The Mars Volta
The Bedlam in Goliath
Label:  Universal / Island 
Date:  28-1-2008
Length:  0:00
Format:  CD
Genre:  Progressive Metal; Symphonic Metal
    Track Listing:
      1.  
      		 Aberinkula    
      2.  
      		 Metatron    
      3.  
      		 Ilyena    
      4.  
      		 Wax Simulacra - Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, The Mars Volta, Lars Stalfors, Isaiah Abolin, Rich Costey, Cedric Bixler Zavala, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Owens, Paul Hinojos, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodgeriguez    
      5.  
      		 Goliath    
      6.  
      		 Tourniquet Man    
      7.  
      		 Cavalettas - The Mars Volta, Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, Lars Stalfors, Isaiah Abolin, Rich Costey, Cedric Bixler Zavala, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Owens, Paul Hinojos, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodgeriguez, Adrian Terrazas    
      8.  
      		 Agadez    
      9.  
      		 Askepios - The Mars Volta, Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, Lars Stalfors, Isaiah Abolin, Rich Costey, Cedric Bixler Zavala, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Owens, Paul Hinojos, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodgeriguez, Adrian Terrazas    
      10.  
      		 Ouroborous - The Mars Volta, Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, Lars Stalfors, Isaiah Abolin, Rich Costey, Cedric Bixler Zavala, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Owens, Paul Hinojos, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodgeriguez, Adrian Terrazas    
      11.  
      		 Soothsayer    
      12.  
      		 Conjugal Burns - Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, The Mars Volta, Lars Stalfors, Isaiah Abolin, Rich Costey, Cedric Bixler Zavala, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Owens, Paul Hinojos, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodgeriguez, Adrian Terrazas, Edwin Artwater, Nathaniel Stookey, Sam Bass, Edwin Huizinga, Charith Premawardhana, Anthony Blea, Owen Levine    
      13.  
      		 Candy and a Currant Bun - The Mars Volta, Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez, Lars Stalfors, Thomas Pridgen, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Isaiah Ikey Owens, Pablo Hinojos-Gonzalez, John Frusciante, Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez, Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales, Cedric Bixler Zavala    
    Additional info: | top
      The music of The Mars Volta is probably fairly routinely dubbed "out of this world", but on The Bedlam in Goliath, you can apparently take that as literal. A loose sort of concept piece concerning Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s dalliances with an ouija board, an occult device using which you contact spirits–-specifically, the titular 'Goliath’, whose pronouncements from beyond the grave inspired a lot of the album’s lyrics-–the fourth album from The Mars Volta finds them carving their particular niche ever deeper. The likes of "Wax Simulcra" are dynamic prog-rock jams characterised by Bixler-Zavala’s high, nasally voice, screaming saxophone, and guitar solos courtesy of Chili Pepper John Frusciante. "Cavalettas", meanwhile, features flourishes of flute. But if you’ve been worrying The Mars Volta’s voyage into the progressive is in some way at the expense of their straightforward energy, say a silent prayer for the arrival of new drummer Thomas Budgen, whose blend of technical prowess and hard hitting energy feels like a real shot in the arm; indeed, segments of "Agadez" could almost be the work of Cedric and Omar’s former band, Texas hardcore ensemble At the Drive In. Now that’s the spirit. –-Louis Pattison