Artist of the Day: The Mars Volta

Have we covered The Mars Volta here before?  Perhaps, and that shouldn't be surprising, considering the avid fan base that the prog-rockers have accumulated.  Hell, this writer even considers them to be a favorite band of his, as they were pivotal in driving him towards one of his favorite hobbies--music.

And it is with a heavy heart that this very writer pens "The Mars Volta on hiatus," a handful of words he hoped he'd never have to write.  While they were only active for a decade, they leave a huge crater in the music world.  Rarely can a band be so off the wall and unapproachable, yet be so loved.  With roots starting in post-hardcore, the band quickly changed up their sound into a more progressive delivery.  With an insane amount of members, The Mars Volta always sounded huge.  Strings, brass, and a myriad of percussion create a bombastic sound that channels salsa, rock, and psychedelic into one beautiful modge podge.  Always challenging, the band released albums that nearly wore on one's patience, with wild concepts and long run times.  However, the fervent "catchiness" and complex writing always made it worth it.  Added to that, mastermind Omar Rodriguez Lopez always reserved his most brilliant production skills for each of the band's six albums.

The word hiatus is much more hopeful than a break up, but the band is tight lipped on getting back together.  And while Noctourniquet was a lovely album, it didn't feel like the swan song it should have been.