Since The Mars Volta burst into the music world with their 2003 debut album De-Loused in the Comatorium, there has been one question on the minds of fans: “How do you follow up an album that was sold to listeners of nearly every rock genre on the planet?”

At last, we have our answer: With Frances the Mute.

New listeners may need some time to adjust to lyricist and frontman Cedric Bixler Zavala’s highly metaphorical lyrics as most of us are still in the dark as to just what De-Loused was trying to tell us.

New listeners may also wish to sample tracks from De-Loused before diving into Frances. However, these strangely haunting words will feel like home to returning listeners. While the album is performed half in Spanish and half in English, listeners need not be bi-lingual to enjoy these tunes: Zavala’s wide-ranged, highly emotional voice conveys as much meaning as any of his cryptic lyrics ever could.

While the instrumental sound of TMV remains essentially the same, guitarist/composer Omar a Rodriguez-Lopez has added an interesting new twist to the mix in the form of a classical Spanish feel to many of the album’s tracks, most noticably, the song “L’via L’viaquez.” The classical influence could be felt in a few of the tracks from De-Loused as well, such as “Drunkship of Lanterns,” but it has moved much closer to the forefront of TMV’s sound in Frances the Mute.

The songs on Frances the Mute are much longer compared to De-Loused because the band has arranged three of the album’s five individual songs into four to five movements in each. This makes it easier for listeners who attempt to make sense of the veiled meanings of each song. However, a problem does arise: The Mars Volta has brought back their penchant for long interludes between movements. For listeners who wish to get straight to the good stuff, fast-forwarding through these interludes can become a hassle. For example, the track “Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore” doesn’t get into full swing until after a five minute intro, which includes strangely warped bird sounds and the sound of someone walking through gravel, followed by Zavala vocalizing in a haunting way while backed by discordant orchestra sounds.

Returning fans are sure to enjoy The Mars Volta’s sophomore effort, while newcomers to the progressive-punk group’s sound may need a little prepping beforehand.