Every era of rock has its own violin key, an album that establishes the characteristics of that particular historical period and becomes an icon and model to follow: "Deep Purple In Rock" (or Led Zeppelin II or Paranoid depending on tastes) for the '70s, "Back in Black" for the '80s, "Nevermind" for the '90s and, indeed, "Origin Of Symmetry" for the '00s.
"Origin Of Symmetry" is an absolute masterpiece, the E=MC2, an indispensable album where hard rock, psychedelia, progressive, and grunge meet and merge to toast the new millennium. It is an album characterized by strong and vivid tones, unlike the dreamy and atmospheric predecessor "Showbiz," an album with underlying pessimism and bitterness, yet alternating with moments of absolute optimism and happiness, as if in a sort of bipolar disorder.
NEW BORN: Like the previous "Sunburn," it begins with a piano intro, but from the first notes, one understands that the song is destined to explode, and after one minute and twenty-five seconds, a dynamite riff starts a brilliant performance of new millennium hard rock, epic and engaging with an incisive and precise bass like a Swiss knife, and Matt Bellamy's singing as usual, emotional and unique in its kind.
BLISS: Masterpiece, and the only possible definition for these four minutes that constitute the most euphoric point of the album.
SPACE DEMENTIA: High-end piano virtuosity blends with dark guitars creating a climate of great emotional tension. The enigmatic and morbid lyrics are extraordinary, very passionate in the verses, slowed and psychedelic in the chorus, like the interlude of "Fillip." The song flows into a distorted instrumental outro that perfectly introduces "Hyper Music."
HYPER MUSIC: Distorted grunge, insane and drunken guitars, pounding drums, and a pulsating bass for these three minutes where genius and madness marry perfectly.
PLUG IN BABY: The riff of this song takes off with the same power as a space shuttle, a perfect backbone for this overwhelming song, enhanced by an absolutely killer chorus, to be shouted out loud.
CITIZEN ERASED: A dazzling pièce de résistance of Muse's more progressive side, this crescendo of power starts quite lively, then eases its tension in the airy and vaguely psychedelic chorus, finally softening in the last two minutes, worthy of "Falling Down." Masterpiece.
MICRO CUTS: Here the Muse place the unexpected song, these three dark and oppressive minutes, with a tense atmosphere and a menacing march, Matthew Bellamy's singing becomes an incredible hysterical and terrified falsetto, the perfect interpretation for the paranoid and brilliant lyrics, a sort of Munch's scream expressed in music.
SCREENAGER: Almost contrasting the distressing intensity of the previous track, this is the most subtle and rarefied song on the album and also the most psychedelic, with a slow, lingering piano and ecstatic keyboards supporting a hypnotic and whimsical chorus.
DARKSHINES: The oriental arrangements and the almost lazy singing that explodes in the chorus represent a very fitting reinterpretation of "Uno," joined by a beautiful instrumental part that could serve as the background for a noir film.
FEELING GOOD: It is a cover in name only because the Muse revisit this song in a very personal and dreamy version, contrasted by almost metal-like riffs that add force and pathos to the performance, ennobled by Matthew Bellamy's perfect interpretation and the stunning video, as romantic and unsettling as none other (Muse is a true delight not only for the ears but also for the eyes).
MEGALOMANIA: A rarefied, melancholic atmosphere with great impact at the same time, with a slow and almost funereal bass, marking a dark and hypnotic march, which becomes animated and cathartic thanks to the use of the organ, another fitting instrumental insight following the mellotron of "Muscle Museum." The song is excellent as the closure of this absolute masterpiece, with which Muse indelibly stamp their name in the history of rock.
As you may have already understood, "Origin Of Symmetry" is an album that cannot be missing in any respectable collection, a sonic interweaving capable of surpassing genres and classifications, proposing a sonic melting pot of inestimable value.
MUSE, THANK YOU FOR EXISTING
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 New Born (06:05)
Link it to the world
Link it to yourself
Stretch it like a birth squeeze
The love for what you hide
The bitterness inside
Is growing like the new born
When you've seen, seen
Too much,
Too young, young
Soulless is everywhere
Hopeless time to roam
The distance to your home
Fades away to nowhere
How much are you worth?
You can't come down to earth
You're swelling up
You're unstoppable
'cause you've seen, seen
Too much
Too young, young
Soulless is everywhere
Destroy the spineless
Show me it's real
Wasting our last chance to come away
Just break the silence
'cause I'm drifting away
Away from you
Link it to the world
Link it to yourself
Stretch it like it's a birth squeeze
And the love for what you hide
And the bitterness inside
Is growing like the new born
When you've seen, seen
Too much,
Too young, young
Soulless is everywhere
Destroy the spineless
Show me it's real
Wasting our last chance
To come away
Just break the silence
'cause I'm drifting away
Away from you
02 Bliss (04:14)
Everything about you is how I'd wanna be
Your freedom comes naturally
Everything about you resonates happiness
Now I won't settle for less
Give me
All the peace and joy in your mind
Everything about you pains my envying
Your soul can't hate anything
Everything about you is so easy to love
They're watching you from above
Give me
All the peace and joy in your mind
I want the peace and joy in your mind
Give me the peace and joy in your mind
Everything about you resonates happiness
Now I won't settle for less
Give me all the peace and joy in your mind
I want the peace and joy in your mind
Give me the peace and joy in your mind
03 Space Dementia (06:22)
mmmmm
H-8 - is the one for me
It gives me all I need
And helps me coexist
With the chill
You make me sick
Because I adore you so
I love all the dirty tricks
And twisted games you play
On me
Space dementia in your eyes and
Peace will arise
And tear us apart
And make us meaningless again
Mmmm, yeah
You'll make us wanna die
I'd cut your name in my heart
We'll destroy this world for you
I know you want me to
Feel your pain
Space dementia in your eyes and
Peace will arise
And tear us apart
And make us meaningless again
Ooooh...
