Known for their energetic live shows and concept albums, The Mars Volta formed following the break-up of Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala's previous band, At the Drive-In. Seeking to experiment and expand their sound, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala recruited Gardner, Isaiah "Ikey" Owens (keyboards), Jon Theodore (drums) and Jeremy Ward (sound manipulation) to form The Mars Volta. The band released their debut EP, Tremulant, in 2002, with Gardner leaving the band prior to recording their debut album, De-Loused in the Comatorium. She was replaced by Red Hot Chili Peppers bass guitarist Flea for the sessions. The Rick Rubin-produced album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release in 2003.
The band's second studio album, Frances the Mute (2005), was self-produced by Rodríguez-López and was the first to feature longterm members Juan Alderete (bass) and Marcel Rodríguez-López. The album debuted at #4 on the US Billboard 200 and became the band's biggest commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies in the US and achieving Gold certification from the RIAA. The band's third studio album, Amputechture, was released in 2006 and was the last album to feature Theodore. In 2008, the band released The Bedlam in Goliath, a concept album inspired by the band's turbulent experiences with a ouija-type talking board. The album's first single, "Wax Simulacra" was awarded a Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Hard Rock Performance. The band released its fifth album, Octahedron, in June 2009.
Following the release of their sixth album, Noctourniquet (2012), and a run of reunion shows with At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta entered a hiatus in September 2012. Rodríguez-López subsequently formed a new project, Bosnian Rainbows, and the band formally broke up after disagreements between Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala. The duo repaired their friendship and reunited in 2014 for a new project, Antemasque, and further At the Drive-In tours and recording sessions.
Reuniting in secret in 2019, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala recorded a new studio album, The Mars Volta, with Gardner, Marcel Rodríguez-López and drummer Willy Rodriguez Quiñones. The band announced their reunion – after ten years of public inactivity – with an art installation called L'ytome Hodorxí Telesterion, in June 2022. For the band's live return, jazz pianist Leo Genovese and drummer Linda-Philomène Tsoungui were added to the line-up.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mars_Volta
Studio albums
De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003)
Frances the Mute (2005)
Amputechture (2006)
The Bedlam in Goliath (2008)
Octahedron (2009)
Noctourniquet (2012)
The Mars Volta (2022)
Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon (2023)
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
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
@kago2134
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 aberration 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?
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
Have you seen the living?
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well
@ikerina
The drummer is insane here! One of the coolest songs I found in 2023.
@kago2134
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 aberration 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?
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
Have you seen the living?
Tired of their own shells
All the non-believers
Torso in the well
@MorganTiller
I feel like they have more fun than any other group ever making music videos
@NotQuiteLucid
A metaphor for what their music will do to its listeners.
@deadbeats4894
Metaphor for seeing them live.
@wandirmello6712
I've just showed this track to my 15yo daughter, who's into indie and alternative rock. She just loved it!
@tigerlilly2012
I love the egyptiany/middle eastern sounding riff around 3:30 and that eerie egyptian sound that kicks in at 3:50. great themes in this album and many good sounds like that but so overdone in spots, chorus sounds like an unlistenable train-wreck here, Nocturniquet sounds plain almost like ATDI, it doesnt have the epic fancy hardcore buidups of their greatest works like Deloused etc, the writing is excellent enough though to make up for the lack of amazing soundscapes. Great new toned down songs
@MacroVisionify
This is a new era of good bands like The Mars Volta, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Opeth, Mastodon, etc the music is not dead it's in revival we can resurrect the 70's
@Davathehuttt
Love the whole song. The guitar solo is quite good 3:15
@Itsunclegabby
Also at 3:15
"You're ok."