Muse: Absolution
Yeah, I think I want to get this one out of the way before i do anything else. I have a bad habit of wanting to do ALL the albums of one band and then moving on to the next. I won't be doing Origin of Symmetry or Showbiz for a while, though. I think my next one will be Led Zeppelin IV or II. Now, Absolution is my favorite Muse album, with their newest one as a close second. And, on with the review!
NOTE: Muse put two of these little "interlude" things in the album. They're basically transitions from one song to the next, so there's really no reason to add them. You'll probably find yourself skipping over them if you have the CD.
1. Apocalypse Please: Awesome album opener. Starts with some heavy piano chords, and the lyrics, "Declare this an emergency/Come on and spread a sense of urgency." In general, the song is pretty consistent with its dark feel plus Matt’s haunting vocals and piano playing. This song actually has an apocalyptic feel to it, believe it or not. Great songwriting on this one. 9/10
2. Time Is Running Out: One of my favorites on the album, and you've probably heard it before. It opens with this great bassline and you just know that for the rest of the song Muse will rock your socks. "I think I'm drowning/Asphixiated/I want to break the spell/That you've created." Yes, to answer your question, the lyrics are THAT great for the entire song. It has a great drumming beat, and it'll probably make you snap your fingers along with the song during the verses, no doubt. Kickass song. 10/10
3. Sing for Absolution: Very cool song. I love the piano in this song, pretty much all of the instrumentals are perfect. It creates this futuristic aura, and the video goes along perfectly with it. There’s nothing wrong with this song, but the guitar solo, when it FIRST, sounds a little cheap. Don’t worry, it picks up fast, but that’s my only complaint. 9.5/10
4. Stockholm Syndrome: HOLY SHIT! I’m so excited I can’t even type right. Great guitar riffs in this song, pure perfection. It starts off metal, and it pretty much stays that way until the chorus. Then, it slows down and some beautiful piano playing with some nice drumwork, and suddenly everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion… then it cuts into that great guitar riff, once again. Awesome lyrics written by Bellamy; in fact, it’s probably one of his best lyrical songs on the album. This song is just… pure genius. Matt’s guitar and piano in the chorus MAKE this song. 12/10
5. Falling Away with You: This song is pretty a-okay. It starts off all mellow with some chill guitar playing, just an acoustic guitar and Matt’s great vocals. Then, right where he goes, “I think our lives have just begun,” Muse gets electronic on us and add in some nice keyboarding. And, it’s pretty cool for a while, then goes back into “mellow mode.” All in all, the song is okay, but there’s nothing spectacular about it. 7/10
6. Hysteria: Fucking Hysteria, man! Probably one of my favorite songs on the album. Opens up with Chris ripping a genius bassline, Dom pounding his drums into oblivion, and Matt shredding his guitar, creating possibly one of my favorite guitar riffs on the album. This song is flawless, Matt’s vocals, especially in the verses. Love the lyrics, easily addictive. I’ve said it before, but Chris’ bass playing owns on this song. And the guitar “ one of my favorite guitar solos on the album, so unique and it has that “futuristic” factor I love so much. And the drums are great, especially in the beginning. But it’s short! The song JUST ended right now, and I played it right when I started typing in the title! But, whatever. It’s Hysteria! 10/10
7. Blackout: Starts with some seriously dark, but hauntingly marvelous playing by a string section. Matt’s voice gives me the chills in this song, so moving and genuine. The lyrics are perfection in this song, by far my favorite on the album, perhaps out of all their songs. It’s just a beautiful song, and it’s definitely not a sleeper. There’s no way you could sleep through such a gorgeous song. It may SOUND like a boring song in the beginning, but trust me, it’s amazing. Excellent songwriting. 10/10.
8. Butterflies and Hurricanes: WOWZA. Another masterpiece, they just keep coming and coming off of this album. And, yet again, Matt writes fantastic lyrics; the words flow so perfectly and hold a lot of meaning in every song. This song is fantastic. Piano, strings, drumming, everything (I can’t hear the bass in this song, but we can assume it is brilliant as well); I must say that the piano makes this song so perfect, gives it that extra edge. Halfway through the song, Matt rips off some classical piano composition and breaks into probably the best piano solo out of all the Muse songs. They get all classical on us, with the strings and the piano. It’s just… yeah, wowza. 10/10 (I’m not kidding, and I’m not being biased with all these 10s. This album is that amazing.)
