Amputechture
Studio album by The Mars Volta
Released	September 12, 2006 (International) September 11, 2006 (Europe) September 8, 2006 (Germany)
Recorded	November 2005 - May 2006 in Los Angeles, California , El Paso, Texas and Melbourne, Australia
Genre	Progressive Rock
Length	76:04
Label	Gold Standard Laboratories Universal Records Strummer
Producer(s)	Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Blender link Kerrang! NME Pitchfork (3.5/10) September 12, 2006 PopMatters link Punknews.org link Rolling Stone link Sputnikmusic link Stylus (C-) September 19, 2006 The Observer link Total Guitar Ultimate-Guitar link
The Mars Volta chronology
Scabdates (2005) Amputechture (2006) The Bedlam in Goliath (2007)

Amputechture is the third full length studio album by The Mars Volta released on September 12, 2006. The album debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top 200 selling over 59,000 copies in its opening week ^[1]. Image File history File links GSL126_cover_temp_461. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... The Mars Volta is an American rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Ongoing events • Abramoff-Reed gambling scandal • Al Jazeera bombing memo • Avian influenza (H5N1) outbreak • Black sites scandal • Conservative leadership race (UK) • Fuel prices • Irans nuclear program • Jilin chemical plant explosions • Kashmir earthquake • Malawi food crisis • Malaysian prisoner abuse scandal • New Delhi bombings investigation • Niger food crisis • North Indian cyclone... May 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → May 1, 2006 (Monday) Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association outraged Vatican by planning to ordain another bishop, Liu Xinhong in Anhui Province. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In late 1993, while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, Sonny Kay (vocalist for the hardcore punk band Angel Hair) began releasing records by local bands under the label name GSL. The moniker was inspired by the source of the original funds used to finance the first couple of... Universal Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Look up blender in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Not to be confused with the Canadian music magazine Music Express The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a Popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. ... Image File history File links Stars10050. ... A typical example of Pitchforks main page, as of 12-12-06 Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork and occasionally shortened to P4K, pitchy, or pfork,[1] is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ... PopMatters is an international magazine of cultural criticism. ... Image File history File links 4. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links 3. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Image File history File links 3. ... Sputnikmusic is an internet website and online community archiving user-stolen compact disc reviews and music-related spam articles. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... This article is about the online music and film magazine. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Total Guitar is a monthly magazine in the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links 2. ... The most retarded, obnoxious, immature piece of shit on www. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... The Mars Volta is an American rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. ... Scabdates is the second official live recording from the band The Mars Volta. ... The Bedlam in Goliath is the forthcoming 4th album by The Mars Volta and is scheduled for a fall release. ... The Mars Volta is an American rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Billboard 200 is a listing of the 200 highest selling music albums in the United States, published weekly in Billboard magazine. ...

Overview

Production

The album was recorded in Los Angeles, CA, El Paso, TX and Melbourne, Australia in late 2005 and early 2006. It was produced by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and mixed by Rich Costey. Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... Melbournes CBD has grown to straddle the Yarra River in three major precincts. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rich Costey is a record producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked with many bands including Muse, Franz Ferdinand, The Mars Volta, Doves, Bloc Party, Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Supergrass, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Philip Glass, Mew, Dave Navarro, Fiona Apple and Mastodon. ...

Although most of Amputechture was newly recorded, the band also incorporated older material into some of the album's tracks. "Viscera Eyes" evolved from a song originally written by Omar and Cedric during the At the Drive-In era. ^[2] "Day of the Baphomets" uses lyrics and melody from "A Plague Upon Your Hissing", an un-released song originally recorded for De-Loused in the Comatorium. ^[3] At the Drive-In was an American band from El Paso, Texas that existed from 1993 to 2001. ... De-Loused in the Comatorium is the first LP and concept album by the progressive rock band The Mars Volta. ...

In early July of 2006, the track "Viscera Eyes" was officially released on the band's MySpace page. On July 13th, the band also posted a link to a stream of the song in full on their website. Soon after, the full version of "Viscera Eyes" on the MySpace page was replaced by a radio edit running at 4:21. "Viscera Eyes" was also confirmed to be the first single from this album. Viscera Eyes is the first single from the album Amputechture by The Mars Volta. ... MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos. ...

This album is the band's first studio recording with former At The Drive-In bandmate Paul Hinojos and is also the last with drummer Jon Theodore. ^[4] Paul Hinojos (born on July 17, 1975 in Los Angeles, California) was first introduced to the mainstream music scene as the bassist of the highly influential band At the Drive-In from El Paso, Texas. ... Jon Theodore Jon Theodore (born December 1, 1973) is a drummer, formerly a member of The Mars Volta. ...

