Reviews (page 13 of 15)
Really surprised me how much I enjoyed this album. Good listen.
Loooove this album.
Take a Bow // Starlight // Supermassive Black Hole // Map of the Problématique // Invincible // Knights of Cydonia
Enjoyed, one track was superb, the sounds and style I love, the rest were really quite enjoyable. I'd remove one or two tracks that didn't agree, but entirely satisfied with this new discovery ...
Fab
The album that made Muse, Muse.
very VERY good range omg. every song is different
v impressed by muse
Very English
I'm a sucker for a good drummer, Muse's drummer is a beast. One of their top albums front to back.
On en arrive quand même à s'étonner lorsqu'on tombe sur un bon album. Robert, ton projet est un échec de A à Z. Tu auras de nouveau droit à un bourre-pif.
Le véritable trou noir c'est Robert, il a aspiré nos âmes depuis maintenant plus de 3 ans.
I really liked this one.
Some classic Muse on here. Was I blown away by this album. Not quite.
This is when I kinda got off the Muse train. It’s a bit too pop and predictable to me. There are some standout tracks but as album there are better Muse records imo 6/10 1. Good open- loved the keys 2. Transition into this track wasn’t as epic but the track is decent. Standard Muse but nothing wild imo 3. One of their sexist rifts ever. This sound screams sex appeal and I love the riff. The bridge isn’t my fav but overall fun track 4. Nice 80s worship 5. I don’t understand the way these track are laid out. The flow is OFF 6. Pretty meh to the bridge. The noodling is great. 7. Finally a riff to chew on. This rocks 🤘🏾the beginning sounds like the knight rider theme tho lol 8. Mid 9. Ok they cooking again 10. This track is cinema 11. The reason this album is on here. One of the most epic songs ever 12. Meh closer. Knights should’ve been the ending track. It’s too epic to follow
Great album. Well balanced and quite unique!
There's a lot going on here. Knights of Cydonia will never not go hard, but you have to get through a bunch of Ford pickup truck rock to get there.
2006ish
Found gems:) Also imediatley realized Supermassive black hole was used as a soundtrack in Twilight. Loved Assassin and City of delusion.
Dramatic, singable, catchy
Only knew Knights of Cydonia before from Guitar Hero and maybe Starlight once or twice but I never listened to any other Muse songs. I guess this is their "magnum opus" and if so, Muse is not my thing (but KoCydonia rocks!) The big singles are quite good but the album feels very samey and idk the singer holds notes way too much... listened to it three times and I give it a 2.5, rounding up to 3
Bombastic and over the top but amazing hooks in here, and knights of cydonia is one of the all time great songs
Classic Muse album
I like the hits, and can appreciate the rest. Works for me.
Radiohead and U2 influences. Especially in Map of the Problematique. Less pop sounding Killers, more rock sounding/stadium appealing Radiohead. Soldier’s Poem has a ‘50s prom vibe, contrasting that innocence with cynical lyrics about sending people to war.
Solid album, but a little 1 note throughout. Probably very fresh for the time. Hypnotic style. 3-4 songs very good. Rest were 1 note.
I have heard it before, not a big muse fan anymore
Mid 00s rock is mid 00s rock
NOTICE: The whole album feels like a 90s rock mixed with some form of pop from the 2010s Take A Bow started off sounding almost futuristic then took a more 90s rock style in the end. 3/5 Starlight skipped forward a few years and felt like more an offshoot of pop, such as Briston Maroney or the song Off My Mind. 3.5/5 Supermassive Blackhole- TWILIGHT REFERENCE. No but in all seriousness this is a great song. 5/5 Map of the Problematique felt more fast paced because of the constant beat and rhythm that shot the song forward. 4/5 Soldiers Poem switched the feel of the album to slow and sad. Yearning. 4/5 Invincible continued this slow feeling of the album and reverberated it even better. 4.5/5 Assassin opened up sounding like a video game boss soundtrack, but then leveled out to an alright song. Just nothing stuck out of the ordinary, wasn’t bad though. 3/5 Exo-Politics felt more like Supermassive Blackhole in its style yet the vocals were *chefs kiss*. 4/5 City of Delusion had great built up during its lyrics that kept climbing to high points that sounded very impactful. 4/5 Hoodoo completely switched the mood AGAIN to the slow and sad, which this pulled off better than the other two. 5/5 Knights of Cydonia felt like a western travel scene mixed with the typical feel of this album. 3.5/5 Glorious was the final song on the album. It felt like a good send off, sounding like the end and questioning our solar systems and universe. It built up to this point and was a great send off. 4/5
I feel this is the moment when Muse sort of lost their way. Bland soundscapes and bombastic instead of edge and great songs. It's still a good album, and stands up against a lot here but I don't think it's a great album.
This was my first time listening to a full Muse album. Over the years I've heard them compared to a weak Radiohead style band, but I could never verify. Listening through this, their "top rated" album - I hear not only Radiohead, but lesser known bands they may have aped while creating this record. Opening track "Take A Bow" sounds exactly like an shitty synthesized/alternative radio version of the tiny indie rock band Pilot Drift's album Iter Facere's opening track "Caught In My Trap" (released 2 years earlier in 2004), like markedly close in tone and build up. Elsewhere Muse takes typical hints from Radiohead (both vocally and electronically) all over this album. I also hear a lot of California band PaloAlto (who were also inspired by Radiohead - hence the name) all over this album. It all just feels artificial. Like they're really trying to sound like they belong on the radio. They are the worst parts of Radiohead and glam rock's shittiest band: Queen. No thank you. 1/10
Holy 4 on the floor batman. I've tried to get into muse a couple times before and I just can't do it. There are a few fantastic tracks on this album and it is all expertly produced. Howevever I found myself skipping songs and getting bored with their popier songs.
I have friends that are really into Muse (hi Ruth) but I’ve never been that mad on them. I enjoyed Knights of Cydonia when that came out, and I remember being quite into New Born for a while, but never enough to listen to a full album. Let’s change that and listen to one in full today. Songs I already knew: Starlight, Knights of Cydonia Favourites: Knights of Cydonia, Soldier’s Poem I enjoyed this more than I expected. Matt Bellamy does have a someone moany voice, but the rest of the music is pretty great for the most part. He still has that really audible inward breathing on this album (if you’ve never noticed it, look for Matt Bellamy breathing on YouTube and you won’t be able to not notice it after that). Overall, this was nice today. I wouldn’t say it was fantastic, but it was certainly nice.
Muse is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, but I have a lot of fun.
Very enjoyable, not sure what genre I would put them in. Great first album.
I loved it. I was sucked in from the first song. It was like a good movie, I couldn’t wait to hear what came next.
Really good rock album. Great melodies.
I never liked Muse, although I can recognize they’re technically fine and deliver a good live show. Always had the feeling that it’s a wannabe band, if that makes sense.
