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)
Meccamputechture
The Mars Volta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Philistine praise
Bottomless pit of empty names
Incarcerated habits poured from the palms
Severing the breast
Dancing on his arms
Beneath those locks
A necklace of follicles with sabertooth monocles
They want a bouquet of black rose gems
Cascading kisses stalactite stems
They went and built a capsule in the cyanide pond
Where the holiest of water would have you to drown
Tomorrow we forget
'Cause now has never left
You gotta find my body
In the mechacontext
You give me a corpse
You live in it now
You're stir from a camp nourishment plows
You give me a corpse
You live in it now
You're stir from a camp nourishment plows
Please dismantle all these phantom limbs
It's the evidence of humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Everyone stabs all the time
Persuasion deflowers your sympathy
Everybody has choosen to help the shovels that bury me
This dirt is turning christ to make repent again
So I've heard
They're cutting all the youngest ones
Said this dirt is turning christ to make repent his lust
So I've heard that the puppet tugs its pull
Please dismantle all these phantom limbs
It's the evidence of humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Everyone stabs all the time
Persuasion deflowers your sympathy
Everybody has choosen to help the shovels that bury me
Nova meat
The prude slit whispers of bovine heaps
Strapped to unearth of mantis flowers
Prunefingers who tug in a zealot's shroud
I will scald supreme truth as it touches this house
I will scald supreme truth
Please dismantle all these phantom limbs
It's the evidence of humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
Humans as ornaments
I will scald supreme truth as it touches this house
I will scald supreme truth as it touches this house
Everyone stabs all the time
Persuasion deflowers your sympathy
Everybody has choosen to help the shovels that bury me
Everyone stabs all the time
Persuasion deflowers your sympathy
Everybody has choosen to help the shovels that bury me
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse
It lacks a human pulse-- don't know for sure now
It lacks a human pulse-- don't know for sure now
It lacks a human pulse-- ah, ah, ah
The lyrics of Meccamputechture by The Mars Volta are complex and seem to touch upon various themes like religion, politics, relationships, and society's obsession with power. In the opening verse, "Amputechture" is a combination of "amputate" and "architecture," which may suggest the destruction of established structures or ideas. The following line, "Philistine praise, bottomless pit of empty names," may allude to the use of religion as a tool for oppression, where people follow blindly, without truly understanding the meaning behind their beliefs.
The lines "Severing the breast, dancing on his arms," seem to describe a violent act, possibly a metaphor for cutting off nurturing and creative impulses and replacing them with aggression and dominance. The next few lines talk about a necklace of follicles with sabertooth monocles and a bouquet of black rose gems. These images may represent the dehumanization of individuals, who are reduced to mere ornamentation or trophies.
The chorus, "Tomorrow we forget 'cause now has never left, You gotta find my body in the mechacontext," suggests the fleeting nature of time and the importance of being present in the moment. The repeated line "You give me a corpse, you live in it now," may signify the consequences of power struggles, where the desire for control ultimately leads to one's own demise.
The second verse talks about persuasion and manipulation, with "everyone stabs all the time, persuasion deflowers your sympathy." This could refer to the cutthroat nature of politics, where individuals are willing to sacrifice morality and ethics to attain power. The last few lines of the song seem to be a rejection of this mentality, with the repeated phrase "it lacks a human pulse," suggesting that the pursuit of power devoid of empathy and compassion is ultimately meaningless.
Line by Line Meaning
Amputechture came
The era of technology and amputations arrived
Philistine praise
Praise given to crude, uncivilized behavior
Bottomless pit of empty names
A void filled with meaningless labels and titles
Incarcerated habits poured from the palms
The negative actions and thoughts we are imprisoned by are constantly displayed through our actions
Severing the breast
The deep cutting out of one's emotions and empathy
Dancing on his arms
Celebrating the loss of stability and support
Beneath those locks Of dirty red hair A necklace of follicles with sabertooth monocles
The singer describes the appearance of the person whom they are talking about, who has a striking appearance
They want a bouquet of black rose gems Cascading kisses stalactite stems
This person desires dark and unusual gifts, with hints of passion and danger
They went and built a capsule in the cyanide pond Where the holiest of water would have you to drown
A metaphor for a trap, setup in a place that seems divine and enticing, but ends up being deadly
Tomorrow we forget 'Cause now has never left You gotta find my body In the mechacontext
Our attachment to things is fleeting, with the present moment never existing for long. The artist asks the listener to find their physical body within the context of technology
You give me a corpse You live in it now You're stir from a camp nourishment plows
If you offer the singer something dead and useless, you must take the consequences of living with it forever
Please dismantle all these phantom limbs It's the evidence of humans as ornaments
The artist is asking for the removal of meaningless attached parts of themselves, revealing the true nature of humans as merely decorations for society
Everyone stabs all the time Persuasion deflowers your sympathy Everybody has choosen to help the shovels that bury me
People are constantly attacking one another, and being swayed by those who seek to gain power. Everyone is complicit in the singer's demise
This dirt is turning christ to make repent again So I've heard They're cutting all the youngest ones Said this dirt is turning christ to make repent his lust So I've heard that the puppet tugs its pull
A critique of the church's corruption and the harms it causes. The singer reports on these events through hearsay
Nova meat The prude slit whispers of bovine heaps Strapped to unearth of mantis flowers Prunefingers who tug in a zealot's shroud
A surreal and disturbing image-- a description of a strange meat and its dark origins
I will scald supreme truth as it touches this house
The artist desires to confront and expose the hidden truths in society
It lacks a human pulse
Something is missing from this situation-- perhaps empathy and emotion
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CEDRIC BIXLER, OMAR RODRIGUEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind