No one really knew what to expect from the members of At the Drive-In after they released one incredibly unique farewell album before they "took an undetermined hiatus" in the early 2000's. The many distinct styles and influences from every member came to a climax with Relationship of Command, but one could feel the very unique styles clashing together on one balance that indicated a lot of different paths that the band could take in order to expand their sound in future projects. However, it was that same clash of ideals that lead to the breakup of the band in two different groups. On the first hand, there was Jim Ward's more conventional approach to writing music, with the help of Hinojos and Hajjar he would come to start the band Sparta, debuting in 2002 with their studio work, receiving minor success.
On the other hand, there was something that would be much more sporadic and recognized overall, and that would be the path that Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala would take with their music. With the help of Jeremy Michael Ward and Isaiah Owens, De Facto would be born, letting their influences and performances dive into the experimental Dub side, leading to a very coherent and unique sound. And expanding upon the basic ideas found there, in 2001 they would incorporate Jon Theodore on drums and Eva Gardner on bass to then present the first lineup of The Mars Volta. Instantly recognized for their intense live performances, with heavy drug use and a more than unique sound, they would start building a name for themselves in small venues, where they played a repertoire of songs that were obviously on their initial stages, but still managed to provide a memorable and energetic show. This all lead to the recording of an EP later that year, being released in early 2002 under the name of Tremulant.
It was the official recording from the band to include Eva Gardner on bass, and it was produced by an old friend of Omar and Cedric, Alex Newport (known for producing In/Casino/Out and Vaya). With just three songs, this was the presentation card from The Mars Volta. The style of the tracks was certainly the bridge between the post-hardcore attitude from At the Drive-In and the technical and layered style that The Mars Volta would provide with their future releases. Based on the live performances, it can be determined that these were the tracks that were completed out of the entire setlist, mainly because the rest of the tracks were modified with the passing of one show to another. But all the essential elements that characterized the band can be found here, a perfect blend of the Drive-In energy and attitude, the atmospheric and psychedelic soundscapes that were provided with the sound manipulation and the interaction between instruments at some passages, and the complexity that Volta would bring at the table. The vocals were even more cryptic than what was seen previously from Cedric, with the lyrics being more visual and surreal, focusing more on adding to the music than on communicating something specific, something that would be carried and perfected over the course of each release.
However, the EP does present a lot of flaws. To get things out of the way, the need to capture their live energy on studio would be something transferred to The Mars Volta. The main issue here is the same one seen on In/Casino/Out, it is a good approach, but still far from being a perfect replication. The chemistry can be felt, and one can tell that there is a lot of energy invested in the tracks, but the production feels unpolished, with some performances not working to their full potential.
It all starts with Cut That City, that introduces itself with a two minute atmospheric passage were Ward uses his sound manipulation to create a relaxing and immersive passage leading into the classic sound burst into the start of the track. The instrumentals are great, Owen's keyboard playing going along well with Omar's frantic and unpredictable guitar, Gardner's calmed bass, and Theodore's bombastic drumming. Different time signatures, a focus on the sound effects with the pedals and the manipulation of certain elements, it all makes for a remarkable instrumental. However, the main issue here is the vocal performance, feeling very stiff overall, something that would be common on all three tracks, being the thing that takes away from the overall experience, contrasted with the big leap taken in future releases. It all feels very unpolished in the production section, where despite the many elements implemented, vocal manipulation, reverb, atmosphere, it all feels as if there was still a lot of work to be done in that regard.
The second track, Concertina, is also affected by all of this. What was one of their live highlights feels butchered by the vocal performance (evidently in the spanish bridge) and the production, where Cedric's voice has a weird modulated feeling to it. But still, the instrumental performance is great, showing an early peak at the dynamic between soft segments and intense explosions at determined points. Owen's keys take a big subtle presence here, with Omar's guitar licks being very unpredictable and rather unique, and the bass adding up to a more complete sound. Lyrically, this is supposed to be a track that references the thoughts and actions of Ben Rodriguez, who Omar and Cedric accused of tormenting Julio Venegas, but it all still falls under the surreal storytelling more focused on portraying an image than telling a coherent story. With better vocals and a much more polished production, this would be a perfect track, but it is still something really enjoyable.
