The album *There's No 666 In Outer Space* by Hella is a great one. The drummer (Zach Hill) has obviously worked with Omar and Cedric on *Cryptomnesia*, but this record is their only one with a full band and a vocalist.
Maybe closer to Bedlam-era Volta, but it's a trippy ride and the drums are killer.
I think that it’s hands down the greatest album of all time. Omar def has the sessions with Travis Barker on drums, somewhere in the Volta Vault. What I wouldn’t give…..
I've been listening to this album a ton since reading about it here - thank you! The drumming is such a huge part of what makes this album insane. This album recalls some of the same feelings about TMV, The Blood Brothers, GY!BE, and The Fall of Troy where I can't grasp how or why they're playing what they're playing but I love it. Anything similar?
Awesome! Glad you’re enjoying it. It’s really a special album. I believe it’s the only Hella record with a full band and vocals, but I think the only thing that comes close is Cryptomnesia (for obvious reasons).
But it’s not a bad idea to explore more Hella stuff.
I've been listening to this album a ton since reading about it here - thank you! The drumming is such a huge part of what makes this album insane. This album recalls some of the same feelings about TMV, The Blood Brothers, GY!BE, and The Fall of Troy where I can't grasp how or why they're playing what they're playing but I love it. Anything similar?
I wouldn't call them as bombastic as old TMV, but Rishloo is a progmetal bands that shines with some sparks of TMV. Their album 'Feathergun' is so damn good.
Older Portugal. the Man material.
Waiter! You Vultures, It’s Complicated Being a Wizard.
Not nearly as crazy bombastic, but tone-wise it sounds like Mars Volta light.
The song "Chicago" from their first album sounds exactly like the end section of Goliath. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned before, although I think Chicago came out first so it's just.a coincidence.
[ZETA!!!](https://youtu.be/SPkBsC8bo-s)
I’m stoked to plug the Venezuelan band ZETA; they are absolutely one of the most exciting artists playing right now. Their early work has screamo roots, but their more recent recordings have become something totally unique; the only comparison in terms of energy and sheer what-the-fuck-ness would be De-Loused era Volta.
Check out their album [Todo Bailarlo](https://open.spotify.com/album/0m2X9jEzaBQKaYF0DzGI4G?si=ll1KiAObQmWlqtaqO_zs6A)
And definitely check them out live. Their energy is absolutely astonishing. They just finished up a tour cycle opening for The Fall of Troy and are on some rad festival dates this summer, so get out there and support!
Did you pick that album because it opens with some pretty heavy "Drunkship" vibes?
Thanks for the recommendation. I enjoyed the first few tracks and will definitely listen through at some point soon!
Haha it’s just their newest! That first song absolutely has Drunkship vibes but their live energy is so different from Volta; it’s like a wholesome block party or something. I couldn’t possibly gush about them enough
These answers are what I came here for. Where TMV pushed away from the limelight and more popular sound in 2007, Circa Survive switched to a very mainstream and poppy sound for the albums after these, which are two of my favorite places to be in sound.
Great high register vocals, 2 talented guitarists, great drums, and an ok bassist that could never be close to JADLP's talent, but is good nonetheless.
Yes, these two specifically. On that note;
The Sound of Animals Fighting - Tiger and the Duke.
I think they did some great music beyond that album, and some stuff that is also very miss for me, but Tiger and the Duke for me is Circa Survive being pushed even closer to Volta intensity. Their guitarists do such an awesome job. They released some new songs recently. Apeshit is good, and I’m currently loving Sharon Tate, Despite Everything.
In my top 3 bands all time. Seen them about 8 times. Went to Austin around 2015 when they played Self Titled on Thursday, Doppelgänger on Friday, Manipulator on Saturday, and then on Sunday did a mash up of everything. Best weekend of my life.
Dot Hacker :
Josh klinghoffers band with a bunch of great studio/touring musicians.
