The Mars Volta - Scabdates (GSL/Universal)

by
8 December 2005

In the past several years, OMAR A. RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ and CEDRIC BIXLER ZAVALA have gained a newfound following from their days as AT THE DRIVE-IN members, and since the release of Frances the Mute earlier this year, they have been consistently referenced as the re-birth of classic rock grandiosity. While their names aren’t quite as easy to pronounce as Page and Plant, the stunning and almost trance-like effect that their music has on an audience recalls with haunting grace the days of the big rock show, and the even bigger figures on stage.

And seeing THE MARS VOLTA on stage is quite an experience; it is so intense that one may wonder how, on this new record, the true essence of their live shows can be captured with merely 12 songs and no visual component. Considering that these musicians go onstage and play straight for two or three hours holding their audience hostage so to speak with an onslaught of light effects, an array of talented musicians and instruments, and sexualized rock’n’roll expression, it is difficult to assume that Scabdates can hold a candle to seeing the band live.

But for all these legitimate concerns, the record does the band justice for the most part. The quality of the recording is good as far as live albums go, but beware: the ever-increasingly psychedelic forays of the group get extra exposure here on previously unreleased tracks such as “Gust of Mutts,” as well as the far-extended version of “Cicatriz,” from 2003’s De Loused in the Comatorium.

Ultimately, it would have been preferable for this to have been a DualDisc release with some actual footage from live dates, but the record is still a fine example of this remarkable band’s capabilities. Scabdates is a definite must-have for big fans or anyone who truly appreciates their live routine, but for those out there who prefer the less-hallucinatory side of The Mars Volta, it might not be the best choice.

Links:
THE MARS VOLTA

Filed under hard rock psychedelic