Before the band split into Sparta and the (much more successful) Mars Volta, there was only At The Drive-In. For a short while in the early part of the decade, they seemed destined to break out and become the next big thing in rock music, but unfortunately it never panned out that way. The group’s success following the explosive Relationship of Command served to only drive a creative wedge between the two factions in the band. I won’t go into details about what the different directions the band was being pulled, just listen to the two bands the rose from At the Drive-In ashes and you will have a pretty clear picture. Luckily for music fans, the group stuck together long enough to create the aggressive, densely melodic firebomb that was Relationship in Command. Who knows, maybe some of the animosity and frustrations combined with their fiery socio-political bend to help fuel the powerful sounds that El Paso based created on this excellent album. Relationship of Command is a sprawling, ambitious and exciting record from a band that unfortunately has been put to bed (although rumors are swirling of a reunion). If this record indeed stands as their swan song, they would be hard pressed to end on a better note.

At The Drive-In “One Armed Scissor” (mp3)

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