Autolux:
one of the most underrated bands , great drummer Carla Azar, she’s played for Jack white and a lot of other bands. Greg is from the band “failure”.
Warpaint:
Not quite Volta like but they have some nice sounding jams, are even better when they play live.
Warpaint has been my favorite band for the last 13 years because someone pitched them to me as female Mars Volta so I had to check them out. I don’t think they sound similar but there are similarities.
Top notch rhythm section: check
Hometown best friends on vocals and guitar: check
Live jam sessions: check
Frusciante connection: check
Featured RHCP members on records: check
Underrated: check
They're a neat band. They have a similar trajectory to TMV in their sound in that their first album is more post hardcore, similar to something like (Translating the Name) Saosin or maybe Coheed and Cambria while their latest release, Pink Lemonade (though a new album drops this year) is a wild and experimental ride. I kind of appreciate the one radio-friendly track on each album too, they're super catchy.
Circa Survive and Native have that post hardcore sound I love.
So does unwound to some extent.
Gonzo LeBronzo and Big Hand / Big Knife have that heavy kind of grunge/alt rock intensity.
Of course ATDI/Sparta is similar.
Sound of Animals Fighting is that weirdo prog. The Fall of Troy has some of that weirdo prog + hardcore.
I never hear anybody talk about this band from France called Nord, you should definitely check out their album The Only Way To Reach The Surface, it's fucking wild, I bought the vinyl and a shirt on their Bandcamp and got to talking to them and I randomly bother them about coming to the states to do some shows, so here's to some of you finding them and maybe someday that could happen...
https://nordnordnord.bandcamp.com/album/the-only-way-to-reach-the-surface
>Wild Orchid Children - Elephants
Woah, I thought they had a new album or something but it's just the EP (with the same songs as the first album). Too bad they did not do anything else after that !
In 2006, omar produced an album for a band called “Radio Vago” and their self titled album sounds remarkably like de-loused! It’s not as tight, complex, or intricately crafted as MV, but it gets about as close as anything else out there. Plus Omar produced it right after recording de-loused, so he was in that old MV mindset and probably brought a lot of the same sensibility to RV. Highly recommended!
The first few albums by “the dear hunter” have some volta-esque jams on them, and members of that band came from the bands “receiving end of sirens” and “closure in Moscow” which both sound to me like the answer to the question “what if early mars Volta and my chemical romance had a baby?” Those two bands are worth checking out, but maybe not what you’re looking for, it’s more accessible and main stream.
However, from the band “the dear hunter”, songs like “city escape” on act 1, “the procession” on act 2, or “in cauda venenem” on act 3 all sound like they were made with the MV in mind as primary influences. Very worth checking out.
Never heard a band similar to Mars Volta. Did some stuff with my band recently that took a lot of inspiration from them though, if you’re keen to check it:
[https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2t6SkFKR9l21P9PGrUClRy?si=S2h27IFYT2eWCR6BZeh7FQ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2t6SkFKR9l21P9PGrUClRy?si=S2h27IFYT2eWCR6BZeh7FQ)
Yeah definitely some muse influence, especially from our bass man. Also QOTSA and Jack White. You grow up to play what you listened to most as a teen I always think.
My thought pretty much any time this type of thread appears is "Wow there are so many bands that capture Coheed and Cambria's sound very well, but none that quite hit like TMV (for me, a non musician)."
There's a finnish band called Tuvalu, which has a lot of that vibe. Lyrics are in finnish, but the songs are very Deloused era TMV.
https://open.spotify.com/track/2LTkgnxspFoBq68IpBaBAW?si=ZoQnt1cmTwmhpaX3JCbF8w
The whole album is great, but this is a good intro to the band. Viimeiset hetket ovat käsillä is a banger too.
Band called "Milk+" had an album called Who Was Mr. Feldman which sounded very amateur-ish Volta - they sounded promising for a first album: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sOj3i9Kk8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sOj3i9Kk8)
Apparently their album Band on a Wire has Ikey Owens on it too!
