Great band, great, very dramatic album. Muse are doiung us Brits justice, we haven't turend out many decent bands in the last few years. Great review by the way, detailed. :)

(rock) Muse - Absolution
 

Since Muse appeared with their first album 'Showbiz' there has been speculation on how far these guys can go with their music. Now Matt Bellamy (Guitars, piano, vocals.) Has become one of the best and well known musicians of today. Absolution is the recent pinicle of their career.

The album Absolution starts with a 22 second intro which basically is various percusion (and the band members feet) banging in a pattern. Betime track two 'Apocolypse please' begins the pianos are enough to startle you. Mix these with some strong vocals and an eerie bass line these two tracks are a good opener.

Track three is the singe 'time is running out' Chris (Bass) loves that distortion effect and uses it to great effect here with a catchy opening bass tune. Along with a fantastic suspensful pre chorus and Matt's screeching halfway through, this is one mother of a song.

'Sing for Absolution' is a strange song, Matt interlinks his piano, vocals and guitars into enormous effect. The video recently one kerrang video of the year. There really isn't much to say.

On swiftly to 'Stockholm Syndrome' an incredible beast of a song which, when loud, can match metal for mosh-ability. The verses lead into a huge volume leap for the solo and then mellow back into the chorus. Everything in this song blends together perfectly. By the way stockholm syndrome is when a kidnap vitim falls in love with their kidnapper.

Falling away with you, is a mellow (at least compared to one before it,) The depressing and down beat verses only add as a counter balance to an incredibly uplifting chorus, still, its my least favourite.

After a quick 30 second interlude which has really bad distortion comes the high point of the album, 'Hysteria,' an incredible bass line along with high pitched guitars gives the verse a great feel, while the chorus "I want it now!" is great. Matched up with one feck of a solo Muse were always on to a winner with this.

Blackout is a mellow song again, I like how Muse always calm the mood down with each heavy song anyway.... Yeah this is good, Matt takes to the piano again to deliver (even though it doesn't compare to the next song.) a blasting atmospheric piece.

Then there is the albums real killer, 'Butterflies and Hurricanes', feck, what an amazing song. Once again Muse mix the heavy and the mellow in the first chorus and verse and then does Matt go into a guitar solo, oh no, he does a piano solo, and wow. I'm no fan of classical music but this is pretty amazing, not to mention hard as hell to play. The guitars in all of the song actually are at a all time low, making way for the bass to take the main tune. After the solo it goes all quiet and then, bang, A huge sound explosion and the chorus kicks you square in the face. Nice.

On to TSP 'The small print' this is another eerie haunting tune, and actually strays away from the Muse borderline, "Slave to graaavvveeee!" Notice the solos again that really gives it a heavy feel.

'Thoughts of a dying Atheist,' is a cool song. These last two songs have sort of neglected the piano in favour of cool riffs and hard hitting lyrics. Fine by me, this is one of my favourite songs, and when that chorus hits you it hits you nice and hard but without being too heavy.

Ruled by secrecy, is a return to the piano and well, not a lot else really but once again Matt succeeds in taking this to a new place in rock music.

Concluding 'Absolution' is definetly Muse's best, its even better than origin of symmetry which was great, Muse combine new elements of rock and take them to a level which, currently at least, is their world, ultimatly with this album Muse show the world they have nothing left to prove.

5/5

I know this'll change very soon, but for the moment please check the reviews list before you do something, this album has already been done and you'll find your thread gets merged into that one very soon, most probably.

10 points for la Girl d'Ashtray.

Nice review, this album is worth purchasing and is definately up there if not leading the rest of it's genre at the moment. 4/5 from me.

Raiven was recommending Muse to me the other day, and this looks to be one to check out. Excellent review, by the way. I haven't heard the album, but when I do pick it up (hopefully later this week), I'll try to give some feedback.

You summed Absolution up perfect. I couldn't agree more. I am in love with their new album and am playing it constantly from 4am till i finally fall into a slumber.

I like thsi album. It is the only Muse I've heard and I enjoy it very much. However, sometimes the Radiohead vocals turn me off (not that I dislike Radiohead vocals, but it shows a lack of originality).

If you like this, check out Showbiz and Origin Of Symmetry too, which are even better in many people's opinions.

I still cannot for the life of me decide which album I like best.

[QUOTE=The Ashtray Girl]If you like this, check out Showbiz and Origin Of Symmetry too, which are even better in many people's opinions.

