Best The Mars Volta Songs

This is what Volta will be remembered for, I agree. This is their 'footprint' on the grand genre of Progressive Rock. Thirty-two minutes and it tells one of the most incredible stories along with some of the best musicianship and harmonic/dissonant dynamics I've ever seen.

How can someone make such a long track so perfectly? Every part fits with the other, and the progression for the last chorus is amazing. The Mars Volta is definitely one of the best progressive rock bands out there! Just listen to it all!

This is a great pick for number 1. I think it sums up what this band was about. I really liked what they did with De-Loused. This song (this album) took them to a completely different level. This is what I will remember whenever Mars Volta comes to mind.

It has every element of a Volta song. A nice melodic intro (that eventually comes full circle) that EXPLODES and becomes alive. Tempo changes, strange time signatures, and English and Spanish lyrics. This is The Mars Volta. Great live song also.

It's a difficult toss-up between this, Cassandra Gemini, and Televators for me. While Cassandra Gemini may be epic, Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus is The Mars Volta's centerpiece.

Oh man, one of the saddest songs in rock history. But also one of the best. It's confusing why this is only at number 22. Maybe it will change with your help.

This song is just brilliant. They may have dragged out the ambient noises a little, but the ending makes up for that. My favorite song of all time by a large margin. I listen to it at least once a day.

Amazing song with a great finale. This is one of the great songs by The Mars Volta from the De-Loused album. These guys have a good rock noise with a nice groove, riffs, and what I call rock with feeling.

The beginning of this song just sends me to another world and really relaxes me. The part leading into the chorus always reminds me of the song On the Brink by Coheed and Cambria, which is also great.

Jazz chords wrung out to form frenetic anger, juxtaposed by beautiful, sweet sci-fi pop melodies.

Hard to articulate it without sounding like a ponce. It's just one hell of a song. Long-time favorite.

Fantastic use of tempo and dynamics with the contrast between the slow, melodic verse and the hectic chorus. Amazing drumming too.

Of all the best Mars Volta songs listed here, this one is the greatest, especially those listed from DITC. Just as awesome a song as Roulette Dares or Inertiatic ESP. Rock solid jam with a good amount of madness. Definitely deserves to be on here!

Seen them perform this live. Now my life is complete!

Amazing song with heart-gripping arpeggios and melodies that give off the feeling of a Mayan sacrifice. The first few bars of the song climb and climb up the scale until the blissful B section calms the tone into a melodic chorus. A pure piece of art to the ears.

The many movements and technical organizations of the sections come off as classical in nature. Tetragrammaton is like an indigenous, psychedelic, and jazz-infused chaos. The equivalent of a "psychedelic" symphony. Tetragrammaton is the psychedelic music scene's version of a classical piece.

Not sure how this is not in the top five. Most commercially viable song.

Great song!

My daughter sang this for talent day at her school.

Here's a stony analogy for you: If the Led Zeppelin song is a sonic representation of what it feels like to actually be on a "stairway to heaven," then this is the real Highway to Hell.

Twelve? On a top ten list? Hell no. Any time I need a tremendous energy boost, I jam out to this song. Come on, there's a bongo solo. That's not top ten worthy?

Absolutely nuts.

Cedric's best work on the album.

It's the juxtaposition of two riffs I'd never have put together. Perfect example of texture in TMV's work.

This music really should be first. Do you hear the fantastic amount of sounds that this music contains? One of the best Mars Volta songs ever made.

Clearly the best. Cannot understand why it's not even in the top ten.

Pure poetry. Love the grace and emotion in this piece, although the same could be said for many other TMV songs.

The chorus is so awesome and catchy, and so is the ending part. Brilliant solos. Should be in the top five.

This belongs in the top five. It's musically perfect. Incredible solos and that scream into the smooth Spanish jam.

This song is drugs, and I'm talking about great drugs.

Seriously, no one listened to this song?

I love this song. I'm rather new to The Mars Volta, but I was always a fan of At the Drive-In. I always thought it was just the guitarist in The Mars Volta. Anyway, this song has a great feel to it, great beat.

The little funkesque break ending with a repeat of the chorus is possibly the greatest part in any Mars Volta song. When Cedric starts with "Who brought me here?" it sounds like someone giving a speech and addressing everyone in his life.

Should be at least in the top ten.

Best song by The Mars Volta. And that says something, because they have many great tunes.

Amazing power in guitar and voice.

Their best song should be higher!

On page two really!? One of their best.

Most people forget this song exists because it wasn't included on the album. However, the build-up is incredible. The structure is extremely tension-building. I highly recommend listening to this, then going into the album. It makes Cygnus and the rest of the album even more amazing.

Love this song. I love how they slow it down and build it up. It really paints a picture of the album's story, providing great background for it.

Holy crap. I never stopped listening to this song. It's just perfect. I know it's their "single" and they're probably sick of playing it and Cedric can't sing it, but if they started jamming to this song live, I would go absolutely nuts and start dancing like a madman. That's also why they won't let me back in Gold's Gym. Mars Volta music gets me too pumped up.

It's the most face-melting song I've heard since One Armed Scissor.

There is a reason this won a Grammy. It's no Cassandra Gemini, but it's definitely one of their best songs.