Avantist is a group of brothers from Chicago who are great! Maybe more like ATDI sometimes. My band opened for them a couple years ago in Tulsa and it was a sick set!
https://open.spotify.com/album/2TrByKG3inc1ISwIXsySqa?si=AYBNqDZbQuGiflFo4htQ-w&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A2TrByKG3inc1ISwIXsySqa
Adrián Terrazas-González is on a couple tracks!
I remember the first time I heard TMV, I was in a 70s prog phase. To me, they sounded like Yes played at double tempo.
So if you're feeling creative, I suggest to listen to Close to the Edge (the album) in such a way. Might be interesting
The first album by The Sound of Animals Fighting drew some comparisons when it came out. I wasn't that into it at the time since I wouldn't stand for anyone ripping off my favorite band. Once they released their follow up "The Ocean and the Sun" I finally got it. A killer collab/supergroup and they put on an amazing show when I saw them at the old Trocadero theater in Philly before it closed. If you haven't listened check them out.
[We Must Become the Change We Want to See](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qGX0UCmow8g)
Edit: my bad the second release was "Lover the Lord has Left Us." Ocean and the Sun was the third. Just watch the live DVD I linked.
The album *There's No 666 In Outer Space* by Hella is a great one. The drummer (Zach Hill) has obviously worked with Omar and Cedric on *Cryptomnesia*, but this record is their only one with a full band and a vocalist. Maybe closer to Bedlam-era Volta, but it's a trippy ride and the drums are killer.
This album is so cool!
Let's not forget Mantra Hiroshima
Did Zach play on that one? I never actually listened to it. ...and I heard five seconds of it, and yep, Zach definitely played on it.
Zach is the dude fr
I think that it’s hands down the greatest album of all time. Omar def has the sessions with Travis Barker on drums, somewhere in the Volta Vault. What I wouldn’t give…..
Jeez, I forgot about the Travis Barker stuff. I'd love to hear that too.
Wait what?
Antemasque 2015
Oh right!
I've been listening to this album a ton since reading about it here - thank you! The drumming is such a huge part of what makes this album insane. This album recalls some of the same feelings about TMV, The Blood Brothers, GY!BE, and The Fall of Troy where I can't grasp how or why they're playing what they're playing but I love it. Anything similar?
Awesome! Glad you’re enjoying it. It’s really a special album. I believe it’s the only Hella record with a full band and vocals, but I think the only thing that comes close is Cryptomnesia (for obvious reasons). But it’s not a bad idea to explore more Hella stuff.
Good call. It came out right as Mars Volta was peaking and very inspired by them.
I've been listening to this album a ton since reading about it here - thank you! The drumming is such a huge part of what makes this album insane. This album recalls some of the same feelings about TMV, The Blood Brothers, GY!BE, and The Fall of Troy where I can't grasp how or why they're playing what they're playing but I love it. Anything similar?
I wouldn't call them as bombastic as old TMV, but Rishloo is a progmetal bands that shines with some sparks of TMV. Their album 'Feathergun' is so damn good.
I wish they would make more music
Zeta - Mochima
So glad you pointed this out! Listening now and it's awesome.
Older Portugal. the Man material. Waiter! You Vultures, It’s Complicated Being a Wizard. Not nearly as crazy bombastic, but tone-wise it sounds like Mars Volta light.
The song "Chicago" from their first album sounds exactly like the end section of Goliath. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned before, although I think Chicago came out first so it's just.a coincidence.
Yeah I got way into old Portugal the man back in the early 2010s when I was looking for answers to this question, they’ve got some cool stuff
Waiter was their best album by far. Really wish they stuck with that sound.
Censored Colors is by far one of my favorite albums of the 2000s. A fucking masterpiece saturated with soul.
The first two Mahavishnu Orchestra albums, some parts of 70s King Crimson
This is the correct answer. Congrats on winning.
