You'd better ask Metatron

What can I say about the second track? It's unreal? It's loud? It's incredibly punky and long!

Well, this song runs for 8:11 and it's a roller coaster just about the whole way through. In classic Mars Volta style, the song goes up and down, left and right, then comes full circle with a chorus... wait, a chorus?

As I listen to this album and think back to Amputechture, I'm beginning to notice that a lot of their songs are becoming less progressive, and more structured. This upsets me. Don't get me wrong, the band still builds their songs up with many awesome sections, but adding the chorus sometimes kills the buzz for me, I already know what it's going to sound like, and I don't need to hear it three times in a row - i get it. Next bar.

Enough on that rant - I really love cranking this song - it's so loud and it reminds me a lot of ATDI (but on speedballs). The lyrics in this song confuse the shit out of me but after listening a lot, you begin to find that the words are being spoken by one character - to another. Goliath speaks through the haunted Ouija Board to the band, telling them of his haunted past while demanding forgiveness to rest his soul.

It seems the spirit of Goliath had a wife and daughter, both of which he did terrible abusive and sexual acts with against their will. The beginning of the song mentions her nervous hands and how he demands to touch them. Goliath "blames the shrouding of a lesser man" that he has deceived his family into becoming a pedophile incest rapist. Ew.

The tone of the song then changes, the Ouija Board (Goliath's spirit) begin's warning the band that they should not tell more people about his terrible past.

"Suffocate the inkwell, while I am legion said the pen"

The Mars Volta's pen (lyrics) will become a haunted instrument for Goliath.
Quick note from the bible, when Jesus casts the devil from man, the devil calls himself legion.

Anyways, there is a whole shit tonne of hidden messages in all their music, so I'm going to jump ahead.

Goliath continues to warn the band that if they decide to spread his terrible story, there will be problems for your future. He states:

"Folding wormholes, my time is riding in the alphabet"

His warning that he is moving through the time space continuum, but only via letters on a Ouija board. Whilst being whimiscle and scary, Goliath knows that while the band has posention of the Ouija board, he is their slave and must answer any question asked. Later in the song, he begs them not to tell his filthiest secrets, he's actually a pedophile incest rapist murderer! Double Ew.

After finding out he murdered his own daughter, we learn the it's the reason he's trapped in the Ouija board in the first place, his sins. Unfortunatly he does not remember how he came to this eternal fate, and tells the band:

"You'd better ask Metatron"

Metatron is the name of a God's angel. In other words, only God knows Goliaths full story and his fate. Neat!

Laboratory Analysis: Aberinkula

Well - We've just popped in our favourite new CD; The Bedlam in Goliath.
I plug in my headphones, put them on, and press PLAY.

My volume was cranked from last night's Bedouin Soundclash...

The track explodes, shouting "Have you seen the living?"

Ahh yes, the unsettling sound of a Mars Volta bomb going off inside your skull - the sound of 8 men, expressing themselves to the fullest; using their obscure variety of melody and chaos.

As the opening song, I was surprised that they went full steam straight from 0:01 into the album. In the past, each album has had at least a 45 second interlude/build-up before the Volta bomb drops.

This track was one of the originals that were posted on their official website (with video). I really liked the song, but there’s something missing here. Cedric's voice - while impressive - is still far too whiney for my taste. I much preferred his original style that allowed him to express his range of sounds... this whole album is a little bit linear in terms of voice pitch and creativity. On the bright side of all that - the lyrics are incredibly powerful. The album was allegedly written about a cursed Ouija Board that Omar had purchased for Cedric in an authentic Egyptian marketplace.

After using the board and having some strange predictions come true, the evil from within the object started to overcome the band. Their SFX technician left the band and stole a large number of recording. Their hard drives crashed which caused them to lose a few days worth of recording. And Omar mentioned in an interview that there were many strange things associated to that Ouija Board. To make a long story short, they buried the Ouija Board and vowed never to speak of it again - until they wrote an album about it... (explain that one?)

