After returning from space we arrive in the 'City of Delusion'. Every riff is a hook to sink your teeth into with nasty grooves pulling at your head to get you moving. The following alien overlord anthem, 'Exo-Politics', blows its predecessor away its infectious song structure begging you to sing along even if you don't know the words. It lacks the 'oomph' displayed during the first-half, sounding like a stadium burner that burned out before hitting the stage. I may be in the minority here when I say 'Assassin', kicking off the second-half of the record, might be one of the weakest tracks with its bland chorus and lackluster 'Stockholm Syndrome'-revisited riffing falling short of the mark. I wouldn't call it a standout but it does not receive enough praise for its well-written escalation into the final chorus that truly does, dare I say it, make you feel. It's a tongue-in-cheek jab at people pretending everything will be okay even while the world burns around them. If you take the time to read interviews and let's be honest, you don't have time to do all that, which is why I'm here, Matt Bellamy has stated it is intentionally overbearingly optimistic. One of the more misunderstood, even critically hated, tracks, 'Invincible', appears to be defeated by its cliche lyrics at first glance despite its powerful delivery. The interlude 'Soldier's Poem' cools things down while also delivering some of the best lyrics on the album, simultaneously breeding calm and anger in its melancholic wake.
'Map of the Problematique' changes direction with its 80s inspired synth, being the best Depeche Mode song you've never heard, four piano keys being driven into you subconscious while soaring falsettos abound around shimmering guitars. The done-to-death singles 'Starlight' and 'Supermassive Black Hole' follow, but the emotional, sleek appeal of the former and sickening groove of the latter will be stuck in your head forever regardless of any disputes you may have with the overtly pop-oriented songwriting. The minimalist approach gives way to an epic, spine-tingling ending you won't soon forget, laying the groundwork for what will be forged ahead. The ambition of 'Absolution' is streamlined and realized on the follow-up 'Black Holes and Revelations', showcasing musicians no longer afraid to play it safe while transcending genres as if it were a simple hat trick.īeginning this intimate odyssey, 'Take A Bow' centers around an unrelenting synth, building into an anticlimax of slow doom chords. This is when Muse stepped out of their shadow to pursue a more bombastic, unrestrained rock sound that welcomed the nuclear blast on the horizon with delectable melodies indeed fitting as an end of the world soundtrack. The murmur that formed around 'Origin of Symmetry' became a full-fledged movement after 'Absolution' declared we, the human race, were doomed. Review Summary: Ten years later, 'Black Holes and Revelations' remains a tour de force for modern rock music.
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