The Bedlam in Goliath

The Bedlam in Goliath
Studio album by
The Mars Volta
ReleasedJanuary 29, 2008 (2008-01-29)
Recorded2006–2007
StudioOcean Way Recording (Hollywood, California) and Rodriguez-Lopez's home studio in Brooklyn, New York
Genre
Length75:52
Label
ProducerOmar Rodríguez-López
The Mars Volta chronology
Amputechture
(2006) 		The Bedlam in Goliath
(2008) 		Octahedron
(2009)
Singles from The Bedlam in Goliath
  1. "Wax Simulacra"
    Released: November 19, 2007
  2. "Goliath (USB single)"
    Released: April 7, 2008

The Bedlam in Goliath is the fourth studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released on January 29, 2008, on Gold Standard Laboratories and Universal Motown Records. Produced by guitarist and songwriter Omar Rodríguez-López, the album's creation was fraught with strange occurrences after an experience with a ouija that Rodriguez-Lopez bought as a gift for vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala. The album is their first to feature drummer Thomas Pridgen, and the last to include guitarist and sound manipulator Paul Hinojos, wind multi-instrumentalist Adrián Terrazas-González, and keyboardist Isaiah "Ikey" Owens.

The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, becoming the band's highest-charting release after selling over 54,000 copies in its opening week.[2] As of June 2009 it has sold 153,000 copies in United States.[3] "Wax Simulacra" was released on November 19, 2007, as the album's first single, coupled with a cover version of "Pulled to Bits", originally by Siouxsie and the Banshees. Vinyl editions of the album include a ouija inside the gatefold, claimed to be the band's own take on the board they previously owned. "Wax Simulacra" won at the 51st Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock Performance.[4]

Having previously contributed the artwork to the 2006 release of Amputechture, Jeff Jordan was again brought in to handle the illustrations for the album, creating 11 original paintings to coincide with the theme of The Bedlam in Goliath, as well as including a piece from his own gallery.[5] The piece used for the cover is entitled "Agadez".[6]

  1. ^ Lester, Paul (July 15, 2009). "The Mars Volta". The Guardian. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  2. ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. 11 July 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  3. ^ Baumgarten, Luke (27 June 2009). "6 Questions with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez". Billboard. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  4. ^ "The Mars Volta Wins 'Best Hard Rock' Grammy for 'Wax Simulacra'". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  5. ^ "Album Preview: The Mars Volta - The Bedlam In Goliath - The Apparatus". grindingtheapparatus.net. December 13, 2007. Archived from the original on December 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  6. ^ The Art of Jeff Jordan ::: Gallery Archived 2008-02-06 at the Wayback Machine