MUSE

The 2nd Law

[Warner Bros.]

Muse singer Matthew Bellamy has said his group’s new album would sound like the work of three different bands if it weren’t for his voice. That may be an understatement. Yes, Muse’s latest is a set of wildly divergent songs that coalesce around Bellamy’s voice—but the trio’s sheer force of will and considerable musical chops don’t hurt either. With a massive guitar riff and imposing strings, opener “Supremacy” charges ahead like a long-lost sequel to Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” “Madness” broods darkly on shuddering synthesizers and an implacable beat as Bellamy’s supple voice soars. “Panic Station” is a heavy blast of hip-swiveling funk, while “Big Freeze” has a theatrical, kaleidoscopic swagger worthy of Freddie Mercury. “Follow Me” hews more closely to Muse’s earlier work, piling layers of buzzing synthesizers around Bellamy’s rich voice as it takes flight against a black sky. All those sounds come from one band, making The 2nd Law a daring, deeply ambitious album of the first order. –Eric R. Danton

comment closed

Copyright © 2012 M Music & Musicians Magazine ·