Downloaded. Felt like I was losing it through most of this album because I couldn’t tell if I recognised these songs or they just reminded me of something that I couldn’t put a finger on. Confirmed afterwards that I did most likely listen to it as a kid. Really really really liked it, probably largely down to actively listening to try and see what I recognised about it. Favourite song probably Supermassive Black Hole… or Soldier’s Poem … or Knights of Cydonia …..
At first I was going to rate this 4, but after thinking about it there isn’t a single notable song. I think it’s merely tolerable which gives the impression of it being good, but in reality it’s just Fine.
One of the most gloriously OTT albums ever released. Knights of Cydonia is magnificently ridiculous, yet the song itself pales in comparison with that absurdly stupid video. This may bit be their best album but it is certainly my favourite
Nights of Cydonia
Muse is another modern rock band that I've seen live (Osheaga 2017). I actually am not super familiar with their work though, and the two songs of theirs that I do know are not on this album (Uprising and Madness). I thought this album started really strong, I liked the first two songs a lot and the third song (Supermassive Black Hole) is one of their more popular songs (though I'm not quite so high on it). Starlight is song #2 and is my favorite one on the album. It's a great example of a piano/keyboard carrying a rock song (also the case on Hoodoo). We also know by now that I love the slow song in the middle of a rock album, and Soldier's Poem delivers (it sounds a lot like a Queen song to me). Overall though, I thought the album was good but something about it just doesn't blow me away. After the strong stretch at the beginning not as much stood out to me, and I think they have a bit of a sound which makes a lot of the songs sound the same. Perfectly good modern rock with a few plus moments. Favorite song: Starlight Other: Take a Bow, Supermassive Black Hole, Soldier’s Poem, Hoodoo
Take a Bow: cool chord progression, fast arpeggiated synths sounds futuristic with big power chords on the guitar; Starlight: poppy happy synth melody, but gets grungier and angrier before quietly sings the album title in the lyrics; Supermassive Black Hole: heavy sound at first, but with falsetto voice and some harmony, industrial sounds near end a la Nine Inch Nails; Soldier's Poem: slow 6-8 in the style of Elvis' Can't Help Falling In Love With You; nice chords and interesting chromatic vocal harmonies in the style of the Beatles and Queen, but a dark story; Invincible: starts with slow military marching drum with sad organ playing a pretty chord progression, but builds up with a synth sounding like a theramin, sounds inspired by U2 after two minutes mark, after 3:30 it gets grungier and angrier with histrionic fast arpeggiated chords on the lead guitar Assassin: best (angry) song on the album, driving, thrashing, angry, cool rhythm guitar; Exo-Politics: theramin synth again, vocal harmony; City of Delusion: very dramatic song starts with acoustic guitar quick strumming then driving bass line, then a middle eastern synth feel before turning to harder rock followed by quick synth bass line that sounds like it's under water. Acoustic guitar followed by rumpet line in spanish feel starting at 3:30. Great song to pound along with on guitar, piano, or drums; Knights of Cydonia: dramatic sound in the spaghetti western feel of Ennio Morricone's movie music, then surfer guitar with simple melody on distorted electric guitar with a bit of trumpet followed by a vocal harmony section.
I know there are some diehards out there but I’ve never really been a Muse fan.
Uh. Not great. Obviously incredibly talented musicians — amazed the so ich depth achieved by only four people — but I got bored and tired of waiting for the soundscape to evolve into something interesting. At points, it came close, but mostly just a frustrating listen
It’s fine. Starlight is a pretty good song and the strongest track on the album. Has it been in a car commercial or movie or something? It sounded familiar. I was surprised to see Lightning Bolt listed as an influence in the wiki description, but on close listening I guess I can hear some elements that slightly overlap between the two bands. Honestly, I ended up skipping through a few tracks, and instead spent the rest of my lunch listening to some of my favorite Lightning Bolt songs, including but not limited to: Dead Cowboy, Assassins, and Ride the Sky.
Pretty so-so. Lots of moments here lots of other bands have done better (Radiohead, U2, Rush.) Not bad but I probably could have died without hearing it
It was nice to get an album that was more recent and one I was not familiar with. Unfortunately, I don’t typically enjoy this type of music. I’m not sure what you would call it, but it’s a sound I most associate with Pet Shop Boys. It’s just not my thing. I did quite like Supermassive Black Hole, though.
Not as good as I remembered from beginning to end. Some great songs but also some real stinkers
Was aright I may need to comeback and relisten to it again.
This album has so many bangers on it.; Knights of Cydonia, Map of the Problematique, Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole... actually, pretty much all of them. Great album! 5/5 for me
A good cohesive album with a strong opening. However no song particularly struck me as anything different
Not terrible, but listen again. Vocals are more interesting than the instrumentals 2
So many killer songs on this, even the deep cuts.
It was ok. A but too much Theater for me. But they are great musicians that’s for sure
In my opinion not the best album from the muse, but still a great one
Juicy prog rock channeling the 80’s for my pleasure
Muse used to be a solid band!
Favorite song was Starlight. First half sounded like a Radiohead cover band, with the middle being more grunge and unique (which I preferred). The backhalf of the album went back to sounding like Radiohead.
Good for what it is, not my favorite flavor.
Labai seniai klausytas, bet vis dar žiauriai geras ir kai kurios dainos net labiau patiko nei anksčiau. Dainos, kurias įdėjau į liked songs: 1. Hoodoo 2. City of delusion 3. Take a bow 4. Knights of cydonia 5. Glorious 6. Supermassive black hole 8/10
8/10
Not my cam
one of their good album, unfortunately most of the others are really not that good
Great music! Didn't expect to love this so much. Great recommendation!!
Sort of U2 but not good.
Muse are not cool. That’s true. But there are some great riffs, tones, and soundscapes here. It’s grandiose, bombastic, over the top, and mostly fun.
Large, opératique, avec des relents de Radiohead, une influence prog et des airs de Prince sur la pièce Supermassive Black Hole. De toute évidence, c’est un album de geeks et ça me plaît
I don't give two sh*ts about this album
Besides the hits, I only knew their 1st two albums. They had some good ideas and lots of filler. This album doesn’t have any filler. Apparently critics say this is the album that finally combined their influences to a sound of their own. Probably true. I’m not a big fan of the overly dramatic style of singing, but I think it complements the music well. And it’s instantly recognizable as either Radiohead or Muse. The music is put together very well. There’s a lot going on and none of it is coincidence. Favorite song: map of the problematique
4½
You’re dead inside if this doesn’t get you dancing.
Album 19 I always considered this album to be the musical equivalent of a space opera TV show. There is some filler here, but the highs are really high. Knights of Cydonia is a corny rally anthem that somehow sounds epic. I enjoy this album, but prefer Absolution to it 4*
Childhood. My sister loved this one and played it all the time, so I have kind of a soft spot for it. It has some good tracks. I like the cover. Back then I thought they looked like that all the time, bald and wearing suits. + Starlight + Supermassive Black Hole + Map of the Problematique + Soldier's Poem + Assassin
i feel like i’ve you’ve watched twilight you know this album but i’ve never given the rest of the songs a chance and i don’t know why i ever did because this album is actually really good.
nah
first time listening to a muse album, and it did not disappoint. great listening experience. solid album with *hints* of radiohead every now and then. highly recommended. highlights: “starlight”, “assassin”, “city of delusion”.
