Muse
Simulation Theory

“Drones” was essentially a nostalgia operation, let's admit it, perhaps they wanted to be the badass rockers to remind themselves a little of where they started and maybe flatter some old fans; but it was definitely too much to think that Muse wanted to definitively put experimentation aside and continue down that path, becoming a “rock band” in the long run they would have gotten bored because Muse is much more and has always shown it, being rockers has always been too tight and “boring” for them and I believe it always will be.

In fact, this time the Devon trio takes the completely opposite path, the one of electronic music; it almost seems that this “Simulation Theory” wants to be the perfect counterpart of “Drones”, the direct consequence, I have the feeling that someone surely thought that its follow-up would take such a turn, as if it was somewhat predictable; while “Drones” focused heavily on the use of the guitar, here the guitar is definitely less present, practically an afterthought, all in favor of synthesizers and electronic instrumentation; a remarkable leap, from the most rock album to the least rock album in their entire discography, from the most guitar-centric to the least guitar-centric, all within three years, from one album to the next; a film that, however, seems to have already been seen recently: even Linkin Park in 2014 released the most rock album of their discography, “The Hunting Party”, almost to prove that there is still a certain desire for a product that sounds damn rock'n'roll, only to (here too the gap is three years) throw themselves back into something more electronic, indeed with an increasingly pop outfit and less guitar-oriented, with the following album “One More Light.”

Matthew Bellamy, in one of the interviews that preceded the album's release, humorously accused rock of being still too tied to its guitar nature, instead emphasizing that its nature is now outdated and anachronistic; a statement which, after an album like “Drones”, can seem even inconsistent, but certainly he's right. There are still too many old-school rockers who believe rock should only be a guitar outburst, just as there are always a few too many bands that maintain tradition and reject the experimentation that technology offers; it often happens to come across some purist who criticizes their band when they start massively using synthesizers and returns to respect them when they stop doing so, often they are metalheads; even a meme I saw on Facebook some time ago humorously mocked old-school rockers by saying that “they've been doing the same thing for 50 years” while musicians in the electronic field progress and experiment…

For Muse, electronic experimentation and technology are certainly not new, the band has always made extensive use of synthesizers, synthesized guitars and basses, electronic percussion, and other similar inventions; indeed, it was precisely the easy concession to such solutions on albums like “The Resistance” and “The 2nd Law” that pushed the band to return to their rock roots with “Drones”; electronic is one of Muse's many souls, a weapon they have always known how to use with intelligence and wisdom, one of the strengths according to many but also something that has kept many others away from the band. However, I underline that it is simply “one of many”… In this eighth album, however, the band dives headfirst, wanting to develop this aspect like never before, and does so even almost forgetting their rock nature. Let's say it without fear, without shame, “Simulation Theory” is an electro-pop album! And let's say it with equal lack of shame, Muse is a great electro-pop band! A former acquaintance of mine was right when, back in the “The 2nd Law” days, they claimed that Muse would give their best by diving into electronic music.

The genius of Muse makes “Simulation Theory” sound simultaneously vintage '80s, current, and futuristic at the same time. By taking a look at the tracks you can better understand everything. The sci-fi or '80s new wave influences are more evident than ever in the opener “Algorithm” and the concluding “The Void”, led by heavy and abrasive synths, with references to synth-pop but also to more experimental electronic music, you can recognize the more Teutonic Depeche Mode of the very first albums but also a Jean-Michel Jarre, all, however, updated; but Muse wants more and here they enrich it all with classical piano arrangements and orchestral parts, creating an energetic and ethereal mix, besides not forgetting to have a symphonic soul, not much represented in the rest of the album. Even heavier and more disco-oriented electronica in “The Dark Side”, with a very robotic sound reminiscent of certain Daft Punk. The most futuristic track is “Dig Down”, released as a single already in May 2017, even a year and a half before the album's release, to the point of not even thinking that it would then end up on an album; many criticisms against it, as with much of the album, not very understandable to tell the truth; how can one remain indifferent and cold in the face of its rotating and abrasive electronic loop, almost like a rotating wheel, how can it be considered a simple sell-out unworthy of their name?!

