The spectrum of musical and emotional textures conceived and created by Rodriguez-Lopez on Noctourniquet ranges from the opening bombast of 'The Whip Hand' to the menacing crawl of 'The Malkin Jewel,' punctuated throughout by hypnotic melodies and borderline electro-ambient washes, most notably in the epic 'In Absentia.'
The bold diversity of the new material, combined with Rodriguez-Lopez's assured producer's hand guiding The Mars Volta's most confident and refined performances to date, make Noctourniquet an early contender for this year's most challenging and rewarding listen.