If you haven't already

[Maestro]

you really owe it to yourself to check out The Mars Volta and Sparta. At The Drive In split into these two groups and they are both excellent! Sparta is very much alternative rock but at they same time they sound very unique. They are not your typical alt rock. The Mars Volta is much more prog, experimental, art, intellectual rock. But I can't stop listening to all three of their albums. Friggin' incredible!