Erica would take all the leftover stars and throw them at this album. For me... it's nice, but it's spice, not an entree.
Great album. I really liked early Muse.
beauty
Raczej 3.5, ale 0.5 za knights of cedonia
Knew about Muse and some of the songs on here beforehand, but never listened to the whole album. Now that I have I must say it's pretty good. A lot of the songs have this very dramatic sound to them, like the world is about to end and it's now or never. Really enjoyed listening to this.
Excellent
Some good songs some poor ones still like the album!
Love this album! One of their best
I know two of the first three before. Fifa 2007 classic soundtrack. Map of the Problematique is a good listen. Soldiers Poem is like Ave Maria - good track. Invincible is good too. Assassin not as good as others, solid chorus though. Exp-politics is what I imagine Muse songs to be like (still not bad). Last few, songs are very good too. Surprising album.
not my style.5.7/10
BORING! Thank you nerds, I'd love to listen to you sing about space. NOT!
This album barely makes the 5 star criteria with five good songs. Take a bow, Starlight, Invincible, Knights of Cydonia, map of the problematic. Muse certainly has a sound and it is really well produced in this album. A lot of shit on this album though....wish they had more material from this era.
this is a good album
MANY BANGERS
This album absolutely fucking rules. All the tracks slap, all the instrumentals are on point, the lyrics are poignant and interesting. How can you not love this? Favorite track: Map of the Problematique
After looking at the other reviews it seems like it is not cool to like Muse, but I think this is very strong album. Love the vocals and the spacey feel of it all. It’s got a lot of songs on here that really hit in the right spots.
Too operatic and melodramatic for me. Something inescapably nerdy about Muse, despite their obvious talent. If you like every song to feel like its humanity's last moments on Earth, maybe its for you.
Awesome. Best songs are Starlight and Supermassive blackhole
Always enjoy Muse.
3.5
Never gave Muse much of a chance in high school. It’s not terrible but not the best thing I’ve ever heard
Not my taste but still good music Starts strong and gets weak
All songs were amazing, but they seemed not related to each other. The end of the album was really interesting in an unexpected way. Very muse'ish
I knew this album. Was a teen listening to pretty good. Still solid. Likey likey but not the thing i'd listen to usually. Intro to Map of the Problematique still gives me a thrill
Some songs were great while others just kind of missed. 7.5/10
Not a fan of this band. Saw them on whe Plug in Baby was released. Feels like something Queen fan would like. I mean I like some 70s prog but this just sucks at times. I think it his voice and stupid lyrics (Some times I admire it) Go away.
Hasn't aged well at all. When it was released it was fresh, innovative, and authentic. Now it just feels plastic and derivative. Still three stars though.
Sounds ok, radiohead 2.0. Tunes are pretty good.
Too disjointed as a whole
Solider' poem, with piano arpeggios and voal harmonies is nice. Invincible is a good song but not a fan of the guitar solo. If not already, will be advert music for a new phone or something. Driving music but the lead singing is bland, even when he goes for power, like in Exo-politics. Hoodoo interesting with its Western Then ballad
I like the overall sound but most of the album feels like background music to me and won't be in my rotation much.
I wanted to like this, but outside of the Supermassive Black Hole, and some aspects of some tracks, I don't get Muse's style of music. I kinda really hate when I can hear the vocalist breathe. Maybe it'll get better someday though. 3.5 stars. BT - Supermassive Black Hole - Map of the Problematique - Invincible - Assassin - Exo-Politics - Hoodoo
Automatic 1 star for the ultimate wanker band - by wankers for wankers. He's a classical musician playing at being Radiohead, and his acolytes go on about his skills rather than the quality of his song writing
Fantastisk platta. Hade turen att se dem live när den här skivan var ny. De spelade förband till Depeche Mode.
It feels like Muse makes music for movie scenes where the world is ending
I didn't like it. I am not sure how to describe it. It is like they are trying way too hard to be something else than what they should be. I am not sure what they are trying to be or what they should be but I wasn't feeling this album. Thankfully it was relatively short. I do not need to listen to it again.
It seems this album has been removed from subsequent version of the book and I find that to be a bit surprising. I think Muse has a unique sound and this is probably their best album, so I would include it. They can be a bit bombastic and overwrought at times, but that's also what makes the songs so great. Layers and layers of instrumentation over vocals. I think this is a great album and a must-hear, even if you do not end up enjoying it.
Nice
A great entry into the Muse back catalogue. A bit more bombastic and Queen-esque than their prior work, I was a little disappointed when I heard this on its release expecting another album on the same level of Absolution. However, although ‘Soldier’s poem’ and ‘Hoodoo’ are a bit average the rest of the album is gold.
3/5. Album had some great pace. Towards the middle got a little off track when it comes to the type of music I’m into, but they end great with Knights of Cydonia, my favorite Muse song.
what's that? even shittier Radiohead?
I'll take Origin and Absolution over this album any day. It's an overall great album, but it gets a little bit too poppy for my taste at times.
Good! I enjoyed this a lot, especially the song Starlight.
really awesome, my dad likes muse :) fave song: Map of the Problematique
Urgh. Muse are such tryhards. My daughter asked me “Is this Radiohead?” and I was like “Absolutely not!” I’ve liked some tracks and the albums before this were way more interesting to me. This one, nope.
I didn't listen it with much attention but i try and i dont know, the songs just dont stook up and i dont find them musically interesting, but like its very personal like its based on my music taste and i just dont fit in it.
I gave it a listen, and decided it was not that great. Not sure why, it lacked something. 2.5/5
I don't think Muse are a bad band and this album was totally fine as background music. But I really can't warm up to the vocals, which just sound extremely whiny to me.
uhm…supermassive black hole has that edgy corporate hard rock sound sorry.. the rest of the album is fine musically. soldier’s poem is great except the lyric is bad. can be said for a lot of songs. knights of cydonia was cool. a lot of these songs are just trying too hard to be deep. would be more enjoyable if i didn’t know english.
3.5
24th July 2023 Listened while working from home with Jen’s parents staying. Falcon for dinner in the evening. Big, camp and very dramatic - sometimes sounds like an 80s video game opera.
Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, and Knights of Cydonia are 5-star songs, but the rest of the album isn’t as strong.
Great album, haven't listened to Muse for a long time so this was a nice hit of nostalgia!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this album. Takes me back to my college days. It still hits hard all these years later. Wore a hole in my copy I played it so much.
I figured I'd like this album since I like a decent amount of songs on it, and I liked basically everything. I probably like Showbiz more than this one, given that it's the only other Muse album I've listened to all the way, but this one is still pretty good. It's a five from me. My favourite songs were Glorious and City of Delusion.