The criticisms that can perhaps be a little understood are those towards “Something Human”; this one does appear as an attempt to sound current and trendy, when I heard it I even thought “heck, it sounds like a reggaeton track!”; indeed the rhythm is like that, the cheerful rhythm, the sugary and light sounds, the delicate but lively acoustic guitar, and vaguely Spanish-like, as well as that general windy yet warm summer night atmosphere, a latin night but all with a very British outfit; someone commented on the video on YouTube with a funny “Despacito 2”, yet Muse can give decency and meaning even to the most slick of tracks, with some stronger synth inserts they manage to give it a futuristic touch as well, a “latin-futuristic” track in short; reggaeton is a cancer to be eradicated, if you're really a music lover it's a duty to think that way… but wait, because here one can say that Muse succeeded in the endeavor of creating “a decent reggaeton track,” perhaps the only one in history, sorry if that's not much!

A completely different atmosphere that deserves a separate discussion is that of “Get Up and Fight”: here the atmosphere is more like a Saturday evening, a disco lit up in the fall; the verses are in the style of dance pop and perhaps one perceives a lively and carefree atmosphere even typical of certain teen pop, in the chorus, however, Bellamy attacks powerfully with the guitar giving the track a unique energy, without however ever truly transforming it into a rock track, always remaining damn pop; a similar energy and atmosphere I identified in “Earthrise” by Haken two years ago, when I heard this track my mind immediately went there…

It even spills over into contemporary R&B in the tracks “Propaganda” and “Break it to Me,” perhaps the two tracks where the band dares the most: the first indeed has acoustic and electric guitar parts with a flavor even bluesy or country and soul vocalizations that fit perfectly among the electronic textures, the second sees the guitar protagonist with very Rage Against The Machine-like riffs, even blatantly mimicking the typical scratch effects of Tom Morello, plus oriental string sounds are added and the mix can only be really original, perhaps the most ingenious track of the album.

So here it's not entirely true that the guitar is never protagonist, we already encountered one case, the other is “Pressure,” a lively and cheerful track, an atmosphere almost like a college party; but even in this case, we need to think twice before talking about “rock,” whether because of its disco-like rhythm, the well-fitted horn inserts, or its light and carefree melody, it's better to talk about a pop track, let's say a more or less wild guitar-pop. Paradoxically the most rock track is “Blockades,” where the guitar is not exactly protagonist but constitutes a solid support for the synth lines; it's not a pop track like the others, it has a less catchy and more angular sound, it seems to have come out of “Absolution” but especially “Black Holes and Revelations,” it is probably the most classically Muse track and the one more capable of appealing to slightly more conservative fans, it's one of those that impressed me the least but I can't imagine how many detractors will have elected it as the best of the album. The lowest point of the album, however, seems to be “Thought Contagion,” which may have a good underlying energy but seems to lack an identity, it doesn't know whether it wants to be more rock or pop, more guitar or electronic, it wants to be more things but is none, in the end, it turns out to be a neither here nor there track.

The most futuristic Muse ever, mainstream but with class. I think it's necessary to conclude with a consideration about the identity of Muse, about who they really are, because this latest album decisively and definitively unmasks it. We have to be objective: Muse is not a rock band, they are a band that simply makes music, that composes. A rock band is someone who, for better or worse, attacks a guitar to create something fun and carefree, to entertain at parties. Muse, on the other hand, is a band that gets captivated by an idea and develops it. If it's true that there are people who defined them dead already after "Origin of Symmetry,” it's likely these are precisely the classic rockers who did a tour of their discography as long as they had the semblance of a badass rock band (but what badass rock band then, as they already had notable eclectic hints…) to abandon them when they discovered that in reality, they are something else, perhaps something too big and varied to be understood by simple pogo animals… "Simulation Theory" is just the discovery of hot water, that to use for a nice relaxing bath but still hot water.