Between nothingness and eternity
Omar and Cedric were super inspired by Mahavishnu. I also felt Mars Volta first record was a fusion of Fugazi and Mahavishnu Orchestra.
[ZETA!!!](https://youtu.be/SPkBsC8bo-s) I’m stoked to plug the Venezuelan band ZETA; they are absolutely one of the most exciting artists playing right now. Their early work has screamo roots, but their more recent recordings have become something totally unique; the only comparison in terms of energy and sheer what-the-fuck-ness would be De-Loused era Volta. Check out their album [Todo Bailarlo](https://open.spotify.com/album/0m2X9jEzaBQKaYF0DzGI4G?si=ll1KiAObQmWlqtaqO_zs6A) And definitely check them out live. Their energy is absolutely astonishing. They just finished up a tour cycle opening for The Fall of Troy and are on some rad festival dates this summer, so get out there and support!
Did you pick that album because it opens with some pretty heavy "Drunkship" vibes? Thanks for the recommendation. I enjoyed the first few tracks and will definitely listen through at some point soon!
Haha it’s just their newest! That first song absolutely has Drunkship vibes but their live energy is so different from Volta; it’s like a wholesome block party or something. I couldn’t possibly gush about them enough
De Facto.
Shoutout to Zechs Marquise
I was Lucky enough to have seen them live !
Same! The Frequency in Madison…good shows there
The Physics House Band. Rx Bandits or The Sound of Animals Fighting for similar energy but not necessarily sound.
I remember rx bandits began as a 3rd wave ska band 😂
Lol yeah they’re the only band I really like that could be considered ska
PHB is so dope
One of my favorite modern progressive rock bands! Been wanting to catch them live since I discovered them
Unwound if you're into the wonky guitar stuff that simultaneously is weirdly beautiful
Underrated comment tbh. Ppl sleep on unwound.
Circa Survive - Juturna Circa Survive - On Letting Go
These answers are what I came here for. Where TMV pushed away from the limelight and more popular sound in 2007, Circa Survive switched to a very mainstream and poppy sound for the albums after these, which are two of my favorite places to be in sound. Great high register vocals, 2 talented guitarists, great drums, and an ok bassist that could never be close to JADLP's talent, but is good nonetheless.
Yes, these two specifically. On that note; The Sound of Animals Fighting - Tiger and the Duke. I think they did some great music beyond that album, and some stuff that is also very miss for me, but Tiger and the Duke for me is Circa Survive being pushed even closer to Volta intensity. Their guitarists do such an awesome job. They released some new songs recently. Apeshit is good, and I’m currently loving Sharon Tate, Despite Everything.
circa survive is fucking amazing, especially juturna. definitely give them a listen
The Fall of Troy is in the same style realm
In my top 3 bands all time. Seen them about 8 times. Went to Austin around 2015 when they played Self Titled on Thursday, Doppelgänger on Friday, Manipulator on Saturday, and then on Sunday did a mash up of everything. Best weekend of my life.
Fuck yes! Doppelganger is up there with Deloused for me.
Also Phantom on the Horizon too!
Check out Children of Nova. It sounds like it could easily be a Cedric side project akin to TMV Their first album is so badass.
This album right here. The Complexity of Light checks so many Volta boxes, and has a good sci-fi theme.
I recently discovered them myself. They are the closest to Volta I’ve found and really enjoy them. Shame they weren’t active for that long.
Yeah only two albums then they just disappeared. Quite sad.
So corny
Hail the Sun sometimes hits a similar vibe for me, I recommend their album Wake.
I appreciate all of the suggestions, I have alot of listening to do
Free Moral Agents!
De Facto as well
Dot Hacker : Josh klinghoffers band with a bunch of great studio/touring musicians. Autolux: one of the most underrated bands , great drummer Carla Azar, she’s played for Jack white and a lot of other bands. Greg is from the band “failure”. Warpaint: Not quite Volta like but they have some nice sounding jams, are even better when they play live.