It was ok. The second half of this album saves it the first half did nothing for me.
Epic as fuck, but forgettable
I expected to like this okay, but I actually liked it more than I expected.
Album della mia adolescenza, quindi mi sa che avrà un trattamento di riguardo... Mi spiace, ma sono io che faccio le regole. Madonna i brividi sull'intro di Starlight. Mioddio Knights of Cidonia
Most of this album just sounded, sort of, noisy to me, though 'Super Massive Black Hole' is still a banger. The quieter/slower tracks are better on the whole, but not enough to save this album from mediocrity. Just on the wrong side of boring, really.
Now I like Muse anyway, but I don’t think they’ve ever bettered their debut album which was incredible. However, this is close. Very close indeed! An awesome job from start to finish on this one. Knights of Cydonia should go down as one of the best album closers of all time!
Not as cool as Liz Phair.
I too enjoy budget Radiohead
This was very enjoyable. Lots of variations in style and it sounded really good. This is one I might buy in physical form.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Starlight (2) 2 - Assassin (7) 3 - Map of the Problematique (4)
Day 5: Unbelievably shite. Very disappointed because I was quite excited about this one, but I really couldn't finish it. I already knew supermassive black hole was class, but the rest that I managed to listen to were either boring, annoying, or just embarrassing
Decent album with some great songs
Muse is one of those bands I've always been aware of on the periphery but never dived into. Take a Bow really sets up quite a fun listen with Knights of Cydonia taking the cake for me. I'm keen to hear some more.
This was pretty popular with the set I fell into my first year living in Japan, so it's benefitting from a massive nostalgia bump, although, I dunno, maybe I'd still be into it on its own merits. I don't think I like any of their other albums as much - should probably give "Origin of Symmetry" another spin. It's melodramatic and pompous and urgent - a pretty fun listen! Fave tracks - "Take a Bow" and "Starlight" are a great opening sequence. I also like "Map Of The Problematique" and "Knights of Cydonia"
One of my favourite all time albums. Saw Mise live many years ago and it was incredible.
Not for me
Best Muse album I've heard fully. The lyrics are a bit ridiculous for the most part but the music still holds up.
Nie moje klimaty
This is a really good album. Based on my limited listening of Muse before this I was hoping it could be a 5 star album, but the deep cuts didn't quite grab me enough to do it. I think it's a very solid 4 though.
Musen suhteen myöhäisherännäisenä tämä levy tuli aikoinaan muutaman vuoden viiveellä omaan soitantaan. Ei ehkä ihan nelosen arvoinen, mutta kolmonen on myös liian pahasti alakanttiin.
Edelleen eeppinen. Ei täyden femman albumi, mut ylöspäin pyöristyy, joten…
This album was okay, but what seemed notable at the time has not stayed that way - I don’t think it belongs on this list. Best tracks: Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole
I kinda don't like this. It's not the worst thing I've ever heard, but I've heard this kind of sound done way better before and because of that it's not attracting me like something like Gorillaz, Smashing Pumpkins or Linkin Park. It's just barely on the middle of the fence for me: It's not bad and it's not good, it's mid.
When the Zetas fill the skies??? Z? Is it a prediction?
Childhood nostalgia doing some heavy lifting here, I'm not sure how much I would like it if I listened to it today. Knights of Cydonia still bangs though
Just coz Paul will score it 1
Worse places for prog to end up, to be fair. However, while shortening the form sounds like an excellent idea, it ends up emphasizing a cardinal sin which seven-track double LPs seem to unconsciously avoid. There simply isn't enough distinct material to pad out the record to a dozen songs. And there's little propulsion between the tracks. As repetition goes, Muse is more straightly rockish than noodly: A wash there.
Sounds a bit like Coldplay or something. This is not a compliment. All a bit boring and overblown really. It might have got a 3, but Soldier's Poem is dreadful, so it's a 2.
Never quite got Muse
If I wanted to listen to music that sounded like this I’d listen to U2, Queen or Depeche Mode, so I put on Khruangbin & Leon Bridges' "Texas Sun" instead. 1/5
I forgot how much I liked this album. A big part of me was expecting to put this at a three, but I was pleasantly surprised by myself. Good album; good tunes.
I know and absolutely love this album, I was introduced to this band and album in middle school and songs like supermassive black hole, knights of cydonia and exo politics will always find a way into my reagular listening routine. This has high energy. Lots creativity and diversity but also you can tell that these song are by muse. The words fits super well behind the music and it great listening in most scenarios. Muse will probably forever be one of my top ten favorite bands 5 stars
This album has some great rock tracks on it. Muse were so damn cool in the 2000s. 7 or 8/10 depending on my mood
I think this too tightly tied to my teen years for me to enjoy properly now.
Filled with grandiose instrumentation and arena-rock anthems. The album is quite instantly infectious with it’s catchy hooks and Matt Bellamy vocals. The album blends pulsating synths, heavy guitar riffs, and dramatic orchestral arrangements. It's this fusion of different musical styles that gives "Black Holes and Revelations" a distinct and captivating sound. Lyrically, the album tackles a variety of themes, including political and social commentary. Songs like "Assassin" and "City of Delusion" delve into topics such as government corruption and societal unrest, delivering thought-provoking messages through poetic and metaphorical lyrics. Meanwhile, tracks like "Invincible" and "Soldier's Poem" explore themes of personal strength and resilience. Matt Bellamy’s vocals are impressive but his guitar work is equally impressive with technical proficiency and knack for crafting memorable riffs. Chris Wolstenholme's basslines provide a solid foundation for the songs, while Dominic Howard's drumming adds energy and precision. Definitely a good listen.
Pretty good
Today I get to listen to another record with a song that I know from playing Guitar Hero 3, this time Knights of Cydonia. I am vaguely familiar with some more of Muse's music, but haven't really delved into much of their stuff before. Muse are a chamber rock/space rock/alternative rock band from Britain. Really, my first time hearing any of their stuff may have been while playing Guitar Hero 3. After that, with the release of their album The Resistance, I got to hear, and really enjoyed Uprising. Their sound is full of fuzzy, sludgy guitars, a hell of a lot of feedback, heavy bass, and soaring vocals courtesy of Matt Bellamy and Chris Wolstenholme. The fact that they could make this kind of sound as a three piece band is epic, and the harmonizing of the two singers is otherworldly. There are themes of political corruption, revolution, and alien invasion on this record. Revolution seems to be a hot topic with these guys. Overall, a fairly good modern rock album. I'm glad I listened to more Muse today, there were definately some bangers in here that haven't got a lot of airplay (Assassin/Take a Bow). I will definately listen more in the future. Favourite songs: Knights of Cydonia, Assassin, Exo-Politics, Take a Bow, Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight, Map of the Problematique Least favourite songs: Soldier's Poem, Hoodoo 4/5
A little too inspired by others
Some of the best 2000s alternative, and I was missing out on it. Muse have everything in this album: musicians that learned from the decades of existing rock music and put their own spin on the style, space themes, dark but not emo lyrics, vocals that actually complement the melody (looking at you, Radiohead), and just plenty of bops.
