nematanthus

[nematanthus]

First Impression: From Zero- Linkin Park

Guide:

Interlude

Favorite so far

Least favorite so far

Single

Tracklist:

From Zero (intro)

The Emptiness Machine

Cut the Bridge

Heavy Is the Crown

Over Each Other

Casualty

Overflow

Two Faced

Stained

IGYEIH

Good Things Go

First Thoughts:

Disclaimer: I am only reviewing the music, my opinions of the band or the members will not be considered in this review.

This sounds like a spiritual successor to all of Linkin Parks' previous works, with a distinctly modern twist. With overt references to several past works, including the album name itself being a reference to the bands original name, it's clear this album is intended to be a fresh start without forgetting the roots that built it. The production is clean, the instrumentals have that classic balance between the hip hop bounce and the heavier elements, the lyrics trade between the two vocalists effortlessly, with no momentum lost between the two. There are some nice harmonies here as well, something that we haven't seen a lot from the band in the past. Thematically, the album follows much of the same subject matter as other records. Ultimately, this album is as Linkin Park as it gets, every aspect of the record fits in with all that's come before, the only real noticeable difference is slight style changes and the obvious addition of a new vocalist. It's a nice touch that the final track leads into the first again, creating a loop making the tracks a metaphorical Zero, once again referencing the title.

[nematanthus]

Tracklist:

Turnin' On The Screw • Sick, Sick, Sick • I'm Designer • Into The Hollow • Misfit Love • Battery Acid • Make It Wit Chu • 3's & 7's • Suture Up Your Future • River In The Road • Run, Pig, Run

Spotify ♪ YouTube

[nematanthus]

[nematanthus]

music is pretty cool I think

[nematanthus]

Album Ranking: Muse

9. Will of the People

8. Showbiz

7. Simulation Theory

6. The Resistance

5. Drones

4. Black Holes and Revelations

3. Origin of Symmetry

2. The 2nd Law

1. Absolution

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Will Of The People- Muse

Release Date:

August 26 2022

Tracklist:

Will of the People

Compliance

Liberation

Won't Stand Down

Ghosts (How Can I Move On)

You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween

Kill or Be Killed

Verona

Euphoria

We Are Fucking Fucked

Favorite Track:

You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween

Least favorite track:

We Are Fucking Fucked

Album art opinions:

The album art depicts the band members as stone statues, broken and graffitied on a dusty orange background with small humanize figures around them, seemingly sowing chaos. These immediately bring to mind monuments like Mount Rushmore, and considering the albums title, this was likely intentional. The album cover quite literally depicts revolution, tearing down monuments of the past and "taking back" your life and country, as is the theme of the album.

Color: 7/10

Recognizability: 5/10

Vibes: 5/10

Total: 6/10

Music opinions/notes:

If Simulation Theory was disjointed, this was a collage. It's hard to pick out a singular influence or really even a vibe for the album, as everything is all over the place. There's some metal inspired tracks, some more of that 80s style synth from the previous album, and even a piano ballad. The order of the track listing doesn't help this feeling either, jumping wildly from style to style between tracks, making this album a difficult listen as you're being whiplash every 3-4 minutes. Something is also wrong with the mixing on some of these tracks, where Matt's vocals seem way too loud, to the point where some tracks that would have been otherwise awesome are made grating and uncomfortable to listen to. There's also the issue of repetitiveness within the songs as well, with the overbearing choir in the title track and the intro of Compliance. Then there is the track "We Are Fucking Fucked" which seems confused in and of itself as to what it's trying to be.

Mix: 5/10

Lyrics: 4/10

Instruments: 6/10

Vibes: 3/10

Total: 4/10

Total Score: 5/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Simulation Theory- Muse

Release Date:

November 9 2018

Tracklist:

Algorithm

The Dark Side

Pressure

Propaganda

Break It to Me

Something Human

Thought Contagion

Get up and Fight

Blockades

Dig Down

The Void

(With Alternate Reality, Remixed, Acoustic, and/or Live versions available on streaming and deluxe editions for almost all tracks)

Favorite Track:

Pressure

Least favorite track:

Break It to Me

Album art opinions:

The album cover depicts the band as a hologram, with various 80s futurism elements, all of which references to pop culture of the time such as Back to the Future, and Michael Jacksons "Thriller". Stylistically, this makes sense with the overall 80s synth sound found throughout the album, though it does seem to be lacking the symbolism we've grown to expect from Muse.

