LESS THAN A week ago, Carl Zielinski published his review of The Mars Volta's latest CD, “The Bedlam in Goliath.” Today he turns his review into an audiocast, including many samples of the band's new material.

The album, released on Jan. 29, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200. Listen to Carl's opinions, hear the various samples, and feel free to draw your own conclusions. This is just our third audio review, so even if the music is outside of your normal tastes, we hope you'll give it a listen.

Guitarist/composer Omar Rodríguez-López and singer/lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala formed The Mars Volta in 2001 after leaving the band At the Drive-In. (The other members of At the Drive-In went on to form Sparta.)

The Mars Volta earned critical acclaim with their first studio album, 2003's “De-Loused in the Comatorium,” co-produced by studio legend Rick Rubin. Since then Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala, the creative forces behind the band, have been hailed as the leading practitioners of American progressive rock. Check out the audio review and judge for yourself.

Credits: Intro narration by Anna Gooler; review narration by Carl Zielinski; production by Carl Zielinski

LIST OF SONGS SAMPLED IN REVIEW

1. “Aberinkula” (start of review)
2. “Wax Simulacra” (1:35 into review)
3. “Tourniquet Man” (2:24 into review)
4. “Goliath” (3:31 into review)
5. “Metatron” (4:19 into review)
6. “Cavalettas” (5:14 into review)
7. “Aberinkula” (6:02 into review)
8. “Ilyena” (6:48 into review)
9. “Ouroboros” (8:08 into review)

ALBUM AT A GLANCE

• Band: The Mars Volta
• Album title: "The Bedlam in Goliath"
• Release date: Jan. 29, 2008
• Genre: Progressive Rock, Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
• Label: Universal/ Strummer Recordings
• Track listing:
  1. “Aberinkula” – 5:45
  2. “Metatron” – 8:12
  3. “Ilyena” – 5:35
  4. “Wax Simulacra” – 2:39
  5. “Goliath” – 7:15
  6. “Tourniquet Man” – 2:38
  7. “Cavalettas” – 9:32
  8. “Agadez” – 6:44
  9. “Askepios” – 5:11
  10. “Ouroboros” – 6:36
  11. “Soothsayer” – 9:08
  12. “Conjugal Burns” – 6:36
• Current lineup:
  Omar Rodríguez-López – guitar, production (2001–present)
  Cedric Bixler-Zavala – lyrics, vocals (2001–present)
  Isaiah Ikey Owens – keyboards (2001–present)
  Juan Alderete – electric bass (2003–present)
  Thomas Pridgen – drums (2007–present)
  Marcel Rodríguez-López – percussion, synthesizers (2003–present)
  Adrián Terrazas-González – flute, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and additional wind and percussion instruments (2004 in studio, 2005-present in show)
  Paul Hinojos – guitar, sound manipulation (on stage 2003–2004, joined officially 2005–present)
  John Frusciante – guitar (2002-present in studio)
• Miscellaneous: This is the Long Beach, Calif., band's fourth full-length album. It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200.