Rodriguez-Lopez was nearly on the brink of starting over from scratch, but instead kept on with the recruitment of Robert Carranza as the replacement engineer, along with assistance from Lars Stalfors and Isaiah Abolin. Midway through the recording sessions, Rodriguez-Lopez broke "The Soothsayer" in half and buried it in an undisclosed location as an attempt to undo the curse and halt the unforeseen tragedies, who ended the ordeal by swearing never to give away the whereabouts of its burial, and also asking the band not to speak of it again during the remainder of the album's production.
The song "Soothsayer" contains field recordings that Omar recorded in Jerusalem. The recordings are a mixture from the Jewish quarter, the Muslim Quarter and the Christian Quarter
Recorded and mixed at Ocean Way Studios in Hollywood and Rodriguez-Lopez's home studio in Brooklyn, New York, song material for The Bedlam in Goliath dates back to April 2006 when demos were first written. Without a stable studio drummer after the three consecutive losses of Jon Theodore, Blake Fleming and Deantoni Parks in a single year, the band was introduced to the 24-year-old Thomas Pridgen, whose youthful presence—as described by Bixler-Zavala—had given The Mars Volta new life. Rodriguez-Lopez worked with Rich Costey to finish the album in a three-week stretch, assisted by Shawn Michael Sullivan and Claudius Mittendorfer as editors.
In an interview, Carranza described the recording process for The Bedlam in Goliath stating that no more than three takes an hour were recorded, as a way to soak in what was recorded and to hear the differences, which in turn improved the general mood and atmosphere of the album's creation. Elaborating on the method, Carranza stated that "when van Gogh was around he wasn't just painting, painting, painting. I'm sure he took a step back once in a while. You should do the same when you're recording."
Eventually the band decided in favor of Wax Simulacra as the first single:
“ Originally, the label wanted to introduce the LP with the track "Goliath," but the band wouldn't have it.
" 'Goliath' is about nine, 10 minutes long, and the end of it is so interesting, we didn't really want it to be used as a single," said. "It kept getting butchered and came off really bad.
Bixler-Zavala incorporated themes and names into the lyrics that were taken from messages given by "The Soothsayer", also including excerpts from poems that were found attached to the ouija, describing a love triangle between a woman, her daughter and a man. Each song reinterprets the relationship in some shape or form, and as a good luck charm to counteract the cryptic themes, Bixler-Zavala incorporated elements of the Afro-Caribbean religious tradition Santería into the lyrics as a "protective skin" to protect the band.
The album ultimately serves as an attempt to artistically reverse their perceived bad luck by "setting traps" for the listeners to use as a way to undo what "The Soothsayer" had brought upon the band. To aid the concept, vinyl editions of the album contain the band's own version of the ouija inside the gatefold.
Aberinkula
The Mars Volta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 abhoration 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
[Chorus]
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
[Chorus]
When it calls I'll answer
Do you need to repent?
The 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
[Chorus]
The lyrics of The Mars Volta's song Aberinkula are poetic and complex, with surrealist imagery and a haunting melody that perfectly matches the eerie atmosphere of the song. The opening lines, "Have you seen the living, tired of their own shells, all the non-believers, torso in the well," suggest a world where people are trapped in their own bodies and their sense of individuality is lost. This sense of disillusionment and frustration carries throughout the song, with the singer expressing a desire to break free from these constraints and find meaning in life.
The lines "Am I the one you're after, the novice made to find, stray abhoration stalking, plans that forgot me 99 times" reveal a sense of alienation and confusion, as the singer feels lost and aimless in a world that doesn't seem to have a place for them. The chorus repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the sense of stagnation and hopelessness that permeates the song.
The final verse introduces a sense of inevitability and fate, with lines like "When it calls I'll answer, do you need to repent" suggesting a reckoning is coming. The singer expresses a willingness to face this reckoning head on, even as they acknowledge the futility of their efforts. Overall, Aberinkula is a powerful and thought-provoking work that captures the sense of alienation and despair that many people experience in the modern world.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen the living
Have you witnessed those who are alive
Tired of their own shells
Sickened by the limitations of their own physical bodies
All the non-believers
Those who lack faith and belief
Torso in the well
Their physical remains abandoned in a well
Am I the one you're after
Are you seeking me as your target
The novice made to find
The inexperienced person sent to complete a task
Stray abhoration stalking
An aberration roaming aimlessly
Plans that forgot me 99 times
Actions carried out without regard for me on numerous occasions
The only thing to alter
The lone hindrance to change
Stands in the way of you
Prevents you from achieving something
I want your cramps to fit
I desire to share your suffering and distress
The fillings of my teeth
The substance that gives me power to bite back
[Chorus]
Repetition of the previous four lines
And don't you try and ask me
Do not attempt to question me
Your expiration date
The time until your death
Carry water in a basket
Transporting something fragile and easily spilled
Where the hole was dug the first time
To the place where the initial damage was done
The head that carries the body
The mind that controls the physical form
A blood that flows through veins
The life force that courses through us
[Chorus]
Repetition of the previous four lines
When it calls I'll answer
When summoned, I will respond
Do you need to repent?
Are you seeking forgiveness?
The plans that forgot me 99 times
The strategies that have neglected me repeatedly
I'll stick around for 99 times
I'll endure hardships repeatedly
The fault lines you prepare have darkened
The weak points you create have become corrupt
Blank rings instead of sight
Empty thoughts replace clear perception
Goliath, are you receiving?
Powerful forces, are you listening?
Dismembered, you've arrived
You've been rendered powerless and debilitated
[Chorus]
Repetition of the previous four lines
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: CEDRIC BIXLER, OMAR RODRIGUEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind