Each of the Mars Volta albums that preceded Octahedron had pushed the envelope further, their music growing larger, more intense, more complex. Each had delivered an implied, unspoken challenge to its makers within milliseconds of its final notes: 'top this'. And with each subsequent album, Omar and Cedric had turned their creative dials up one more notch, a further step past 'eleven'. With the addition of new drummer Thomas Pridgen, and their ranks swollen by extra guitarists, more percussion and a sax-player, the intensity of The Mars Volta's sound had increased. Octahedron, however, would follow The Bedlam In Goliath's brilliant excesses with a sideways step few were expecting, even though the group had telegraphed their intentions to take this new direction for years.
