Attention Muse fans! The band’s newest album, The 2nd Law, has taken the Internet by storm after it was recently leaked online. Filled with heartwarming, powerful, dramatic sounds, the band has branched out from their typical tunes and expressed themselves in a brand new way that is certainly worth noticing.
Front man Matthew Bellamy has once again penned music and lyrics with a revolutionary new sound. This new sound complies with their intriguing theme of an apocalyptic “end of the world” evident throughout the album. The title, The 2nd Law, is an allusion to the Second Law of Thermodynamics in chemistry, which states that if no energy leaves or enters an isolated system, the energy disperses and becomes useless. Thus, a world based on endless growth is “unsustainable”, an idea mentioned in the album’s trailer. This is a reference to the band’s reactions toward the current state of the world and its ultimate apocalyptic future.
We heard a sample of what this album would be like when the single “Survival” was released as the official song of the 2012 London Olympics. Not long after, their second single “Madness” was released and had Muse fans going wild. “Survival”, with its catchy orchestral and choral sounds and its powerful lyrics about winning, was a perfect fit for the Olympics and a crowd pleaser. “Madness”, on the other hand, received highly mixed reviews. The song features a new “techno” sound that Muse had never fully utilized before. Certainly, we do hear synthesizers and other electronic influences frequently in Muse’s pieces, but “Madness” had a new feature as its backbone: dubstep. Thus, it pleased some and disappointed others. Overall, I feel “Madness” is the weakest song on the album. Its melody is basic, and the dubstep is distracting and too simple. Muse has always been known for their intricate and tight harmonies, complex instrumental pieces, and impeccable music composition, and “Madness” just falls short of their true potential. The guitar solo is also bland, and strongly resembles the melodies featured in “I Want To Break Free” by Queen.
However, the lackluster sound of “Madness”, is no indication of the rest of the album. The 2nd Law contains many musical gems that are catchy and pleasant to hear. Some of the songs have a slightly similar sound to a previous Muse album, Black Holes and Revelations (2006), while others have a very inventive sound. Tracks that particularly stand out are “Supremacy”, “Panic Station”, and “Explorers”. “Supremacy” is a strong start to the album, and has a stealthy tone to it. Its mixture of strings and guitar is pleasant to the ear, and the strong drumbeat creates an almost militaristic feel (matching the “apocalyptic uprising” theme). Bellamy shows off his powerful vocals with a high-pitched chorus, and the guitar solo grabs the listener’s attention. “Panic Station” grabs the listener’s attention within the first few seconds of the song. Featuring a strong bass line and drum beat, the song has a captivating air about it. It is fun and energetically charged, and it certainly has more of a traditional “rock” feel than any of their previous songs on the album. “Explorers” is one of the slower ballads of the album. A total contrast of “Supremacy” and “Panic Station”, the song features Bellamy’s wide vocal range and piano skills. It has a lovely key change toward the end that contributes to the overall feel of the piece being tranquil and relaxing, but never dull.
Other songs featured on the album include “Follow Me”, “Animals”, “Big Freeze”, “Save Me”, “Liquid State”, “Unsustainable”, and “Isolated System”.
Overall the album has its pros and cons. The only song I really didn’t care for was “Madness”, which does not really reflect the tone of the whole album. The only problem I have with the album is its disjointed nature. The themes and lyrics behind all of the songs follow their “2nd Law” theme, but the musical styles don’t quite mesh. Some are hard electronica, some feature dubstep, and some are beautiful piano ballads. In that aspect, Muse did not succeed in fully reinventing themselves with a new sound or in achieving the audible unity they had in the past. However, due to the varying musical techniques and styles it is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences. I give the album a 7/10 rating, and certainly recommend purchasing it!
The 2nd Law was officially released in stores and on iTunes October 1st.
Feature photo from Consequence of Sound.