The last track is the one that certainly shows a more unique "Volta" personality to it, being the longest song on the album and being the one that expands all the concepts seen on the previous tracks on a very distinct way. Omar and Eva's coordination opening the track, to then give place to a really dynamic and segmented instrumentation. Just with Theodore's drumming alone we can see the complex qualities of the time signatures, going from 4/4 to a 3/4 section before a small atmospheric break just to then burst once again. After this, it all leads to the three final minutes, where the intensity of the instrumentals gets carried to the closing atmospheric section, where the production value and Ward's sound manipulation come into play offering an immersive segment full of details like reversed vocals and reverbed soundscapes, ending up the EP in a really nice way (but still being very different and shorter than the live versions, with the band experimenting and jamming together instead of providing those soundscapes). This is the track that would be the most similar to what the band would do next, showing elements that would be fleshed out and used in diverse ways, while presenting a glimpse at the dynamic and varied compositions. The lyrics are at their most bizarre here, with the vocals being used more as another instrument than a complementary element. Despite there not being a clear message or concept, it is all very psychedelic, not aiming to be understood, just enjoyed throughout the rhythm and vocal performance. This would be the track that easily shines above the rest, with even a foreshadowing at the title of the band's first album in the lyrics, and it is the one that manages to work with the production the best, but it still has a lot of space for improvement.
The last track is the one that certainly shows a more unique "Volta" personality to it, being the longest song on the album and being the one that expands all the concepts seen on the previous tracks on a very distinct way. Omar and Eva's coordination opening the track, to then give place to a really dynamic and segmented instrumentation. Just with Theodore's drumming alone we can see the complex qualities of the time signatures, going from 4/4 to a 3/4 section before a small atmospheric break just to then burst once again. After this, it all leads to the three final minutes, where the intensity of the instrumentals gets carried to the closing atmospheric section, where the production value and Ward's sound manipulation come into play offering an immersive segment full of details like reversed vocals and reverbed soundscapes, ending up the EP in a really nice way (but still being very different and shorter than the live versions, with the band experimenting and jamming together instead of providing those soundscapes). This is the track that would be the most similar to what the band would do next, showing elements that would be fleshed out and used in diverse ways, while presenting a glimpse at the dynamic and varied compositions. The lyrics are at their most bizarre here, with the vocals being used more as another instrument than a complementary element. Despite there not being a clear message or concept, it is all very psychedelic, not aiming to be understood, just enjoyed throughout the rhythm and vocal performance. This would be the track that easily shines above the rest, with even a foreshadowing at the title of the band's first album in the lyrics, and it is the one that manages to work with the production the best, but it still has a lot of space for improvement.
The quality of the songs found here just wasn't even close to the energy and intensity of their live counterparts. A great example of that is this performance of Eunuch Provocateur in Osterrocknacht, Germany, with the same lineup, around the same dates as the release of the EP. Without the need of production values, just with pure onstage collaboration between all the members makes up for a more lively and unpredictable performance, feeling sporadic but still full of precision and a noticeable potency. It has a lot more to offer, with every member shining on their respective instrument, offering a more than outstanding performance. Just like what happened with At the Drive-In, Volta aimed to replicate that live chaos on their studio recording, and it was clear that this EP was a first try at that, but it was still a lot of work to be done (the band seemed so aware of this in fact, that when they got to enter recording sessions with Rick Rubin they re-recorded both Concertina and Eunuch, with Concertina providing for a much more lively vocal performance and the entirety of Eunuch being executed in a much better way). But, despite all of that, this was a more than great EP to open a career with.
Tremulant showed glimpses of a lot of things, and Mars Volta was starting to build a name for themselves with it, touring more and performing the best they could. Eva Gardner would sadly leave the band not long after their first official tour started due to the sudden death of her father, leading to the end of her short time with the band. Isaiah Owens would also see himself leaving the band for a bit within that same tour, but he would return for the recording of the first album. Both of those duties would be shorty fulfilled by Ralph Jasso on bass and Linda Good on the keys, both being kicked out of the band because of Omar's nitpicking with their performance and chemistry onstage. This new lineup would expand the live repertoire with more songs from the upcoming debut. All of this still provided for great live shows, making the band more known over the world, but the overall chemistry and energy was different, something that would be recovered and expanded in the future.
While being far from something perfect or well accomplished, this EP showed members that were eager to expand their sound, to create a sound that defined who they were on a great way. The production values and performances would take a big leap in the next projects, but Tremulant was the start of everything. And for what it was, Tremulant was enjoyable and unique, being a sound that presented so many influences within its compositions, providing a remarkable first look at the wonderful music that would come.
Overall Rating: 8/10
Favorite Track: Eunuch Provocateur
Favorite Track: Eunuch Provocateur
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