Themes

Amputechture marks the first time The Mars Volta have created an album without a single unifying narrative. According to the band's website^[5]:

The essential creative process remained the same: Omar creating the music (including the horn sections) for Cedric to lyricize — but this time with the freedom to document unrelated stories, vignettes, inside jokes, various people, events, and memories. All in all, Cedric likens the experience alternately to the compartmentalized episodes of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, or the disparate plotlines of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks - storylines not necessarily linear or in any way connected, but all told in the same voice. Rodman Edward Rod Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, most famous for his science fiction anthology television series, The Twilight Zone. ... Night Gallery was Rod Serlings follow-up to The Twilight Zone, airing on NBC from 1970 to 1973. ... David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana) is an American filmmaker. ... Twin Peaks is an American Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody and Golden Globe-winning serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, which first aired in the United States on April 8, 1990 and ended on June 10, 1991. ...

Also, in an MTV interview posted on July 25th^[6], Cedric Bixler-Zavala said inspirations for the album were very diverse, ranging from the recent U.S. immigration marches to the news stories of possessed nuns. As far as the concept of the album, storyline, and overall mood has to go, Cedric Bixler-Zavala had this to say during the interview: MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

"This album's a commentary about the fear of God instead of the love of God, which goes hand-in-hand with Catholicism...To me, religion is the reason there is so much conflict in this world, and I think it's just so unnecessary to believe in this blue-eyed, white-bearded, white-haired God. Amputechture is my personal way of describing enlightenment, or just the celebration of this person who is a shaman and not a crazy person. It's about the pineal gland and how it has certain elements that mimic a DMT experience, and how we can come up with cures for cancer and AIDS if we're more in tune with what's going on in the rainforest." Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      As a Christian ecclesiastical... The pineal gland (also called the pineal body or epiphysis) is a small endocrine gland in the brain. ... Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), also known as N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a psychedelic tryptamine. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ...

Bixler-Zavala explained the lyric writing process to "Time Off"^[7]:

"Sometimes the lyrics come easily, other times I have to work quite hard. When I’m starting off actually singing on a song and I’ve never heard it before, I just do a whole take of gibberish. Just kind of mumbling fake words - because what’s more important is the intent of the feeling that you get with the melody, and if it’s the right one.

It shouldn’t really be that important what the word is, so later I’ll try and fit words to the gibberish I did, because I think the gibberish is a lot more honest than the words - so I’m just trying to put clothes onto something that’s naked. It’s easier to just put clothes onto something that’s naked and just say ‘Yeah, that’s what I meant’, when everyone else seems to come up with a better interpretation than what I intended.

"And sometimes some of that gibberish is retained in the final product. There’s a lot of the stuff on ‘Tetragrammaton’ that Omar didn’t want me to repeat because he just liked the first scratch take of it. Some of it I cringe at, because it sounds so rough and scratch, and I’m really all over the place as far as hitting the right notes. So sometimes we’ll go in and alter it later in mixing with some effects that’ll kind of hide that, or amplify it even more and make it seem like an intentional fuck-up. Sometimes we believe in the creed that you should honour your mistakes as hidden intentions!"

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has stated that the word "Amputechture" (a portmanteau of amputate, technology, and architecture) was coined by the late Jeremy Michael Ward. Omar stated in an interview with Switch Magazine: A portmanteau (IPA pronunciation: ) is a word or morpheme which fuses two or more words or parts of words to give a combined or loaded meaning. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

"That word has been with us for a long time, and we wanted to use it for something very important. For us, this third record is very important and...I don't know exactly what it does mean, but the sound of the word makes us feel good."

It should also be noted that the liner notes of The Mars Volta's previous album Frances the Mute feature a credit for "Amputekthure" under the "published by" credits, Cedric Bixler-Zavala's name under the ASCAP corporation. Frances the Mute is the second studio album by progressive rock band The Mars Volta released in the US on March 1, 2005. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is an organization known as a collecting society that protects intellectual property, ensuring that music which is broadcast, commercially recorded, or otherwise used for profit, pays a fee to compensate the creators of that music. ...

Artwork

Unlike The Mars Volta's first two albums, Amputechture contains no original artwork; the background of each page in the album booklet is simply a section of Jeff Jordan's "Big Mutant". In addition the CD art itself is "Dwarf Dancing", also by Jeff Jordan. Jeff Jordan is an American surrealist painter. ...