9. Small Print: Great drumming in this song, I gotta say. It carries along the melody perfectly. Yeah, pretty good song, great rocker. The opening riff and the chorus are the best parts of the song, the verses are pretty good. Matt exhibits his guitar talents in this song, it’s pretty kickass. It’ll rock your socks for 3:30 minutes, that’s for sure! 9/10
10. Endlessly: I can’t find the word for this song… jazzy? Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Simply and jazzy. I love the drumming beat, it’s a huge contributor to the song. Great melody for being such a simplistic song. Groovy. I like this song, despite not having anything to really set it apart from the rest. 8.5/10
11. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist: Well, the lyrical content is pretty self-explanatory, considering the title. Very well written, another ace composition. Now, I’m not trying to draw attention to the whole Bellamy/Freddie Mercury thing, but there are some points in the song when Matt gives me goosebumps, because he sometimes sounds almost EXACTlY like him. Right in the second verse, “Are you afraid to die? Scares the hell out me…” I’m not even joking, I unintentionally think of Freddie every time. Just… great song… everything, I like the rhythm guitar in this song. And the solo, weirdest of all, sounds like something Brian May would do! I’m not trying to be cliché or anything, but it really does to me. 9.5/10
12. Ruled by Secrecy: Great album closer. Another one of those creepy songs that I love so much. Nice keyboarding by Matt. Especially the vocals and… need I say it again, the lyrics… It’s a good, well-written song, but I have trouble keeping attention every now and then, until they add the drums. But, that’s almost two minutes in, and by then I like to change the song if I’m bored with it. Right around 3 minutes, Matt gets his groove on with the keyboard, and it really picks up pace, and then it’s all worth it It’s pretty good as a song on its own, but I can’t think of a better way to close an album. 8/10
Absolution exhibits the talents of each member of Muse, and just… wow… If you think you might like Muse, this should be your FIRST PURCHASE. No lie. Oh, and if you want to see something awesome, check out my profile in five or ten minutes and watch the clip of Matt playing “Time Is Running Out” and he does something awesome in the middle…
NOTE: Muse put two of these little "interlude" things in the album. They're basically transitions from one song to the next, so there's really no reason to add them. You'll probably find yourself skipping over them if you have the CD.
1. Apocalypse Please: Awesome album opener. Starts with some heavy piano chords, and the lyrics, "Declare this an emergency/Come on and spread a sense of urgency." In general, the song is pretty consistent with its dark feel plus Matt’s haunting vocals and piano playing. This song actually has an apocalyptic feel to it, believe it or not. Great songwriting on this one. 9/10
2. Time Is Running Out: One of my favorites on the album, and you've probably heard it before. It opens with this great bassline and you just know that for the rest of the song Muse will rock your socks. "I think I'm drowning/Asphixiated/I want to break the spell/That you've created." Yes, to answer your question, the lyrics are THAT great for the entire song. It has a great drumming beat, and it'll probably make you snap your fingers along with the song during the verses, no doubt. Kickass song. 10/10
3. Sing for Absolution: Very cool song. I love the piano in this song, pretty much all of the instrumentals are perfect. It creates this futuristic aura, and the video goes along perfectly with it. There’s nothing wrong with this song, but the guitar solo, when it FIRST, sounds a little cheap. Don’t worry, it picks up fast, but that’s my only complaint. 9.5/10
4. Stockholm Syndrome: HOLY SHIT! I’m so excited I can’t even type right. Great guitar riffs in this song, pure perfection. It starts off metal, and it pretty much stays that way until the chorus. Then, it slows down and some beautiful piano playing with some nice drumwork, and suddenly everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion… then it cuts into that great guitar riff, once again. Awesome lyrics written by Bellamy; in fact, it’s probably one of his best lyrical songs on the album. This song is just… pure genius. Matt’s guitar and piano in the chorus MAKE this song. 12/10
5. Falling Away with You: This song is pretty a-okay. It starts off all mellow with some chill guitar playing, just an acoustic guitar and Matt’s great vocals. Then, right where he goes, “I think our lives have just begun,” Muse gets electronic on us and add in some nice keyboarding. And, it’s pretty cool for a while, then goes back into “mellow mode.” All in all, the song is okay, but there’s nothing spectacular about it. 7/10