I still cannot for the life of me decide which album I like best.[/QUOTE]

Origin of Symmetry > Absolution


There, I picked for you [B]and[/B] me ! :thumb:

Phew, just as well I've got people like you around.

[QUOTE=The Ashtray Girl]If you like this, check out Showbiz and Origin Of Symmetry too, which are even better in many people's opinions.

I still cannot for the life of me decide which album I like best.[/QUOTE]
I just gave a listen to "Origin of Symmetry", it's quite a good album. I think I'm going to like this band...

Oh you'll love this band, and just wait till you see them live, they're something else onstage. well satisfying to play their songs as well, providin you have the distortion and effects

Absolution is my current favourite but it always seems to change between the two.

I notice hardly anyone favours Showbiz

If i hear one more person go on about the radiohead stuff i'm gonna go crazy, yeah fair enough at times on showbiz, but the later albums are far different, bellamy has a killer voice, sends shivers down my spine when i hear it. dont get me wrong. i love radiohead as well, but the whole rip off thing is getting really boring now, muse are the most original band ive listened to, personal muse top five is: citizen erased, hysteria, thoughts of a dying atheist, space dementia and apocalypse please

Muse were always going to have a hard time topping Origin Of Symmetry, and for pure, heart-pounding soaring moments I'm not sure they did. But they had a da[size=2]m[/size]n good stab at it, and it's a close run thing.

I would not hesitate to say that no contemporary British band can go toe-to-toe with Muse. Butterflies and Hurricanes, and Stockholm Syndrome are probably my two favourite tracks on this album, though they are all great. And the live show that accompanies it staggers belief.

I would give this album... 4.5/5. Which is about as good as my ratings get.

Matt Bellamy's voice is a little like Thom Yorke's in places. Muse were obviously influenced by Radiohead.

Muse are not Radiohead.

Muse are not a ripoff of Radiohead.

Muse are Muse.

Show me a song by Radiohead that sounds like Butterflies and Hurricanes or Stockholm Syndrome, or... Citizen Erased, to pick a personal favourite.

Hmmm im not really into them but i still have all their albums and this is definately my favorite out of them if i had to pick one

I own all Muse's albums and my favourite is..... probably this. OOs and showbiz are amazing but this just has something special, Matt has really progressed as a songwriter and this album just shows it. Amazing.
Sorry I didn't realise this had already been done. My apoligies :)

Seriously, if you want to experience Muse at their best, buy the Hullabaloo DVD or download a bootleg. You haven't heard Muse until you have seen them live, and then it's a [size=2]fu[/size]cking amazing experience. The raw energy they carry out live along with Matt's unique voice, it's just so well played.

I saw them in 2001 (My first gig ever!) at Doncaster Dome and it was sheer brilliance.

apparently, a cheesy way of putting their genre is Ba-rock if anyone gets that. :p

i saw them for my first time at Earls Court on the 2nd date, after 4 years of trying to get tickets for their shows, i finally got some, and it's definately the best gig i've ever been to in my life.

nothing compares to the sound they produce live. it's so overwhleming. they started off with an intro, and then straight into Apocalypse Please, and there was dom hammering away at the drums, you could just feel every hit in your chest and feet, and then came the piano, my god, i just felt a surge of excitement sweep right through me, i couldn't contain myself.

they have the best sound i've ever heard, and they are so tight live, never making any mistakes, and they've changed a few of their live songs for the better. (Sunburn, the whole song played on piano, even solo, Butterflies & Hurricanes, with guitar and piano solo, Citizen Erased, that bloody amazing riff in the middle of the song, Sing for Absolution, played on guitar only, it's so much better now, Apocalypse Please, with the changed drum fill in the bridge, amazing)

one thing that really fecking impressed me was the lighting rig, and how it all integrated with the sound, it was inch for inch perfect. i have a picture to show you the lighting rig.

[img]http://www.microcuts.net/gallery/details.php?image_id=3353[/img]

that's my picture that someone put on their, claimed as their own i believe, but it shows the enormity of their set, and how vast everything is.

my advice, go see them live and buy all their albums, and aquire all their b-sides, they are very special too.

5/5 for the album, and all their albums. they are special

Ive been a fan ever since showbiz, its not their greatest but still a quality album, bellamy is such an awesome musician and he's still well young. when i saw em at reading a few years back i was blown away, and they hadnt even done the absolution stuff!

me and some mates have been playing their stuff and its well satisfying, unfortunately weve had to do away with the vocals cos no one i know can reach the epochal heights matt's voice does.