Color: 7/10

Recognizability: 8/10

Vibes: 6/10

Total: 7/10

Music opinions/notes:

While there are a few great tracks here, whether it be the heartfelt track about missing home when you're on the road in Something Human or power pop track Pressure, the rest of the album drags down these high points significantly. The worst of the tracks are so unlistenable that I physically dread the thought of hearing them. The rest of the album sits at a comfortable alright but forgettable. Some of the instrumentals are uncomfortable, and the lyric work is tacky. This album feels as disjointed as its recording process.

I wish that the band had gone further in the whole "Alternate Reality" idea and had released a double album, rather than the two alternate reality versions of only Algorithm and The Dark Side (plus it's alternate reality instrumental), and not only this but truly made the two versions of the songs feel incredibly different. There are a lot of influences that make up the main set of tracks, and I feel the whole album could have benefitted from maybe breaking apart some of those more contrasting influences and making two tracks that were both well thought out and different yet similar, and truly deliver on the "Alternate Reality" idea of Simulation Theory.

Wishes aside, the album is overall, Meh. While the good tracks are really good, the bad tracks are a terror, and the half done concept of the Alternate Reality tracks are a letdown.

Mix: 6/10

Lyrics: 5/10

Instruments: 6/10

Vibes: 4/10

Total: 5/10

Total Score:6/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Drones-Muse

Release Date:

June 5 2015

Tracklist:

Dead Inside

Drill Sergeant

Psycho

Mercy

Reapers

The Handler

JFK

Detector

Revolt

Aftermath

The Globalist

Drones

Favorite Track:

Revolt

Least favorite track:

Drones

Album art opinions:

The album cover features a character in front of a screen wearing a white collared shirt holding in one hand a red joystick. The screen in front of the character has an image of many humanoid figures in a march. The characters head is also a red joystick, and an arm wearing a suit has ahold on the characters head/joystick, implying that the character is being controlled just as it is controlling the figures on the screen. This album covers concepts such as corruption and brainwashing, so the cover is very fitting, showing that even those "in charge" are typically also being controlled by something bigger/more powerful than them.

Color: 5/10

Recognizability: 7/10

Vibes: 7/10

Total: 6/10

Music opinions/notes:

This is a concept album where we follow a characters' journey through being indoctrinated into the military, losing all sense of self, and then their eventual defection and the fallout from that decision. This is an album that is straightforward and unashamedly political, anti-war, and anti-military. The two interludes this album has are both emotionally charged and rather intense. the first, "Drill Sergeant," is a clip of the soldier character we follow being yelled at by a superior, showing the stakes of what this character has gotten themself into, which leads right into the song "Psycho" which is from the drill Sergeants perspective, showing his plan to make this character, and the others like them "killing machines". The second, "JFK," is a clip from former US President John F. Kennedy, speaking on the Cold War, which leads into "Defector," which is when our main character decides to leave the military post they signed up for. Defector is followed by Revolt, probably the closest thing to happy this album touches, wherein our character realizes that all hope is not lost and you can rebel against the powers that be and fight for what matters. Overall, this album was well made and tells a captivating story with a simple rock sound, while still having interesting instrumental moments.

Mix: 8/10

Lyrics: 8/10

Instruments: 7/10

Vibes: 6/10

Total: 7/10

Total Score: 7/10

[nematanthus]

[nematanthus]

Album Review: The 2nd Law- Muse

Release Date:

September 28 2012

Tracklist:

Supremacy

Madness

Panic Station

Prelude

Survival

Follow Me

Animals

Explorers

Big Freeze

Save Me

Liquid State

The 2nd Law: Unsustainable

The 2nd Law: Isolated System

Favorite Track:

The 2nd Law: Isolated System

Least favorite track:

Big Freeze

Album art opinions:

The album cover features a map of the neural pathways of a human brain, though some have hilariously said it looks like radioactive broccoli. The album deals with themes of totalitarianism, societal collapse, and, as the title mentions, the 2nd law of thermodynamics. These themes considered, it makes sense why such an image would be chosen, as the album explores various reactions to learning the whole world is dying.

Color: 8/10

Recognizability: 7/10

Vibes: 7/10

Total: 7/10

Music opinions/notes:

This album is a major sound change for Muse, experimenting with electronic sounds, though there are traces of the symphonies from The Resistance present. This is a concept album telling the story of a society on the verge of collapse, and each song seems to tell the story of someone's reaction/action plan to deal with the situation at hand. There are some really beautiful moments instrumentally, tracks like Animals and Save Me have some gorgeous guitar and bass work, and some synth spotlights in songs like Follow Me. We also get a rare vocal treat in the songs Save Me and Liquid State, where lead vocalist Matt Bellamy takes a backseat. Instead, we have Bassist Chris Wolstenholme as the lead vocal. These two songs explore his personal struggles with alcoholism and have a much different vibe from the rest of the album, though they still fit within the overarching theme.

Mix: 8/10

Lyrics: 8/10

Instruments: 9/10

Vibes: 9/10

Total: 9/10

Total Score: 8/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: The Resistance- Muse

Release Date:

September 11 2009

Tracklist:

Uprising

Resistance

Undisclosed Desires

United States of Eurasia (+ Collateral Damage)

Guiding light

Unnatural Selection

MK Ultra

I Belong to You (+Mon Cœur S'ouvre a ta Voix)

Exogenesis symphony pt.1 (Overture)

Exogenesis symphony pt.2 (Cross-pollination)

Exogenesis symphony pt.3 (Redemption)

Favorite Track:

MK Ultra

Least favorite track:

United States of Eurasia (+ Collateral Damage)

Album art opinions:

The album cover features a humanoid figure on an orange path that stretches toward the earth in the distance. The path is surrounded by hexagons in a color gradient, starting and ending with the orange color that the path is, broken bits of the bottom, and missing hexagons show space behind them. The cover references Astroengineering by Jon Lomberg, an artwork that features the same basic design though lacking color, the figure, and the path it's on. The art connects well to the worldly issues the album touches on, as well as the extraterrestrial and transcendent points. The ideas for this album go much beyond our little marble, and the artwork shows this.

Color: 8/10

Recognizability: 9/10

Vibes: 8/10

Total: 8/10

Music opinions/notes:

This album is by far the most symphonic piece of work Muse has released, and the 3 part, 13 minute symphony is only part of it. Every bit of the record is grandiose, filled with string orchestras and foreboding drums, balancing the light and whimsical orchestral moments with synthetic guitar sounds. Even the small moments feel grand. Considering this album was the peak of the bands success, it's no question as to why everything here was well done.

Mix: 9/10

Lyrics: 8/10

Instruments: 9/10

Vibes: 7/10

Total: 8/10

Total Score: 8/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Black Holes and Revelations-Muse

Release Date:

July 3 2006

Tracklist:

Take a Bow

Starlight

Supermassive Black Hole

Map of the Problematique

Soldiers Poem

Invincible

Assassin

Exo-Politics

City of Delusion

Hoodoo

Knights of Cydonia

Glorious

Favorite Track:

Map of the Problematique

Least favorite track:

Hoodoo

Album art opinions:

The album cover features four people in suits sitting in wooden chairs around a matching table in an alien landscape. The earth is visible in the sky, hidden behind some clouds. The ground is bright orange, suggesting that the setting may be the planet mars. On the table there are horses, implying the figures are the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but a more modern version to reflect the current issues of humanity. There is greed in gold, Vanity in the mirrored suit, Paranoia in the suit of eyes, and Intolerance in the suit patterned with religious symbols. Another mysterious album cover from Muse, this one with shocking depth that could be dismantled for ages if one wishes to.

Color: 8/10

Recognizability: 8/10

Vibes: 9/10

Total: 8/10

Music opinions/notes:

This album really doubles down on the weird from this band, with political moments mixed with a space cowboy vibe on tracks such as Knights of Cydonia. Even with the oddity, the album still makes some poignant political observations.

Mix: 8/10

Lyrics: 7/10

Instruments: 8/10

Vibes: 8/10

Total: 8/10

Total Score: 8/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Absolution-Muse

Release Date:

September 22 2003

Tracklist:

Intro

Apocalypse Please

Time is Running Out

Sing for Absolution

Stockholm Syndrome

Falling Away with You

Interlude

Hysteria

Blackout

Butterflies and Hurricanes

The Small Print

Fury

Endlessly

Thoughts of a Dying Athiest

Ruled by Secrecy

Favorite Track:

Stockholm Syndrome

Least favorite track:

Ruled by Secrecy

Album art opinions:

The album art is a piece by famed album cover and music video artist Storm Thorgerson, which depicts a man dressed in black head tilted to the sky with a confused look on his face. Around him, shadows in the shape of people reflect on the ground, implying that he is looking at lines of floating people in the sky. Once again, Muse has hit us with a mysterious and existentialist piece of artwork, with no clear explanation as to the story of the album cover. It could be a depiction of the apocalypse told in the Bible story of revelation, as this album does touch on religious themes, such as in songs Thoughts of a Dying Athiest, and The Small Print, which feature lyrics pertaining to Christianity.

