Amputechture
by The Mars Volta
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 130 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 112 out of 130
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 130
  3. Negative: 11 out of 130

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. CedT
    Oct 6, 2006
    3
    Nothing compared to De-Loused or Frances. Only a few songs that are worth listening to, and Cedric ruins almost every song he sings in. What happened to his ability to sing?
  2. SeanH
    Oct 27, 2006
    3
    Some Catchy riffs here and there, some interesting lyrics here and there, good bass line and drumming comes throuh on a couple tracks, but all told I don't like listening to this album. When theres a good 2 minute part out of an 8 minute long song it just makes you realize that 3/4 of this album is not any good.
  3. john
    Sep 11, 2006
    3
    the mars volta are one of the most overrated bands,their music is a rip off,santana meets glam rock,thats all.you want progressive,don´t listen to copycats,go directly to the source
  4. Tinuva
    Aug 27, 2006
    1
    Dear Observer Music Monthly, Don't ever relate Roxy Music with is overrated crap!! 3 albums and only 1 good song (The Widow). Tinuva
  5. RaubM
    Oct 9, 2006
    1
    This might be the most awfully disturbing wankfest released this decade. I mean, even Frances had more shining moments. Granted, TMV still will blow your mind live, but they can't even make a decent song. My favorite thing ever released by these fellows is still the Tremulant EP, and I'd rather just rock my face off with Arcarsenal, easily one of the best songs ever put out by This might be the most awfully disturbing wankfest released this decade. I mean, even Frances had more shining moments. Granted, TMV still will blow your mind live, but they can't even make a decent song. My favorite thing ever released by these fellows is still the Tremulant EP, and I'd rather just rock my face off with Arcarsenal, easily one of the best songs ever put out by any rock band EVER. Straight up. Vaya was an amazing EP, one of my top 3 EPs ever released. Yet here TMV just wank all over, making certain that the few brilliant moments will be hard to find and buried in each song, at least, when they exist. Why do you think Theodore left? It's gotta suck being one of the best drummers alive in a band that can't find it's way out of a unisex bathroom. Are they musicians amazing? Absolutely. Does that matter? Barely. There's not much to listen to here. Anybody who gives this record more than 5 is fooling themselves into the hype and believing that they're ENLIGHTENED or some crap like that. Look, if you want a solid 10-12 minute song, go listen to Floyd, or like Sonic Youth or even the opener and closer off of the new Yo La Tengo album, they're killer songs. I hate the music The Mars Volta are currently creating.… Expand
  6. JohnD
    Aug 30, 2006
    1
    Does what was, in theory, impossible: makes "Frances The Mute" look good. FTM sucked, but at least it was exciting. Here, TMV spends most of their time showing off. Think "Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore" (track 4 of FTM). Now, think of multiple tracks that sound like it. Like I said about FTM, TMV are talented; they're just terrible at writing songs. Does what was, in theory, impossible: makes "Frances The Mute" look good. FTM sucked, but at least it was exciting. Here, TMV spends most of their time showing off. Think "Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore" (track 4 of FTM). Now, think of multiple tracks that sound like it. Like I said about FTM, TMV are talented; they're just terrible at writing songs. "Meccamputechture" and "Vicera Eyes" are passable, but the rest of the songs needed somebody to run into the studio and yell, "What the hell is wrong with you idiots?"… Expand
  7. GaborA
    Dec 7, 2006
    1
    I used to hate mars volta for what they were, over pretentious art house nerds desperatly trying to redifine "progressive music" but ultimately only embarassing it and themselves. With the new album, though, everything changes. I don't hate them anymore for i cant take them seriously. Amputechture is laughable at best. Either these guys are doing a thesis on how insultingly pompous I used to hate mars volta for what they were, over pretentious art house nerds desperatly trying to redifine "progressive music" but ultimately only embarassing it and themselves. With the new album, though, everything changes. I don't hate them anymore for i cant take them seriously. Amputechture is laughable at best. Either these guys are doing a thesis on how insultingly pompous they can make their music while still retaining the devotion of ignorant college students. Or they have gone insane. Either way, no one should be listening to this.… Expand
  8. TedK
    Sep 28, 2006
    1
    One of the worst releases of the year. I am a huge Mars Volta fan and always have been. Sure, I get tired of their constant name-dropping in interviews but I could always look past it because I knew they had real talent. But this is just plain bad. Imagine Concertina stretched into an 80 minute long song.
  9. tomw
    Sep 11, 2006
    0
    The best new test to the age old question: am I a poser? Best found by answering the question: do I like this album? Nothing reedeming. Talented musicians dissapearing into their own indulgences. They've always sound like they're masturbating... it's just that now, they don't even sound like they're enjoying it.
  10. JamesC
    Sep 19, 2006
    0
    AC/DC on acid.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Most Discussed Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 28
  3. Negative: 3 out of 28
  1. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    This early-Roxy-Music-meets-late Led-Zep-style third studio album finds the band stepping back from total impenetrability with a pithy, eight-song, 76-minute set, guaranteed to restore the faith of those whose confidence in this grand enterprise was waning.
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    60
    It initially seems as if the moments of inspiration between self-indulgences are becoming scarcer. A bracing middle section resuces Amputechture. [Sep 2006, p.89]
  3. Blender
    80
    It’s epic, mercurial, high-impact progressive rock that moves like a whirlwind.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »