Muse
Origin Of Symmetry

THE REVIEW

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