Mars Volta "sound manipulator" Jeremy Michael Ward was an integral part of the experimental band. After the internal collapse of At the Drive-In, guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala formed the Mars Volta, recruiting Ward immediately for the project.

Ward provided loops, samples and soundscapes to the Mars Volta's sound, performing live with the band while remaining offstage. Jeremy Michael Ward passed away at the age of 27 after experiencing a drug overdose on May 25, 2003, just months before the Mars Volta released their debut album, 'De-Loused in the Comatorium.'

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