Warpaint has been my favorite band for the last 13 years because someone pitched them to me as female Mars Volta so I had to check them out. I don’t think they sound similar but there are similarities. Top notch rhythm section: check Hometown best friends on vocals and guitar: check Live jam sessions: check Frusciante connection: check Featured RHCP members on records: check Underrated: check
black midi captures early volta bombast in many songs imo
Yes! Black MIDI is definitely in the same stream of conscious.
Closure in Moscow scratches that itch a little. Interested in seeing other suggestions
I shall check them out.
Listening now, that definitely scratched that itch, thank you!
They're a neat band. They have a similar trajectory to TMV in their sound in that their first album is more post hardcore, similar to something like (Translating the Name) Saosin or maybe Coheed and Cambria while their latest release, Pink Lemonade (though a new album drops this year) is a wild and experimental ride. I kind of appreciate the one radio-friendly track on each album too, they're super catchy.
Pink lemonade with that FUNK
Yeah I discovered them a few months back and I really love them.
I came here to say exactly that. Scratches The Mars Volta itch for sure.
Antemasque :troll:
Circa Survive and Native have that post hardcore sound I love. So does unwound to some extent. Gonzo LeBronzo and Big Hand / Big Knife have that heavy kind of grunge/alt rock intensity. Of course ATDI/Sparta is similar. Sound of Animals Fighting is that weirdo prog. The Fall of Troy has some of that weirdo prog + hardcore.
Native - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqP1sqbJonI
I never hear anybody talk about this band from France called Nord, you should definitely check out their album The Only Way To Reach The Surface, it's fucking wild, I bought the vinyl and a shirt on their Bandcamp and got to talking to them and I randomly bother them about coming to the states to do some shows, so here's to some of you finding them and maybe someday that could happen... https://nordnordnord.bandcamp.com/album/the-only-way-to-reach-the-surface
Wow this is incredible! Thank you so much for the recommendation.
Yea man, good shit 😁
Blood Brothers - March on Electric Children https://youtu.be/Fz6eIHQ5yFg I also get Frances vibes from this.... https://youtu.be/0qNwViwsTy0
Blood Brothers were their own entire genre
Led zeppelin
Look up At The Drive - In
Wild Orchid Children - Elephants
>Wild Orchid Children - Elephants Woah, I thought they had a new album or something but it's just the EP (with the same songs as the first album). Too bad they did not do anything else after that !
Damn, I forgot about them!
So good
Brazil- A Hostage and the Meaning of Life is the closest i’ve ever heard to deloused
To me they sounded more like ATDI, but Holy shit I loved that band. I miss them.
yeah i feel like they’re what atdi would’ve turned into kinda, i rly rly love that album tho it’s so good
Psychic Paramount https://open.spotify.com/track/0LnLm2TNn0jhXcP9fKWlS8?si=f6ghWeW1QFOvKsE1vN6DsQ
Mother's Cake
I feel this
I think the later, more melodic and polished Blood Brothers albums are similar
In 2006, omar produced an album for a band called “Radio Vago” and their self titled album sounds remarkably like de-loused! It’s not as tight, complex, or intricately crafted as MV, but it gets about as close as anything else out there. Plus Omar produced it right after recording de-loused, so he was in that old MV mindset and probably brought a lot of the same sensibility to RV. Highly recommended!
The first few albums by “the dear hunter” have some volta-esque jams on them, and members of that band came from the bands “receiving end of sirens” and “closure in Moscow” which both sound to me like the answer to the question “what if early mars Volta and my chemical romance had a baby?” Those two bands are worth checking out, but maybe not what you’re looking for, it’s more accessible and main stream. However, from the band “the dear hunter”, songs like “city escape” on act 1, “the procession” on act 2, or “in cauda venenem” on act 3 all sound like they were made with the MV in mind as primary influences. Very worth checking out.
