Metal Reviews

So, up until now, The Mars Volta have been showing almost constant improvement in sales.

Then came Octahedron, and with it, a pretty solid dip.

Highest Billboard Chart positions:

De-loused in the Comatorium: 39

Frances the Mute: 4

Amputechture: 3

The Bedlam in Goliath: 3

Octahedron: 12

I don't know the sales figures, but I know it's not just because 11 huge albums came out on the same week. After week 1, it dropped way down the charts. What do you think happened?

It's a stunning album. Maybe not their best work, but certainly not worthy of being shunned in any way.

I've always been under the impression that The Widow was their most popular single... and umm... well I have no idea really. I wouldn't be surprised if their popularity is starting to drop off because lots of dumb people think that De-Loused and Frances are their only good albums.

I didn't even think of single sales, but that's probably true, it wouldn't surprise me.

Still, the album sales seem to show growth before Octahedron.

I dunno, maybe it's just diminishing returns. Personally, I really dig TMV, but when Octahedron came out I didn't feel the need to hear it. I just felt "hm, perhaps I don't need to hear any more from TMV right now. I'll listen to it another time".

Maybe the general public felt the same.