![]() A scattering finger-picking riff moves into a delicate pre-chorus lull, allowing Bellamy’s vocals to gently float. ‘Blackades’ takes you back to Muse circa-2008. Full of pomp and ceremony, Bellamy’s vocals are purposeful and dance between his iconic falsetto and a calmer, yet constantly direct projection. ‘Thought Contagion’ could have belonged on previous record Drones with its screeching backing vocals matching Chris Wolstoneholme’s fierce bass groove and Dom Howard’s anthematic drums. Whilst Simulation Theory’s dystopian Stranger Things style of sci-fi space rock is clear, there are moments in which Muse look backwards into their back catalogue. “Full of pomp and ceremony, Bellamy’s vocals are purposeful” Album closer ‘The Void’ ends the record as it started, with a slightly Radio-esque dystopian synth arrangement providing the bed for Bellamy’s vocals to lie across. Whilst lyrically purposeful, the chorus falls flat, ultimately lacking the Muse’s iconic theatrics, despite creating punchy verses containing hints of prog-rock. Muse’s 1980’s rock influences are clear within ‘Pressure’, with its classic rock riff and shimmering drum beat. “Rock influences are clear within ‘Pressure’, with its classic rock riff and shimmering drum beat” A beautiful electro-rock synth pattern bridges sections of the track, whilst a stalking guitar solo counterbalances Bellamy’s vocals which slowly caress the verses before punching holes into the choruses. On the other hand, ‘The Dark Side’ is a statement of Muse’s ability to produce purposeful arena-rock tracks. However, the track feels too restrictive and safe, never building to the conclusion you really desire. Swirling extra-terrestrial synths fade in and out of the single, which surprisingly sounds similar to The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’. “The track feels too restrictive and safe, never building to the conclusion you really desire”īellamy’s impassioned vocals impress on ‘Something Human’, a tender, down-to-earth single which develops with the help of a gentle acoustic guitar pattern and an ever-present bass drum thump. ![]() The pulsating synth introduction in the opening track, ‘Algorithm’ infuses sci-fi dramaticism with the trickling of classical piano before a sharp violin line provides the wave in which Matt Bellamy’s cascading vocals enter the fray whilst lyrics “This means war” bellow out with intent, indicating the record’s sci-fi theme. ![]() ![]() Having enlisted Kyle Lambert, the LA-based Stranger Things designer, to create the cover for the new record, the direction that the trio wanted to take seemed obvious. “‘Algorithm’ infuses sci-fi dramaticism with the trickling of classical piano before a sharp violin” Eighth album Simulation Theory sees the trio focusing on 1980’s musical influences and culture, whilst further boosting their incredible reputation. Muse aren’t afraid to shy away from creativity having recently delved into electro-rock ( The 2nd Law) and hard rock ( Drones). It’s incredible to think that Teignmouth trio Muse released their debut record almost twenty years ago, but since then, the band have escalated to complete stardom, being hailed as one of Britain’s greatest modern rock bands. Devon’s rock titans struggle to inspire on their sci-fi dominated space-rock adventure. ![]()
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