Heavy guitars combined with some electronic sound. Poetic lyrics Some influence from 80's and 70's rock
Listened Before? N This one is pretty okay. These guys give me the sense that they think they're a lot better than they actually are, but they've got some decent songs and structure. They keyboards add something to it, but Scandinavian bands have been doing this for years. In fact, that's what this album reminds me of: lots of Scandinavian English-language rock bands. Added to library? N Songs added to playlist: Knights of Cydonia
An easy 5 stars obviously!
Absolution is a 5* for me... this just doesn't cut it for me in quite the same way - sorry lads
Go on then, have 5 stars, I’m feeling generous
I was into Muse when this came out and thought this had some good songs but was a bit of a disappointment overall. I’m still sure the previous two albums are way better but listening to it again out of context I enjoyed it.
A tad overblown
4.0 - Catchy hard rock that nails the fundamentals. You get engaging and operatic vocals, crunchy guitar riffs, pop-oriented song structures, and just enough electronics to keep things interesting. Expect no subtlety! The "edgy" lyrics often read like strung-together buzzwords lifted from intro poli-sci and pulp sci-fi. But this record delivers consistently without demanding much from the listener. To add to all this, secretly, "Starlight" is a bulletproof space rock ballad.
It's Shameless June! This album reminds me of a time period during which I felt more shame. Good thing we're not there. Also, I know people shit on Muse but I'm going to rate this highly because it's Shameless June.
Fantastic stuff but knew this already, origins I think is better but this is still a belter
When I was in Brazil, Christian sent me clips from this new band Muse and their song "Time Is Running Out" from their previous album, Absolution, and I loved it. Now, my 2005-2007 culture knowledge is extremely thin, so anything at that time sounded great. Muse's album Black Hole and Revelations came out a few months before I returned, and I listened to it nonstop once at home. I saw Muse live in 2008 at UVSC in Orem. Three mega-hits on this album: Starlight (one of my fave songs of all time), Knights of Cydonia and Supermassive Black Hole. Upon listening to it this time around, I forgot how much I enjoyed the song Invincible. Matt Bellamy's shredding and vocal range are incredible!
Today, the 1001 albums app made some welcome changes. The font for the numbers in our summary sections is both larger and thinner. I'm no expert in fonts, so I don't know the name of that one, but I like it ( I'm fond of "calibri" and "verdana", for example). And it's not the only thing that's new on the app: if you go to your summaries, once again, we now have the names of our favorite and worst artists at the top of all those wonderful album covers. Yeah, good idea. I wonder why David Bowie doesn't appear there for my own favorite arists, though. Black Sabbath does, but I've rated less album from them than ones by Bowie. Is it because I've rated *Let's Dance* less than four stars? You tell me... But no worries: Pixies, Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey and the Beatles are there, that's all that matters. And I hope Neil Young, The Cure, A Tribe Called Quest and Kendrick Lamar will soon join them. Apart from that, nothing much happened today. Oh, yeah, there was an album popping up on the app this morning, I almost forgot. 🤔 Do I *really* need to speak my mind about this record? Today is Sunday, after all. Maybe I can take a break... Alright, alright, let's do this (heavy sigh). I would start with the understatement of the year: Maybe the production on this LP is a little overblown, don't you think? 🙃 There, I've said it. I hope Muse fans are not too shocked by this hot, hot take. 😜 Let's be fair, half of the tracks on this LP are catchy--albeit with quite a few laughable moments in them, both musically and lyrically. And I can appreciate the wide range of influences inspiring those songs: Philip Glass for "Take A Bow", wide-eyed pop for "Starlight", modern r'nb for "Supermassive Black Hole", Ennio Morricone for "Knights Of Cydonia" (except that Other Lives have since used that latter influence for far better results), plus a little bit of Queen here and there... In other words, it's a bit ridiculous, as nice as those influences are on their own. I know Muse have publicly stated that some of those tunes are tongue-in-cheek "exercises", but still... And the other half of those tracks is just a terrible borefest anyway, not even worth a good laugh. When you listen to the whole thing in one sitting, you're just left wondering if the band is totally naive or incredibly pretentious. But maybe they're *both*. I've just read this LP is not even in the latest editions of the 1001 albums book. It didn't take long for Dimery and co. to realize the sort of shmaltzy blokes Muse had become by the time of *Black Holes And Revelations*. Hence why they needed to go to leave some room to other, more worthwhile artists. And it's exactly why I'm gonna exclude them as well. After all, Bellamy and co. have had their share of the spotlight for a long time. They're incredible musicians and performers, and sold millions and millions of units, I hear. But that sort of thing never meant that a band was really *good* or relevant artistically speaking... So next please... Number of albums left to review: 538 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 221 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 108 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 134 (including this one)
Muse has never been my particular cup of tea, but their earlier stuff is a bit more entertaining for me. Mostly decent stuff here, with a few standouts as pretty good. Not much to go nuts over, but pretty good overall
I really enjoyed Showbiz (released 1999), this album doesn't reach me.
Best massive rock album from the era! Very time I listen to it I just get so sucked in and can’t concentrate on anything else 9/10
Aburridísimo. Mejor me voy a escuchar Radiohead
2006 Mercury Prize nominee. EXCELLENT. Great, socially conscious lyrics. According to Wikipedia, it is a concept album about war (therefore, 'Soldier's Poem', march tempo on 'Invincible'. etc.). The vocals remind me of 'Burn the Witch' by Radiohead. Tracks two and three are famous; I had obviously heard them before. Good violins on first track. Lovely, smooth transition from hard rock on 'Map of the Problematique' to soft classical pop on 'Soldier's Poem'. Definite 5/5. FAR, FAR better than 'Drones'. 'Soldier's Poem' and first part of 'Invincible' are much softer than songs before. I thought perhaps the album was in two halves, but the second part of 'Invincible' is as hard as the start. Personally speaking, 'Assassin' does not sound as good as the songs before it. I think it's too influenced by industrial rock and metal for my tastes. Does 'City of Delusion' have influences from Bollywood music (in a recurring motif on the song)? It certainly has excellent sweeping strings, and fantastic trumpet-playing. I prefer the classical pop songs (e.g. 'Soldier's Poem' and 'Hoodoo') over the industrial/heavy metal songs. Good production on the vocals in 'Hoodoo'. Nice recurring melodic and rhythmic motif of the drums (bongos?) in 'Hoodoo'. 'Glorious' in NOT on the physical CD (only standard Spotify edition and Japanese CD); thus, do NOT listen to it. Evident electronic influence from first to last song. 'Knights of Cydonia' is amazing. 10/10, or maybe 9/10 -- but a definite 5/5.