Track listing

1. "Vicarious Atonement" – 7:19
2. "Tetragrammaton" – 16:41
3. "Vermicide" – 4:15
4. "Meccamputechture" – 11:02
5. "Asilos Magdalena" – 6:34
6. "Viscera Eyes" – 9:23
7. "Day of the Baphomets" – 11:56
8. "El Ciervo Vulnerado" – 8:50

Viscera Eyes is the first single from the album Amputechture by The Mars Volta. ...

Notes

1. Vicarious Atonement is the theory that the atonement of Jesus Christ was legal in God's eyes and that Jesus died in the place of the humans that sinned.
2. Tetragrammaton is a reference to the 4 letter name of the Hebrew God, that being יהוה, or YHWH.
3. Vermicide is any substance used to kill worms, especially those in the intestines, or the act of killing worms.
4. "Meccamputechture" is a portmanteau of amputate, technology, architecture, and Mecca (the holiest city in the Islamic faith).
5. "Asilos Magdalena" is Spanish for 'Magdalen Asylums. It could be perceived that this spelling is grammatically incorrect; the correct Spanish being "Asilos Magdalenos", but this alteration was intentionally included by the band.
6. Viscera refers to internal organs, namely intestines, which were often used in fortune-telling rituals by ancient Roman priests.
7. A Baphomet is an object used for idolizing, also confused with popular representations of Satan.
8. "El Ciervo Vulnerado" is Spanish for 'The Wounded Shepherd.' In Spanish 'ciervo' and 'venado' are the words for 'deer' although the context differs in the form in which it is being used. Ciervo, in this case is being used as 'pastor', or 'shepherd'. In the Reina-Valera 1960 Edition of the Holy Bible, Jesus is referred to as 'El Ciervo que fue vulnerado' or the 'Shepherd who was wounded'.

For other uses, see Atonement (disambiguation). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that Yahweh be merged into this article or section. ... The Tetragrammaton in Phoenician (1100 BC to 300 CE), Aramaic (10th Century BC to 0) and modern Hebrew scripts. ... Vermicide is set to be the first single released from The Mars Voltas new album, Amputechture. ... A portmanteau (IPA pronunciation: ) is a word or morpheme which fuses two or more words or parts of words to give a combined or loaded meaning. ... Partial hand amputation For the song Amputations by Death Cab for Cutie, see You Can Play These Songs with Chords Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma (also referred to as avulsion) or surgery. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... Architecture (from Latin, architectura and ultimately from Greek, a master builder, from αρχι- chiefs, leader , builder, carpenter)[1] is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Magdalen Laundry in Ireland, c. ... In anatomy, the viscera are the internal organs of an animal, in particular the internal organs of the head, thorax and abdomen. ... Baphomet, by Eliphas Lévi. ... For other uses, see Satan (disambiguation). ... The Reina-Valera, published in 1569 and nicknamed the Bible of the Bear, was the first complete edition of the Bible in the Spanish language, published in Basel, Switzerland. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Personnel

Amputechture features almost a dozen artists, including Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante who is featured on every track except "Asilos Magdelena." The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: ) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and musician. ...

• Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Producer, Lead Guitar
• Cedric Bixler-Zavala - Vocals
• Jon Theodore - Drums
• Isaiah Ikey Owens - Keyboards
• Juan Alderete - Bass
• Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez - Percussion
• Paul Hinojos - Sound Manipulation
• Adrián Terrazas-González - Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
• John Frusciante - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar
• Sara Christina Gross - Saxophone on "Meccamputechture"

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Jon Theodore Jon Theodore (born December 1, 1973) is a drummer, formerly a member of The Mars Volta. ... Isaiah Ikey Owens Isaiah Ikey Owens is the keyboardist in The Mars Volta, and was a member of Cedric Bixler Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopezs side project, DeFacto. ... Juan Alderete, circa 2001. ... Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez performing with The Mars Volta Marcellus Rodriguez-Lopez is a multi-instrumentalist musician. ... Paul Hinojos (born on July 17, 1975 in Los Angeles, California) was first introduced to the mainstream music scene as the bassist of the highly influential band At the Drive-In from El Paso, Texas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: ) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and musician. ... Radio Vago is a Los Angeles, California based rock band currently signed to Buddyhead records. ...

External links

• Interview - From The Henry Rollins Show, discussing the album.
• TheMarsVolta.com - Official website
• Official MySpace
• Big Mutant by Jeff Jordan - Full version of the cover art

The Henry Rollins Show is a weekly talk show hosted by Henry Rollins on the Independent Film Channel (IFC). ...

References