04 Hyper Music (03:22)
Yeah your golden lies feed my role
In this forgotten space race under my control
Who's returned from the dead?
Who remains? (just to spit it in your face)
You know that I dont want you and I never did
I dont want you and I never will
You wanted more than I was worth
And you think I was scared yeah
And you needed proof
Who really cares anymore?
Who restrains (just to spit it in your face)
You know that I don't love you and I never did
I don't want you and I never will
Waahhh
05 Plug In Baby (03:42)
I've exposed your lies baby
The underneath's no big surprise
And now it's time for changing
And cleansing everything
To forget your love
My plug in baby
Crucifies my enemies
When I'm tired of giving – wohoh
My plug in baby
In unbroken virgin realities
Is tired of living – oooh
Don't confuse
Baby you're gonna lose your own game
Change me, replace the envying
To forget your love
My plug in baby
Crucifies my enemies
When I'm tired of giving – wohoh
My plug in baby
In unbroken virgin realities
Is tired of living – oooh
And I've seen your loving
Mine is gone
And I've been in trouble
Wooaahhhh
06 Citizen Erased (07:21)
Break me in, teach us to cheat
And to lie and cover up
What shouldn't be shared?
And the truth unwinding
Scraping away at my mind
Please stop asking me to describe
For one moment
I wish you'd hold your stage
With no feelings at all
Open minded
I'm sure I used to be so free
Self expressed, exhausting for all to see
And to be what you want
And what you need
And the truth's unwinding
Scraping away at my mind
Please stop asking me to describe
For one moment
I wish you'd hold your stage
With no feelings at all
Open minded,
I'm sure I used to be so free
For one moment
I wish you'd hold your stage
With no feelings at all
Open minded
I'm sure I used to be so free
Wash me away
Clean your body of me
Erase all the memories
They will only bring us pain
And I've seen all I'll ever need
07 Micro Cuts (03:40)
Hands are red with your blame
Megaphone screaming my name
Whimpers someone I should've loved
Souls weeping above
I've seen
What you’re doing to me
Destroying puppet strings
To our souls
Micro waves me insane
A blade cuts into your brain
To sound like forks on a plate
Blackboard scratched with hate
I've seen
What you’re doing to me
Destroying puppet strings
To our souls
08 Screenager (04:22)
Who's so phoney and always surrounded?
Stop your screaming - no one can hear
All the scars on your skin: 'post no bills'
Who you were
Was so beautiful
Remember who
Who you where
Hide from the mirror - the cracks and the memories
Hide from your family - they won't know you now
For all the holes in our souls host no thrills
Who you were
Was so beautiful
Memories who -
Who you where
09 Darkshines (04:49)
Passing by, you light up my darkest skies
You'll take only seconds to draw me in
So be mine and your innocence
I will consume
Dark shines
Bringing me down
Making my heart feel sore
'cause it's good
Hold your hands up to your eyes again
Hide from the scary scenes
Suppress your fears
So be mine and your innocence
I will consume
Dark shines
Bringing me down
Making my heart feel sore
'cause it's good
Your dark shines
Bringing me down
Making my heart feel sore
'cause it's good
10 Feeling Good (03:21)
Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Reeds drifting on by you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom in the trees you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
Dragonflies out in the sun
You know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies are all having fun
You know what I mean
Sleep in peace
When the day is done
And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me
Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And you know how I feel
It's a new dawn it's a new day it's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
Butterflies, ooh
Oh, ooh...
Ooooh
Feeling good
11 Futurism (03:29)
Ignorance pulls
Apostasy and apathy still rules
Yeah you know it´s cool
Just suck and see
A future turns us into silent gods
And I won´t miss you at all
Grounded
Boxed in
Like the evil in your veins
Grounded
Boxed in
I am so confused
Fate can´t decide
Alignment of the plan is in your hands
Come on crush our plans
Just suck and see
A future that won´t let you disagree
And I won´t miss you at all
Grounded
Boxed in
Like the evil in your veins
Grounded
Boxed in
I am still confused
Feel it, hear it, apathy
See it, be it, you’ll see
12 Megalomania (04:38)
Paradise comes at a price
That I am not prepared to pay
What were we built for?
Could someone tell me please
The good news is she can't have babies
And won't accept gifts from me
What are they for?
They'll just grow up and break the laws you've loved
Take off your disguise
I know that underneath it's me
Who are you oooh
Useless device it won't suffice
I want a new game to play
When I am gone - it won't be long
Before I disturb you in the dark
And paradise comes at a price
That I am not prepared to pay
What were we built for?
Will someone tell me please
Take off your disguise
I know that underneath it's me
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Other reviews
By Sallu
Everything starts slowly and then explodes; you drowse only to scream; dreams are told that turn into nightmares.
The Muse might still be a bit too chaotic and baroque for my tastes, but this CD is truly beautiful.
By StefanoHab
I can’t understand how a human mind could conceive such a piece of work. Simply astonishing.
'Origin Of Symmetry' is nothing short of spectacular, a journey into a strange and sick world.
By temi
"Origin Of Symmetry is an excellent work and has confirmed Muse as one of the best new bands."
"One of the band’s most famous songs, a distorted rock with traces of electronics, very unique."
By iosonoprog
"New Born" is an exceptional song that begins with a goosebump-inducing piano arrangement.
"Origin of Symmetry is Muse's most successful album and the one that established them as the successors of Radiohead on the throne of British and non-British Alternative Rock."
By Tattone
"Origin of Symmetry is the album that established Muse, in my opinion, their best work and the most astonishing from an artistic point of view."
"Muse seems unstoppable. Rating: 10 and honors."