctourniquet also appears in the compilation. Lastly, four of the remaining eight tracks would appear on Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's 2016 album, Arañas en la Sombra , while the other four are demos of previously released Rodriguez-Lopez songs or songs that would subsequently go on to be officially released on other solo records in his discography. [11] [12]

F39h is compositionally similar to some elements of the extended, live version of Trinkets Pale of Moon, first performed at shows in 2011. [13] [14] [15] F9h0 contains chord progressions similar to parts in Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt.

Qr5' contains a percussion breakdown which was featured on an unreleased recording of Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) from their 2001 debut album, De-Loused in the Comatorium . The instrumental also features a drum track from an outtake of De-Loused in the Comatorium titled A Plague Upon Your Hissing Children. ,14 (Clouds/Orchestrina) contains a chord progression similar to Lurking About In A Cold Sweat (Held Together by Venom), an Omar Rodriguez-Lopez song released on the 2007 album Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo. [16]

Because the tracks were recorded in various sessions many years apart, a number of former members of the band contributed to the songs. Thomas Pridgen, former drummer of the group, commented on Facebook about the collection of leaked demos, “im pretty sure the songs i loved playing on [2009’s] Octahedron that didnt make the record are on there and im excited.” [2]

Regarding the leaked tracks, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, lead singer of The Mars Volta, jokingly stated, "The recent TMV leaks are from a session we did w/ @davidguetta during our residency at Ibiza hot spot RAMROD". [17] [18] Thus, the name, The Ramrod Tapes, was created by fans of the band. The tracks have also been bootlegged under the name "B-Sides." [19]

Reception

Heavy Pop Magazine described the leaked tracks positively, stating that the material is well-produced and can captivate the listener. They describe the tracks as comparable to Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo and note the entertaining aspect of the material's experimentation. [1] Bearded Gentlemen Music gave a positive review of the album, which they stated contains plenty of "gems." They praised ,14 for its melody and chorus and mention Thomas Pridgen's drumming on 98d97 as intriguing. [5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Omar Rodríguez-López, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.",14"
5:07
2."98d87" 4:18
3."cmv8" 3:07
4."dp" 6:05
5."ef4" 3:47
6."eog-3"
  • Bixler-Zavala
  • Rodríguez-López
4:08
7."f39h" 4:52
8."f9h0" 6:53
9."k49"
  • Bixler-Zavala
  • Rodríguez-López
3:32
10."pi4" 5:16
11."qr5'" 6:42
12."s[fqw" 5:38
13."xv8" 3:59
14."y2g"
  • Bixler-Zavala
  • Rodríguez-López
10:36
15."ytj6" 6:21

Notes

Sources: [20] [21] [13]

  1. An outtake from Noctourniquet . The song was called In the Vulpine Clouds
  2. Early demo of Molochwalker
  3. An instrumental demo of Sea is Rising on Unicorn Skeleton Mask and What's Left in You on Zapopan
  4. Instrumental of El Vacio and Piojos Histéricos from Arañas en la Sombra
  5. Instrumental of Truth Blinds Us from Cell Phone Bikini
  6. An outtake from Noctourniquet. The song was called Aneidolon
  7. Instrumental of Un Mar Amargo and Metamorfosis from Arañas en la Sombra
  8. Instrumental of Casate Colmillo from The Somnambulists and Extravagants Dientes from Arañas en la Sombra
  9. Likely outtake from Octahedron
  10. Instrumental of Happiness from Unicorn Skeleton Mask and Reap The Roots, Tandem Happiness, and Fielding Souls from Zapopan
  11. Instrumental of Primitivo Y Barbaro and Semilas De Hez
  12. Earlier demo of ,14
  13. Instrumental of Asco Que Conmueve los Puntos Erógenos
  14. Demo of Vicarious Atonement
  15. Earlier demo of ,14 and s[fqw

Personnel

The Mars Volta

Artwork

References

  1. 1 2 Oliver (August 19, 2013). "The Mars Volta verschenken 15 Demo-Songs". HeavyPop.at (in German). Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  2. 1 2 McGovern, Kyle (August 16, 2013). "Download the Mars Volta's Unreleased, David Guetta-Assisted Demo Session". SPIN. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Omargeddon #11: Arañas en la Sombra". freakytrigger.co.uk. November 24, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  4. ↑ "So Insane!!! 15 Unreleased Demos From THE MARS VOLTA - CVLT Nation". cvltnation.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  5. 1 2 O'Neal, Quinten (August 16, 2013). "New Jams: The Mars Volta B-Sides". Bearded Gentlemen Music. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ "2013 Leak [The Ramrod Tapes]". The Marble Shrine. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  7. ↑ Anderl, Timothy (August 19, 2013). "The Mars Volta b-sides unearthed". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  8. ↑ CasperAames (April 17, 2011). Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group "Clouds/Orchestrina & Vato Negro Jam" . Retrieved September 4, 2025– via YouTube.
  9. ↑ FunkItBlog (April 4, 2011). Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group 4/2/11 track five - Newport, KY @ Southgate House (HD) . Retrieved September 4, 2025– via YouTube.
  10. ↑ Mister F (March 2, 2016). The Mars Volta - 17 June 2008 - Metro City, Perth, Western Australia - Part 3/4 . Retrieved November 25, 2025– via YouTube.
  11. ↑ The Mars Volta (January 1, 2013), THE MARS VOLTA: 2013 leaked demos , retrieved May 1, 2025
  12. ↑ Quietus, The (January 19, 2017). "Omar Rodríguez-López — Ipecac 7 – 12". The Quietus. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "The Mars Volta B-sides Unearthed | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  14. ↑ The Mars Volta - B-Sides, 2013, retrieved December 30, 2025
  15. ↑ Raija Helen (January 10, 2012). The Mars Volta - Trinkets Pale The Moon - Helsinki 2011-07-03 . Retrieved December 30, 2025– via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "Omargeddon #46: Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo". freakytrigger.co.uk. November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  17. ↑ wookubus (August 16, 2013). "Numerous Unreleased The Mars Volta Demos Surface Online". Theprp.com. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ Coplan, Chris (August 16, 2013). "Download unreleased tracks by The Mars Volta". Consequence. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  19. ↑ The Mars Volta - B-Sides, 2013, retrieved December 31, 2025
  20. ↑ "2013 Leak [The Ramrod Tapes]". The Marble Shrine. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  21. ↑ "The 15 Leaked TMV (demos/outtakes/b-sides) Thread - The Mars Volta". The Comatorium. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  22. ↑ mandevm (August 25, 2018). "Omar Rodríguez-López: Arañas en la Sombra". musicalphabet. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
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