I might be wrong but didn't they play on letterman a few years ago? Now that I think about it I'm pretty sure I remember seeing them, but I didn't start really listening to them till almost a year ago or so.

by the trail of the dead is an amazing band. and I an deffinatly reminded of the mars volta when i listen to them.

i think it was conan because i saw it too. they arent bad but there isnt anything special about them. i definetly wouldnt compare them to the mars volta

Only song I've heard in recent memory is Early Morning Stoner, through my online radio. Not bad, not bad at all.

I wouldn't say these guys are unknown and I definately wouldn't say they sound like the mars volta (although you could make some comparisons to early ATDI). You can't call a band unknown just because they aren't on MTV all the time or namedropped by Blink 182. But I do agree that they are good. I think one of the guys does all their album art too, thats pretty impressive if you've seen it.