Amputechture

by The Mars Volta

Labels: Clouds Hill , Gold Standard Laboratories , Strummer , Universal Records

Released: 09/08/2006

Released: 09/03/2021 (Clouds Hill Repress)

Recorded: November 2005 - May 2006

Length: 76:04

Location: Los Angeles, El Paso, Melbourne

Format: LP

RockArt RockProg RockPsychedelic RockAvantgardeAbstract

Personnel

Liner Notes

Amputechture is the third studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on September 12, 2006, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the album marks the final appearance of drummer Jon Theodore, and is the first studio album to feature guitarist and sound manipulator Paul Hinojos, formerly of At the Drive-In and Sparta. The album also features John Frusciante on lead guitar throughout, with Bixler-Zavala stating, “[Omar] taught Frusciante all the new songs, and Frusciante tracked guitars for us so Omar could sit back and listen to the songs objectively. It’s great that he wants to help us and do that.”

In an MTV interview posted on July 25, Cedric Bixler-Zavala said inspirations for the album were very diverse, ranging from the recent U.S. immigration marches to the news stories of possessed nuns.

Omar Rodríguez-López stated in an interview with Switch Magazine that the word “Amputechture” (a portmanteau of amputate, technology, and architecture) was coined by the late Jeremy Michael Ward.

The liner notes of The Mars Volta’s previous album Frances the Mute feature a credit for “Amputekthure” under the “published by” credits, Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s name under the ASCAP corporation. The word also appeared in the storybook accompanying De-Loused in the Comatorium.

This was the first of three albums to use the artwork of Jeff Jordan.  The piece used was called Big Mutant.

Videos

Vicarious AtonementWatch on YouTube ↗

Releases & pressings

View on Discogs ↗
★ 4.1 Discogs rating
$2.58 lowest price · 87 listed
40 pressings

Credits

  • Coordinator [Coordination]: Kristen Welsh
  • Cover [Cover Painting], Painting [Cover Painting], Painting [Label Painting]: Jeff Jordan (2)
  • Engineer [Engineering]: Jon Debaun, Paul Fig, Robert Carranza
  • Layout: Sonny Kay
  • Management [All Mayhem Managed By]: Silva Artist Management
  • Management [Business Management]: Nick Ben-Meir
  • Mastered By: Vlado Meller
  • Mixed By: Rich Costey
  • Mixed By [Assisting]: Pablo Arraya
  • Musician [The Mars Volta], Lyrics By [Wrote All Lyrics], Written-By [Vocal Melodies]: Cedric Bixler-Zavala
  • Musician [The Mars Volta], Music By [Wrote All Music], Arranged By [Arranged All Music], Directed By [Directs The Group]: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
  • Performer [Performed By]: The Mars Volta
  • Performer [The Mars Volta Group]: Adrian Terrazas, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Isaiah Owens, John Frusciante, Jon Theodore, Juan Alderete de la Pena, Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Paul Hinojos
  • Producer [Produced By]: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
  • Songwriter [All Songs Written By]: The Mars Volta
  • Written-By [All Horn Sections Written By]: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Release notes

Standard jewel case with a transparent sticker on the cover, white tray and a 16-page booklet, including all lyrics and credits. At select independent record stores the first few sales on release day came with a numbered lithograph. [Booklet, all caps:] The partnership between Omar Rodriguez-Lopez [who wrote and arranged all music and directs the group] & Cedric Bixler-Zavala [who wrote all lyrics and vocal melodies] is The Mars Volta. These compositions are then performed by The Mars Volta Group: [...] All songs written by The Mars Volta [C] & [P] 2006 Hija De Luna [ASCAP], Amputekthure [ASCAP], EMI April Music Inc John Frusciante appears courtesy of [l=Warner Bros. Records] ℗ © 2006 The Mars Volta. Licensed exclusively to Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This album was recorded in Los Angeles California, Melbourne Australia, and El Paso Texas. It was worked on using the E-Clat Disaster Portable Morgue Unit by the patient engineering talents of Jonathon Debaun, Robert Carranza, and Paul Fig. Then mixed in New York City by Rich Costey with Pablo Arraya assisting. It was eventually mastered right down the hall by Vlado Meller. The cover and label paintings [Big Mutant and Dwarf Dancing, respectively] are by Jeff Jordan and the overall layout by Sonny Kay. This coordination was made possible by Kristen Elizabeth Welsh, the caretaker of Monkey Island. All saxophone parts and solos on Meccamputechture played by Sara Christina Gross. [Back cover, url's in all caps:] themarsvolta.com universalrecords.com goldstandardlabs.com ℗ 2006 The Mars Volta. © 2006 The Mars Volta. Licensed exclusively to Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. Made in the EU.

All pressings (40)

Australasia CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (1702802)
Europe CD · Promo • 2006
Universal Records (none)
Malaysia CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (0602517028029, 1702802, 1702 802)
Argentina CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (1702802)
Canada CDr · Album, Promo • 2006
Technicolor Creative Services (M2FV)
Russia CD · Album, Unofficial Release • 2006
Universal Records (4) (0602517028029)
US Vinyl · LP, Album, Special Cut • 2006
Gold Standard Laboratories (GSL 126)
Canada CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (B000721402)
US CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (B0007214-02)
Japan CD · Album, Stereo • 2006
Universal Records (UICU-1119)
US CDr · Advance, Album, Copy Protected • 2006
Universal (none)
Brazil CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (60251702802)
Indonesia CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (170 280-2)
US Vinyl · LP, Album, Test Pressing • 2006
Gold Standard Laboratories (GSL126)
US CD · Album, Copy Protected, Promo • 2006
Universal Motown Records Group (none)
Russia CD · Album, Unofficial Release • 2006
Universal Records (4) (0602517028029)
Japan CD · Album, Promo, Stereo • 2006
Universal Records (UICU-1119)
Russia CD · Album, Unofficial Release • 2006
Universal Records (4) (0602517028029)
Mexico CD · Album • 2006
Universal Records (1702802)
Europe CDr · Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Promo • 2006
Universal Records (none)
Europe CD · Album • 2006
Gold Standard Laboratories (0602517028029)
Russia CD · Album, Unofficial Release • 2006
Universal Records (4) (0602517028029)
Ukraine CD · Album • 2007
Universal Records (0602517028029, MR 2256-2)
Japan CD · Album • 2008
Universal Records (UICY-91176)
Japan CD · Album • 2008
Universal Records (UICY-90960)
Japan CD · Album, Reissue • 2009
Universal Records (UICY-60043)
Japan CD · Album • 2012
Universal Records (UICY-25194)
Europe Vinyl · LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered • 2014
Music On Vinyl (MOVLP1116)
Europe Vinyl · LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Numbered • 2014
Music On Vinyl (MOVLP1116)
Netherlands Vinyl · LP, Album • 2014
Music On Vinyl (MOVLP1116)
US Vinyl · LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered • 2021
Clouds Hill (CH181)
US Vinyl · LP • 2022
Clouds Hill (CH181)
US Vinyl · LP • 2022
Clouds Hill (CH181)
UK, Europe & US Vinyl · LP • 2022
Clouds Hill (CH181)
Europe CD · Album, Reissue • 0
Universal Records (0602517028029)
Europe CD · Album, Reissue • 0
Universal Records (0602517028029)
US CD · Album, Reissue • 0
Universal Records (B0007214-02)
Mexico CD · Album, Reissue • 0
Universal Records (1702802)
Argentina CD · Album, Repress • 0
Universal Records (1702802)
Europe File · FLAC, Album, Reissue, Stereo • 0
Motown (none)

Release and variant data courtesy of Discogs.com.

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