Color: 4/10

Recognizability: 7/10

Vibes: 8/10

Total: 6/10

Music opinions/notes:

This album is a beautiful showcase of what Muse is capable of. Everyone is at the top of their game here, Matt's vocals are powerful, and his piano and guitar work are impeccable, Bassist Chris Wolstenholme pulls off some great bass work, including the now Iconic "Hysteria" bass line, and drummer Dominic Howard shows a wide range of drumming styles and absolutely kills all of them. Each song is a powerful display without the album feeling one note. Each track is a new adventure into sound, making the record a rollercoaster ride that's enjoyable from start to finish. I had such a tough time picking a least favorite because everything on this album is just so amazingly done.

Mix: 9/10

Lyrics: 8/10

Instruments: 9/10

Vibes: 9/10

Total: 9/10

Total Score: 8/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Origin of Symmetry-Muse

Release Date:

June 18 2001

Tracklist:

New Born

Bliss

Space Dementia

Hyper Music

Plug in Baby

Citizen Erased

Micro Cuts

Feeling Good

Screenager

Darkshines

Megalomania

Futurism

Favorite Track:

Bliss

Least favorite track:

Screenager

Album art opinions:

The album cover features hand drawn American football goal like structures protruding from a white ground with an orange-yellow sky. The cover is meant to existentialist, as it's an artists rendition of the albums title, which in and of itself is a question of the universe and the meaning of existence and life. It's a striking image, one to be interpreted in many ways, as was the intention of the piece.

Color: 7/10

Recognizability: 9/10

Vibes: 9/10

Total: 8/10

Music opinions/notes:

This album is much improved from the previous, in every single way. The production is better so you can hear some of the more subtle choices made within the instrumentals. Matt's voice has gotten significantly better, and his falsetto is clear. There's no question as to why this was Muses breakout album and why they found success shortly following this records release. There are several classics on this album, including Plug in Baby, which is a concert staple of the band even to this day.

Mix: 7/10

Lyrics: 7/10

Instruments: 8/10

Vibes: 9/10

Total: 8/10

Total Score: 8/10

[nematanthus]

Album Review: Showbiz-Muse

Release Date:

September 7 1999

Tracklist:

Sunburn

Muscle Museum

Fillip

Falling Down

Cave

Showbiz

Unintended

Uno

Sober

Escape

Overdue

Hate This and I'll Love You

Spiral Static

Favorite Track:

Fillip

Least favorite track:

Uno

Album art opinions:

The album cover features a feminine looking figure in a short white dress running through an alien landscape. The whole album cover is black, white, and blue. It's also unfocused, making the details, such as the figures face, indistinguishable. Some interpret the cover as a representation of the imposing job that is show business, and I think that's fitting for the title but not the content of the album itself.

Color: 4/10

Recognizability: 6/10

Vibes: 6/10

Total: 5/10

Music opinions/notes:

For a debut album in such a niche scene, it's not bad. For the most part, the album carries a consistent energy that only takes a dip when it would make the most sense to do so, with songs such as Falling Down and Unintended. However, the production quality is such a detriment to the record, as sometimes you can get lost in the noise. There are some moments where the songs seem to go on for just slightly longer than they should, and Matt's unrefined falsetto can get squeaky at points, but overall the album did what it was meant to and serves as a good intro for the band.

Mix: 4/10

Lyrics: 6/10

Instruments: 4/10

Vibes: 5/10

Total: 5/10

Total Score: 5/10

[nematanthus]

September Artist Spotlight: Muse

Photo credit: Nick Fancher

Genre:

Alt rock, prog rock, art rock

Active status:

1994-present

Current Album List:

Showbiz (1999)

Origin of Symmetry (2001)

Absolution (2003)

Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

The Resistance (2009)

The 2nd Law (2012)

Drones(2015)

Simulation Theory (2018)

Will of the People (2022)

Current Members:

Matt Bellamy, Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Keyboard

Chris Wolstenholme, Bass, Vocals

Dominic Howard, Drums, Percussion

Have I seen them live?

I saw them in 2019 during their Simulation Theory tour, if I have the chance to see them again I will.

CDs?

I have:

Showbiz

Origin of Symmetry

Absolution

Black Holes and Revelations

The Resistance

The 2nd Law

Drones

Simulation Theory

I want:

Will of the People