I really don't know how to feel about Muse. When I think of them, I think of an operatic, overblown spectacle that inevitably feels corny and over-polished. But when I actually listen to them...they're a lot of fun, really. They've managed to become one of the bigger mainstream rock bands in an era when rock isn't at the forefront of the culture, and they really do rock. It's hard for me to hate on them, as silly as they might be at times. I won't often throw them on of my own accord, but there are a lot of undeniable rock anthems here. They're hooky, and they've hooked me.
It’s obviously great
Ben thought 2, Monique thinks 4
Same vocal intervals on most songs?
I listened to this 100 times the year it came out. Still holds up for me. It's dramatic and theatric music without being over the top. Muse all the way.
I should love this. For some reason this doesn’t connect. It’s on me. Not them. Bonus star as an ‘I’m sorry guys. It’s not you. It’s me.’ Can’t even tell you why.
Liked it more than I expected... will give them some more listing time. For the simple reason that bands like Radiohead and Muse get written up so well, and then I find its "meh" for me. These guys are slick, smooth consistent and well produced. I think I need to listen more to fully get the sound. One word summary 'slick' .... But I wasn't truly listening... (But it certainly didn't annoy me, which is a relief after the recent albums on this list!)
I was glad to have a whole weekend with this one, as Muse is a band I've been meaning to listen to for ages. I was really impressed on first listening, and it held up well on repeat. So many musical influences, but sounding like a creative synthesis and not merely derivative. Listening out for "what's that [lick/tone/melody] from?" became like an Easter egg hunt, and I'll happily come back for another go. Only short of 5 stars because there are one or two tracks that are less appealing on repeat, and some of the lyric writing is patchy.
The only track by Muse that I’m at all familiar with is their cover of the Tony Newley/ Leslie Bricusse classic, Feelin’ Good. Apart from that, Im unfamiliar with their catalogue. I enjoyed this album. I guess they were really popular by this stage because they sound like a band who know they’re big & are gonna take full advantage of it. There’s stuff here that verges on the pompous (Tracks 1, 4, 6 & 10) but it’s musically so good, I have to give it the benefit of the doubt. I really liked the slower Soldier’s Poem & the Prince impersonation in Supermassive Black Hole. A good listen.
When Radiohead stopped making proper guitar albums after OK Computer, other bands moved into the space that had been abandoned. Coldplay took the softer end and built a stadium sized career out of it, and Muse ditto with the louder. more raucous end. It is no surprise that the bombastic end of Radiohead crossed with a healthy dose of Queen also turned out to be a stadium-filling beast. With magpie-like references to other moments of pompous excess (Soundgarden, Ennio Morricone, ELO), this is cleverly composed, schmickly produced, and expertly played, but really, at the end of the day, this is just sound and fury signifying nothing.
I've listened to this album several throughout the years. It's a good Muse album with some of their greatest songs like Knights of Cydonia and Supermassive Black Hole. Their earlier albums are also worth a listen. Muse is kinda pop rock-ish but I think they're more unique than most of the pop rock out there. Songs like Assassin and Knights of Cydonia makes them stand out and are far from the pop rock vibes some of the songs give me. I like them. It's not a 5/5 but it's close. Maybe a strong 4?
7/10. It's a Friday, the sun is shining bright and beautifully, and I am glad that today's mediocre British album was a prog rock one.
I’m not always in a mood for Muse but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. 8/10
Very tight
Just a great album and the first songs, Take a Bow > Starlight > Supermassive Black Hole > Map of the Problematique are just amazing then later on Knights of Cydonia, all great tracks.
I find this music to be pretty generic and sterile. This is supposed to be soaring, epic, dramatic music but I was just bored by it all. I had only heard a couple of the singles before, and otherwise don’t know a lot about Muse. I’m sure everyone makes Coldplay and Radiohead references- they definitely sound like a boring Radiohead. Maybe a deeper dive into the band would show those comparisons to be unfair, but I’m not interested in listening to any more.
I always thought Muse was for people who were smarter than me, or at least thought they were smarter than me. This album made me think they probably are. Because Take a Bow struck a chord right from the start. Sometimes too much synthesizer doesn't click. It does in Take a Bow. Largely because it actually builds, it drives right into the drop and the powerful final 2 minutes. This probably sounds lame, but I swear I mean it surprisingly unironically- this is like an unbelievable techno opera. And then the drums propel into Starlight and a stellar sound. Queue Supermassive Black Hole- the Ph.D. version of The Black Keys. One thing I will say, this entire album invokes an unsettling feeling. Tension that never really ceases. Maybe Tom and any folks who dabble in music theory can explain it- this whole album, even Soldier's poem which is a softer, acoustic change of pace, carry that same tension. The punchy bass on Invincible is uncomplicated but perfect accompaniment. And on City of Delusion- a trumpet solo is always a welcomed addition. The dissonant jazz chords at the end of Hoodoo felt pulled straight from the moment James Bond would say cheeky one liner after killing a man. I'll still stand by it, even in this big commercial success, Muse feels inaccessible. And because they and their fan base are likely smarter than the average Joe, they probably prefer that. But the music is undoubtedly unique and it's that sound rather than any lyrics or themes that really made me appreciate this on my first time listening to a Muse album straight through.
I came into this album thinking that it was going to be a snoozefest. I really havent been a fan of Muse in the past and really didnt know any of their songs with the exceptions of Knights of Cydonia and Hysteria. I was actually suprised of how much I didnt hate this album. Yes it is a very noisy album and yes its dramatic af but I think that benefits this album more than anything. This album felt really cinematic and made me think of different movie ideas for different songs. The only thing about this album is that the first half definetly carries and the second half feels a bit repetitive, with the exception of Knights of Cydonia. If I had to pick one song, it would of course be Knights of Cydonia. I love the vibe that the instrumentals bring and I really dont mind the singers dramatic voice. It made me think of space cowboys, mixing that vibe of cowboy and psychedelic spacey music.
It’s little overdramatic at times but I liked this more than I expected. I’m probably gonna give it a 3 but I enjoyed listening to it and there’s a good number of songs I’ll add. I could also see people say that this is a radiohead rip off but I’m not a Radiohead nerd so that doesn’t matter to me. I said it to Pat already but this album sounds like an edgy version of the killers especially on Starlight and a few other songs. For some people that’s probably awesome but idk if it’s quite my go to sound. The singing is on point the entire album except for the weird high auto tune at the end of the album. Really all of the instrumentals are well done too if you’re into that intense sound. I do like how soldiers poem breaks up the high drama songs too and almost sounds like a beach boys song at the end. Good music for the gym so I’ll come back to it for that. 👍:starlight, soldiers poem, assassin
Boring catchy made for radio rock.
