Muse has secretly been one of my favorite bands since I first heard "Muscle Museum" in high school in my quest to find bands with good bass lines. This album was a continuation of the group's evolution away from a Radiohead clone, leaning heavily into political and dystopian themes and experimenting with more prog rock, post punk, and new wave influences. To me, it doesn't touch "Absolution," but few albums do. Exceptionally solid from start to finish.