I really like this first track, it's a hair raiser, exactly what I want my boss to hear when I'm walking into his office (like a wrestlers intro music). I want his hair to get blown back, his face to melt from its bones, and his heart rate to accelerate to match the drums. This would naturally cause massive heart failure, but yeah... that's so metal.

The first song is short - which is great. I've found that in the past, many people are unable to enjoy the music because they're easily turned off by the ever evolving beat. It's extremely difficult to jive with for extended periods (especially when you listen to top40). The new album format has 12 tracks, each one more exciting than the last. This new approach is almost certain to lure new listeners.

What the hell is an Aberinkula? From what I've gathered it's an ancient African drum with some religious significance. That's about as much as I can tell.

The chorus and overall theme of this song sounds like a divine or supernatural entity, trying to free itself from it's physical body.

"Have you seen the living?"
"Tired of their own shells."

The second half possibly speaks to the non-believers of the divine or supernatural spirits in our universe; being picked of their limbs, and condemned to a metaphorical well.

"All the non-believers"
"Torsos in the well"

This is just my take.... feel free to add insight.

Introduction: Aberinkula

Well folks - this album has truly inspired me, much the way the first two albums had. Below are the lyrics from the first track on this album. I re-typed them straight from the albums leaflet.

I decided to start posting lyrics because I noticed it's very difficult for newcomers to really get into the band without smoking a bag of herb. What threw them off was often Cedrics howling voice, but once these people had read along with the song - everything changed from there.

So I am now inviting you to fireup iTunes and read along to Aberinkula!!

Have you seen the living
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well

Am I the one you're after
The novice made to find
stray abberation stalking
Plans that forgot me 99 times
The only thing to alter
Stands in the way of you
I want your cramps
To fit the fillings of my teeth

Have you seen the living
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well

And don't you try and ask me
Your expiration date
The plans that forgot me 99 times
You'll be the one who opens the gate

Carry water in a basket
Where the hole was dug the first time
The head that carries the body
A blood that flows through veins

Have you seen the living
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well

When it calls I'll answer
Do you need to repent
Plans that forgot me 99 times
I'll stick around for 99 times
The fault lines you prepare have darkened
Blank rings instead of sight
Goliath are you receiving
Dismembered you've arrived

Have you seen the living
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well.

What do you make of it ... A little wild huh? I'll give my feedback in my next post - keep on rockin' peoples.

The Bedlam Drops

Well fans, it's that special time of year again. The Mars Volta have officially released their brand new album - and for a true fan, this is better than Christmas, and your Birthday combined.

Some of us managed to get our hands on the leak copy - which was made available roughly 2 weeks before it's scheduled release date. The leak was ripped at 320khz and had everything you needed to dive into its glory. In no way was I disapointed with this album - it's easily top 3 albums of 08' and the year has just begun.

The production value on this album is far more technical than Amputechture. This album was orchestrated by Omar, he hand wrote the music and gave it to each member to master.

Of their four studio albums (aside from the EP), the only album that didnt deliver a 10/10 was indeed Amputechture. It just wasn't as rigid as the fans and even Omar had hoped. The loss of the amazing John Theodore struck fear in the hearts of Volta fans. His tour replacments speed, technicality and creativity, were not as impressive as previous drummers. The live performance was lacking.

I'd like to reference the Toronto show on January 21st at the Phoenix. The bands new drummer Thomas Pridgen brought a hellstorm of bombastic beats that disrupted the natural beat of my heart. I became so wound up, I could feel my heart pumping out of my sternum, delivering so much oxygen to my brain - i almost colapsed from being light headed. In short - this man has filled the missing link in the band, and his beats will spin a web of awesome for albums to come (i hope).

In my next post, I'll share some research about the new drummer, the man, the legend, the young man, Thomas Pridgen.

Welcome to Goliath

Thank you for taking interest in The Mars Volta's fourth studio album: The Bedlam in Goliath. This page was created to fill a void in the community. Check back often - I will update daily.