Here's the facts: The Mars Volta are two men with a touring band and regular collaborators, the more high profile of these being Flea and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They used to be in seminal post-hardcore (but not emo) band, At The Drive-In, and their 2002 album 'De-Loused In The Comatorium' was a massive slab of brilliance.

This record follows on from 'De-Loused...' in its semi-conceptual theme, but the fact it's got a concept at all ceases to matter once you start listening to this album. It begins with 13 minute long 'Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus' (another trademark of the Mars Volta is the length of their songs), a funk fuelled train ride of a track.

'The Widow' is the track selected as a "single" (download only as Omar and Cedric despise releasing singles), and at 5:50 long (amazingly still the shortest track present), it's not exactly your average Kylie Minogue number. And damn right it isn't too.

'L'Via L'Viaquez' and 'Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore' carry on the record in its mad journey, almost right into the depths of the minds of these artists, and what contorted and twisted minds these must be to produce such wonderful sound.

Then onto the 33 minute (yes, thirty three fucking minutes) long 'Cassandra Geminni', a fucking trip in musical form if there ever was one. The band claim the only drug they've ever used is crack cocaine, and they gave that up a long time ago. Don't believe them. If someone not on weed can make music this intelligent, twisted yet fucking brilliant and packed with emotion, they must be from another planet.

In addition to this, we will get the eponymous single (released on 7" only according to Omar) which will explain what the hell it's all about. I personally will buy it, but no explanation is needed - the music just speaks for itself.

Another famous purveyor of the prog rock standard were Pink Floyd, and if De-Loused was The Mars Volta's take on 'Meddle' or 'The Wall' being more fitting as they share a conceptual theme, then this is their take on 'Wish You Were Here', 'The Widow' being a central track to compare with the track from the Floyd album. And if the parallels are going to continue, I personally cannot fucking wait to see their Dark Side Of The Moon.

Ollie Connors.