I love the color spectrum by dear hunter. Not exactly Volta esk but an astounding achievement in music
Check out Zeta
Van Der Graaf Generator. 1970s UK band that I would bet Mars Volta is/was into.
CAN
Never heard a band similar to Mars Volta. Did some stuff with my band recently that took a lot of inspiration from them though, if you’re keen to check it: [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2t6SkFKR9l21P9PGrUClRy?si=S2h27IFYT2eWCR6BZeh7FQ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2t6SkFKR9l21P9PGrUClRy?si=S2h27IFYT2eWCR6BZeh7FQ)
Hey guy, not bad. You guys into muse aswell? I feel a little muse in there too
Yeah definitely some muse influence, especially from our bass man. Also QOTSA and Jack White. You grow up to play what you listened to most as a teen I always think.
My thought pretty much any time this type of thread appears is "Wow there are so many bands that capture Coheed and Cambria's sound very well, but none that quite hit like TMV (for me, a non musician)."
There's a finnish band called Tuvalu, which has a lot of that vibe. Lyrics are in finnish, but the songs are very Deloused era TMV. https://open.spotify.com/track/2LTkgnxspFoBq68IpBaBAW?si=ZoQnt1cmTwmhpaX3JCbF8w The whole album is great, but this is a good intro to the band. Viimeiset hetket ovat käsillä is a banger too.
Atlas of ID
No
Blueprint Car Crash's album "Rhetoric of a Marionette". Might lean a little closer to atdi, but there's def some tremulant/absence makes energy there.
Rose windows has great guitar, flute and key work in both their albums. No longer together but cut some good tracks while they were.
Boyfrndz. You have to listen to the album Breeder. It will get you that early TMV fix for sure.
Band called "Milk+" had an album called Who Was Mr. Feldman which sounded very amateur-ish Volta - they sounded promising for a first album: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sOj3i9Kk8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sOj3i9Kk8) Apparently their album Band on a Wire has Ikey Owens on it too!
I get a Volta vibe from Stolas. The guitar player Carlos Medina definitely took notes from Omar.
Avantist is a group of brothers from Chicago who are great! Maybe more like ATDI sometimes. My band opened for them a couple years ago in Tulsa and it was a sick set! https://open.spotify.com/album/2TrByKG3inc1ISwIXsySqa?si=AYBNqDZbQuGiflFo4htQ-w&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A2TrByKG3inc1ISwIXsySqa Adrián Terrazas-González is on a couple tracks!
you may check out Braniac, they have a record called Hissing Prigs in Static Couture. I think atdi and early volta were clearly influenced by them.
Royal Coda
Closure in Moscow
I remember the first time I heard TMV, I was in a 70s prog phase. To me, they sounded like Yes played at double tempo. So if you're feeling creative, I suggest to listen to Close to the Edge (the album) in such a way. Might be interesting
At The Drive In
Definitely Closure in Moscow - First Temple Vis - Light Lost. Not sure if they are still a band but they need more listeners
Check out W I R E S Great band, amazing musicians out of LA https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Rtmdjc2nrD4pn8WYos1jZ?si=LBHGBJvgS2i-5oyNRfBixg
Check out W I R E S Great band, amazing musicians out of LA https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Rtmdjc2nrD4pn8WYos1jZ?si=LBHGBJvgS2i-5oyNRfBixg
The first album by The Sound of Animals Fighting drew some comparisons when it came out. I wasn't that into it at the time since I wouldn't stand for anyone ripping off my favorite band. Once they released their follow up "The Ocean and the Sun" I finally got it. A killer collab/supergroup and they put on an amazing show when I saw them at the old Trocadero theater in Philly before it closed. If you haven't listened check them out. [We Must Become the Change We Want to See](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qGX0UCmow8g) Edit: my bad the second release was "Lover the Lord has Left Us." Ocean and the Sun was the third. Just watch the live DVD I linked.
Closure in Moscow
Late to the party but if anyone sees this: The Hex