I feel like I’ve heard every song in this album before. Not sure exactly why but i feel like this sounds like everything else in their sub genre. That being said, I still liked it. It had a lot of big epic compositions which was pretty cool. Maybe gets a bit stale. For the first half of the album i couldn’t stop thinking about how they sound like U2. For the second half I couldn’t stop thinking about how they sound like this one song I had in my head(turns out it was actually a song by them). Bryce said something about “AI generated music” when talking about this album and I kind of see where he’s coming from. On a deeper level, this album does absolutely nothing for me. Like there’s no emotion or passion here, just music. The music is fine and good but it just doesn’t make me feel anything, which is equally important. Between a high2/ low 3. Leaning 3 Best: honestly no idea everything sounds equally good/bad to me. MMM: HOLD YOU IIIIEEEEN MY ARMS I JUST WANTED TO HOOOOOLD YOU IIIIEEEEEN MY ARMS
Good
Utter dross.
Like this. I do agree that it is heavily polished but isn’t that sort of the thing with a studio album? I won’t go as far as to give it 5 stars but solid 4 for me.
The best soundtrack to a nonexistent mid 2000s action film. I was surprised how much I loved this.
A very cool blending of genres and styles. Hard rock, electronic, spanish influence… it’s got it all. Knights of Cydonia is a classic. Map of the Problematique is prob my favorite from the album. But while it’s got a cool blend of everything it’s just that… it’s a little generic.
I feel like this is a very full album. Mix of elements, dramatic, progressive at times, a lot of production. I enjoyed it. I know everyone's talking about this, but still, the first thing that caught me is the resemblance between Matt's voice and that of Thom Yorke. Even their chest voice and articulation are similar. But I would say Matt has a more solid head voice and has less vulnerable quality. (Something about the keyboard in startlight irritates me a bit. Not sure why. 1/3/4/9/11
nicht gehört
A solid Muse outing. Perhaps their best overall album, although it has a couple of weak tracks: invincible is very cheesy
I am not super familiar with Radiohead, but Muse seems like something that was just trying to ride those coattails. I don't really get the appeal at all, and frankly it's just too much.
Påminner lite om radiohead. Mest sättet han sjunger på. Men de va bra. Har bara lyssnat på supermassive black hole men de fanns ju massor med bättre låtar. Undrar om de bara e dehär albumet som påminner om radiohead eller om de bara låter linkande i allmänhet. Jag gillar att alla låtar va så olika.
Jag gillar Muse… har ju faktiskt lyssnat på det här när jag känner för lite 00-tal. Många bra och olika låtar :) Twilight-låten är still a hit!
Dope dope dope
Radiohead lite.
Radiohead for theatre kids
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Map of the problematique, Take a bow, Invincible, Exo-politics, Starlight, Supermassive black hole, Knights of cydonia
Yeah this is great.
Album 33 of 1001 Muse - Black Holes & Revelations Favorite Track : Slipping Through My Fingers Rating : 4 / 5 Was not familiar with Muse, other than hearing the name. Pretty enjoyable album. Reminds me a bit of U2 with some Coldplay mixed in. Seems very polished. Worldy rock is a term I sometimes use. Not sure exactly what it means, but this fits.
They are kinda lame for sure but I respect how good they are at arena rock. This sounded kinda spacey at times too which was cool. Vocals got a little tiresome at time but fuck it, this is decent. 3.5 stars
4.5/5 It´s not "Origin of Symmetry" but this album fucking slaps. I´ve never been a fan of Muse, but after this listening, I will definitely continue more into their discography. I just loved the whole atmosphere, and the energetic feeling that this songs gave me, holy crazy.
This album fell off the original list because it shouldn't have been on there in the first place. Muse represents a generic sound from the early 00s that you can play and struggle to name the band because they all sound the same. Black Holes and Revelations is an okay album and nothing against Muse, but a list of albums you should listen to before you die shouldn't include groups that all sound the same. 3/5.
Another Album I've listened to on repeat. Easy Five Stars.
3 stars, meh
Sounds like a poppy Radiohead with hints of prog metal. It's fine enough but I never need to hear it again
I already knew Supermassive Black Hole, which I actually quite liked. The rest of the album is too clean and "epic" for my taste, the lyrics also do nothing for me at all so I will probably never revisit this ever.
The last time Muse were really really great and every bit as glorious as I remember it. Map of the Problematique is a killer track which wouldn't be out of place on Origin of Symmetry.
not sure if it's giving its a rock album by men🙄 like ... but its ok i guess
This album is great… great sound, well paced, well played. Love it.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Blend of lot of different styles. 3.5
Slick production and a big sound. Not one I like, but I can see how some would. Didn’t find it special.
More Prog then i normally listen to. Not bad though. Maybe a little long in parts.
I enjoyed this one more than I expected too. Maybe a little long in parts, but overall, I quite enjoyed it. The lead singer's voice is a little whiny but he at least puts some emotion into it.
I can't listen to a full album with this voice. I get it, you have range. Reign it in.
It is pretty good at times, a bit mathy and proggy, but alright. It feels like the band was mostly interested in making something EPIC and IMPORTANT, and sometimes it does, but just as frequently it seems grandiose.
Still a fun as listen and super nostalgic, a couple tracks a little boring but great revisit. 3.5/5
I've heard muse before, but hearing an album by them is just incredible
Love their sound! Standouts: Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia, Invincible and Soldier's Poem
It goes, from start to finish.
Najbolji njihov, iskreno nisam ih slušo jako dugo, ali ovaj je bio u rotaciji
I've never really listened to Muse but I've known about them for such a long time. I really enjoyed this album yet at the same at it has this sheen to it that sounds overly produced. It's not bad, but I can't help shake this feeling it sounds a little too slick and polished. Still the guitar work is really great and those solos are great.
Let me just be frank. Over the top music. Over the top singing. Listened to Pixies (pure, direct, no BS) and then to this one (exactly opposite). 2 stars and not 1 because of, well am in a mild mood.
This album rocks. Exciting front to back. Mostly flowy alt rock but brings in ethereal elements and clean distortion that brings an extraterrestrial feel. Standouts are "Knights of Cydonia" "Assassin" and "Map of the Problematique"
I own it and listen to it loads love it!
Duff stadium-rock in love with the smell of its own farts
WOOOOOO :^ )
Muse was my favorite band some years ago, and then I suddenly changed to listening to other stuff. I'm back to this album again. I think it's longer than it should be, but it's still a precious release. I don't know exactly how, but these songs leave me in another state. Nostalgia perhaps? Maybe, but it's still worth it a lot.
I guess, fine. It's like a slicker more pop-oriented version of later Radiohead?
This album will take you on a journey and I like it.
Overblown, pompous, cynical music masquerading as sincere but, in all honesty, don't think too hard or look for hidden depths (there ultimately are none) just go with the cosmic stadium rock flow and you'll have a pretty fun time. The music equivalent of a Marvel movie - a guilty pleasure.
Snappy, I dig it but not enough for a daily listener.
Didn't like 1 star
I loved this album. Muse is great!
Good album. I like it overall 7/10
That’s some epic whining.
Als je dan toch emo-muziek moet maken met je klaagstem, doe het dan goed. Dus wel stevige gitaren op stampende ritmes, wat gekkigheid uit je keyboard en gaan met die banaan.
