Posted on 07/06/2009
An octahedron is a solid three-dimensional figure with eight plain faces, each one easy to point out, clearly visible and simply identified. Octahedron is also the title of The Mars Volta’s latest recording, and its eight songs are anything but simple to decipher. Instead, listeners are forced to peel back an intriguing onion and push their minds to limits beyond what is heard on the surface. What they will find is a mixed bag — while some of the album’s concepts are easier to digest, others take longer to comprehend and ultimately run the risk of confusing the group’s message instead of letting it ring loud and clear.

Over the last seven years, The Mars Volta has continually pushed the envelope through its experiments with sounds and emphasis on hardcore, progressive rock-n-roll. The band, formed by Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, first hit the music scene in 2002 with its Tremulant EP, a three-song collection of rhythmic jams that garnered critical acclaim for its high-powered, psychedelic twists. After alternating band members, The Mars Volta released the full-length De-Loused in the Comatorium a year later, which officially put the group on the map as one to be noticed. With Octahedron, the band’s fifth album, the sound is stripped down slightly, but still packs a moderate punch for Volta fans.

The album begins with a very quiet, almost inaudible tone that slowly crescendos into the first cut, “Since We’ve Been Wrong.” That track begins modestly with Zavala singing over an acoustic guitar before it explodes into a noisy, moderately-paced record with electric guitars, vivacious drums and thumping bass. Upon the song’s conclusion, that quiet tone from the album’s beginning makes a return, except its slightly louder than the first time it is heard. The pace picks up considerably on the next song, “Teflon,” which sounds eerily similar to something from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, except Anthony Kiedis and Flea are nowhere to be found. At the conclusion of this song, the tone, which becomes the binding agent for the album’s ingredients, makes another comeback and is even louder. Other songs, like “Halo Of Nembutals,” “Cotopaxi,” and “Desperate Graves,” are tailor-made for the mosh pit. The album’s last track, the epic “Luciforms” is more than 8 minutes of frenzied chaos and should make Mars fans feel right at home.

Octahedron is not that accessible, but then again, has The Mars Volta ever released a completely accessible album? Accessibility is a subjective term, and the group’s die-hard fans would probably say that they totally understand the music. Those new to the band will find some of the songs tough to digest, while others are easier to swallow. This recording, with all its nuance and complexity, is better studied on headphones, and not out loud in the house or car. Still, with Octahedron, long-time fans will discover that it’s just another day on Mars.

- Marcus Moore