Muse broke out internationally with their stellar third album "Absolution," after two albums of just-as-good-but-not-well-known work. Now they've returned with "Black Holes and Revelations," a simmering symphonic rock tapestry that expands their sound into darker territory. It's also more electronic in nature, but the core of the band still lies in their magnificent, haunting rock'n'roll and classical arrangements. It opens with a rippling keyboard melody, which blooms out into a soaring guitar melody and lots of blippy electronica. That feeling only grows as Matthew Bellamy starts to sing of death, damnation, and corruption. "You behold/And beholden for all that you've done/And spin/Cast a spell/Cast a spell on the country you run/And risk/You will risk/You will risk all their lives and their souls..." Political? Sounds like it. Muse heads towards more pleasant territory in the bittersweet, yearning "Starlight," as well as soft mournful balladry, and wistful pop that blossoms out into spare, sizzling electro-rock. Bellamy shows the beauty in the bleakness when he sings, "During the struggle/They will pull us down... Let's use this chance/To turn things around/And tonight/We can truly say/Together we're invincible." But the heart of Muse is still in rock'n'roll, like Led Zeppelin fronted by Beethoven. They still specialize in walls of embroidered sound, like elaborate rock tapestries. They play symphonic rock that sweeps all over the board, explosive bass-laden rockers, and fast-paced violin rock that ends with a whisper. Muse hasn't abandoned their sound in order to go mainstream, even after making it big on this side of the pond. Their music is still dark, lacking in hope, and meditates on wastelands, glaciers and how "There's no justice in the world/And there never was." In case you were wondering, this is not fun music. Don't be worried about the electronica. Muse only really goes dancy on one song: the twisted love song "Supermassive," which has a hypnotic dark beat. The rest of the time, it's just another instrument in the mix. Alongside the typical rock instruments, Muse adds in cascading piano and violins, as well as a glorious trumpet and some gypsyish acoustic guitar. Matt Bellamy has that soaring, angsty voice that would sound emo if it weren't so powerful. As it is, his pipes are strong enough to soar over the complex hard-rock, but can also drop down to a soft ballad. "You'll have to set us free/Watch our souls fade away/Let our bodies crumble away/Don't be afraid/I will take the cold for you..."
Muse score another win in their dark, powerful fourth album, full of spacey electronica and sweeping hard rock. A must-listen for 2006.
4.5
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