Muse is weer zo'n band met een zanger die muzikaal verschrikkelijk zeurt. Maar op dit album vindt Muse wel een prachtige match met de elektronische geluiden. Zeker in het begin. De eerste twee nummers leiden ons naar de hit die er met kop en schouders bovenuit steekt. Later wordt het album meer gevarieerd, wat ervoor zorgt dat het interessant blijft. Dat brengt wel een aantal nummers mee, waarbij toch dat zeur-karakter van de stem te dominant wordt. Maar het album is een waar kunstwerk en kunst moet ook af en toe schuren.
Ik ben nooit een grote fan geweest van Muse. Maar als je je eenmaal niet meer stoort aan de ademstoten van Matthew Bellamy, kun je gewoon genieten van de bombastische gitaarpartijen en elektronica. Een van de weinige platen waarop alleen maar goede nummers staan. Moderne Queen. Ik moet het toch weer vaker opzetten. 5 sterren zeker waard
oldie, twilight zone
It has its moments, but I wouldn't say it's their best job.
Had an absolutely blast re-visiting this one. I'd take any of the previous albums over this one, but the band still feels like their own thing here, and the melodrama hasn't completely suffocated them yet. Still think there's some pretty masterful instrumentation and great hooks for a pop rock rekkid. Fave track: Assassin
Takes me back to listening to my iPod shuffle on a family road trip to Port McQuarie - lot of good memories for this record. Not a bad rock album overall - some forgettable tracks I suppose but just as at home with with absolute ear worms and epic moments. 3 and a half. Fave track - Starlight (for nostalgia’s sake)
Not a bad album at all with some really good tracks. Just not quite a gem.
Its a good one
This album and this band are good but not great.
Absolute fucking bangers front to back
Noisy and not what I was in the mood for. It was okay.
Great
Couple of classics in there.
Enjoyable to return to this one. Peak Muse.
My gen-x former boss would fire me if she knew but Muse is overrated imo. Too navel gaze-y for me. Arpeggios are fun but what else you got?
Rock that's ready for change, gave it an interesting sound. A great record.
An album not worth the hate it gets. U2/Radiohead/Coldplay inspired rock with an EDM edge.
Album bangs. Need to relisten more later
College-days throwback... not sure how I missed this one. A couple of the songs are familiar from the radio, but for the most part, it's standard Muse. Enjoyable, energetic, and catchy, but repetitive at times. It sounds like they were trying to balance the harder rock themes of the time, meshed with melodic harmonies (ala Coldplay), and a few grandiose prog-rock anthems... that shift into predictable rock-pop. I wouldn't turn it off immediately, but I don't see myself revisiting this album often.
Top
it was good
Decent
Some high highs and some lower lowd, all around a good album
Superb album. Muse have a certain sound to them, very distinct and this was when it all came together. Stylised sounds and subject matter that turns a lot of people off but well like by others. Driving rock anthems although it seems they have fallen prey to the 'not trendy to like Muse' brigade. These are the same people that used to like them but have now convinced themselves they should wear flat caps and sunglasses and listen to cult performers no-one else has heard of.
Ill-advised U2/Radiohead collaboration.
Like a more rocking, but less interesting Radiohead. I actually recognized a few songs that I didn't know was them. Not too bad, but nothing thrilling. It could be a 3 I suppose but I'm dropping it to a 2 because this thing reeks of pretension and Muse fans are overzealous. This does not nearly live up to the hype.
Probably my favorite Muse album, and arguably the best so I am more than approving of this being on the list. Even if just for the variety. Muse has always been a band that I can't quite put my finger on. With the synthesizers and guitars mixed with other worldly sounds and the lead singers creepy voice, this band is one of a kind. Take a Bow kicks this off sounding like something from a Phillip Glass track. Supermassive Black Hole is from Twilight and also a banger. Assassin is insane, I remember on first listen I immediately resonated with that one for the fast pace synths. And then Knights of Cydonia...a classic Guitar Hero III song. Either way, I think this album makes up for the garbage we have gotten most of this week.
You know I don't think I've ever listened to this album front to back before, but I know it quite well. You've got the classic "Knights of Cydonia" from Guitar Hero, and a few others that I consider to be somewhat classics, based on just how much I've heard them. I forget about Muse's existence from time to time, but this album rocks. Favorite tracks: Knights of Cydonia, Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight, Assassin. Album art: Love this one. Some weird futuristic guys sitting around a table in the desert. That's all life is sometimes. 4/5
While it’s pretty much Muse’s “Kid A” (to an abundantly similar degree), this album has enough to set itself apart to still make it an interesting, progressive release for rock music. Favorite Track: Solider’s Poem Rating: 6.5/10
"Black Holes and Relevations" is the fourth studio album by English rock band Muse. The album was recorded in three countries and noted for a change in style incorporating influences from Depeche Mode, Millionaire, Lightning Bolt and Sly and the Family Stone. OK. I see that. The music is classified as alternative rock, progressive rock and space rock. Yep. Sometimes in the same song. Sometimes all three at the same time. There is a lot going on in their songs. The lyrics address political corruption, alien invasion (one song), revolution and New World Order. There are some just love/relationship songs. "Take a Bow" begins things with a swirling blend of classical, electronic and rock. A Moog synth. Dramatic guitar at the middle and end. Lots of drama in their songs. An attack on NWO leaders controlling everything. This sounds like Queen. The second song and single and probably my favorite is "Starlight." A more straight-foward alt rock melody and the heavier guitars. OK, on their third single "Supermassive Black Hole," we get their 90's Depeche Mode imitation. Lead singer Matt Bellamy going falsetto. They then go space rock with the guitar. I think this about getting sucked into a relationship with a person that inevitably going to dump you. The last and fifth single "Map of the Problematique" had the riff written wuth a keyboard and then translated and split into three guitar signals. This is when this album tends to lose me; there is so much going on, way too busy. The album ends with "Knights of Cydonia," best known by me as one of the last songs of Guitar Hero III. It was tough. The song itself goes from space and laser sounds to a driving guitar and keyboard to a guitar jam. And a lot more. This was frustrating. I like a few of the songs and parts of most of the songs but they try to do so much on every song it was giving me a headache. When I need to draw a diagram of the musical changes in each song just to keep up, I don't find that fun. Muse has had a very successful career so there is a lot of people that like them. And, heck, I saw them in the last few years and enjoyed it. Not today.
9/10, just missing that extra intangible to make it a 5 star
Bueno. Me gustó.
Muse is cool as hell. Got to get more into this band for sure.
I had a good time listening to it. The singles are overplayed but they're good. 3.5
Liked this one Nice rock sound
Black Holes and Revelations is the 4th Muse studio album. It was released on 3 July 2006 and described as featuring progressive rock and space rock. Like their previous albums, it features political and dystopian undertones, with lyrics covering topics such as political corruption, alien invasion, revolution and New World Order conspiracies, as well as more conventional love songs. Have listened a few songs in my teenage years. Didn't enjoyed then. But enjoyed the full album now (14/02/2023).