6. Hysteria: Fucking Hysteria, man! Probably one of my favorite songs on the album. Opens up with Chris ripping a genius bassline, Dom pounding his drums into oblivion, and Matt shredding his guitar, creating possibly one of my favorite guitar riffs on the album. This song is flawless, Matt’s vocals, especially in the verses. Love the lyrics, easily addictive. I’ve said it before, but Chris’ bass playing owns on this song. And the guitar “ one of my favorite guitar solos on the album, so unique and it has that “futuristic” factor I love so much. And the drums are great, especially in the beginning. But it’s short! The song JUST ended right now, and I played it right when I started typing in the title! But, whatever. It’s Hysteria! 10/10
7. Blackout: Starts with some seriously dark, but hauntingly marvelous playing by a string section. Matt’s voice gives me the chills in this song, so moving and genuine. The lyrics are perfection in this song, by far my favorite on the album, perhaps out of all their songs. It’s just a beautiful song, and it’s definitely not a sleeper. There’s no way you could sleep through such a gorgeous song. It may SOUND like a boring song in the beginning, but trust me, it’s amazing. Excellent songwriting. 10/10.
8. Butterflies and Hurricanes: WOWZA. Another masterpiece, they just keep coming and coming off of this album. And, yet again, Matt writes fantastic lyrics; the words flow so perfectly and hold a lot of meaning in every song. This song is fantastic. Piano, strings, drumming, everything (I can’t hear the bass in this song, but we can assume it is brilliant as well); I must say that the piano makes this song so perfect, gives it that extra edge. Halfway through the song, Matt rips off some classical piano composition and breaks into probably the best piano solo out of all the Muse songs. They get all classical on us, with the strings and the piano. It’s just… yeah, wowza. 10/10 (I’m not kidding, and I’m not being biased with all these 10s. This album is that amazing.)
9. Small Print: Great drumming in this song, I gotta say. It carries along the melody perfectly. Yeah, pretty good song, great rocker. The opening riff and the chorus are the best parts of the song, the verses are pretty good. Matt exhibits his guitar talents in this song, it’s pretty kickass. It’ll rock your socks for 3:30 minutes, that’s for sure! 9/10
10. Endlessly: I can’t find the word for this song… jazzy? Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Simply and jazzy. I love the drumming beat, it’s a huge contributor to the song. Great melody for being such a simplistic song. Groovy. I like this song, despite not having anything to really set it apart from the rest. 8.5/10
11. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist: Well, the lyrical content is pretty self-explanatory, considering the title. Very well written, another ace composition. Now, I’m not trying to draw attention to the whole Bellamy/Freddie Mercury thing, but there are some points in the song when Matt gives me goosebumps, because he sometimes sounds almost EXACTlY like him. Right in the second verse, “Are you afraid to die? Scares the hell out me…” I’m not even joking, I unintentionally think of Freddie every time. Just… great song… everything, I like the rhythm guitar in this song. And the solo, weirdest of all, sounds like something Brian May would do! I’m not trying to be cliché or anything, but it really does to me. 9.5/10
12. Ruled by Secrecy: Great album closer. Another one of those creepy songs that I love so much. Nice keyboarding by Matt. Especially the vocals and… need I say it again, the lyrics… It’s a good, well-written song, but I have trouble keeping attention every now and then, until they add the drums. But, that’s almost two minutes in, and by then I like to change the song if I’m bored with it. Right around 3 minutes, Matt gets his groove on with the keyboard, and it really picks up pace, and then it’s all worth it It’s pretty good as a song on its own, but I can’t think of a better way to close an album. 8/10
Absolution exhibits the talents of each member of Muse, and just… wow… If you think you might like Muse, this should be your FIRST PURCHASE. No lie. Oh, and if you want to see something awesome, check out my profile in five or ten minutes and watch the clip of Matt playing “Time Is Running Out” and he does something awesome in the middle…
You give such in depth reviews with so much information.
I'v heard Hysteria before, it's an excellent song.
Kurtni, January 20th, 2007 at 05:54:40pm