Muse
The Resistance

The long wait that gripped us great Muse fans for over three years finally ended on September 11th of this year, when the powerful band composed of Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard, released their latest, beautiful album: "The Resistance".
The predecessor of this, "Black Holes And Revelations", containing masterpieces like "Starlight" and "Knight Of Cydonia", had already marked the band's full musical maturation from Teignmouth. Now, this fifth album, full of great gems, now at maturity reached, represents that leap every band makes when it's ready to climb to the top of the world.

And how!

Perfect and balanced experimentation, songs of deep moral or social meaning, captivating sounds and rhythms, masterful interpretations. Indeed, dear Leader Bellamy, besides having outdone himself again in composing the lyrics, has also hit the mark with his voice, which has now reached complete maturity. But they are also making their mark in the global scene with their "feats".

Truly hilarious are the gags that the ever-so-amusing Muse pulled off in our country! A few weeks ago, in fact, they played a good prank on the television program "Quelli che... il calcio", when, forced to play in playback, they "played" with switched instruments, and no one noticed! Also amusing is the photo, in which the three guys are literally surrounded by beautiful girls, with a caption reading: "Berlusconi, crepa di invidia"!

I thus begin the review of this masterpiece, declaring it, in my opinion, the best album of the year 2009. The album was entirely recorded in Italy, on Lake Como. I would like to emphasize that many of the songs are Orwellian-inspired, and I find it very fascinating. But the lyricist is also good at talking about love, as we will discover by living all the meanings of the album's title, "The Resistance" indeed. An album with which Muse have managed to express themselves even better with their diversity which has always distinguished them, with a multitude of colors and sensations.

Muse, without any taboos, any limitations, with the door of their minds open to every solution, to every possibility, have been able to extract all their feelings from within themselves and communicate them to us, giving full vent to their love for music as well. You can thus hear symphonic rock, nods to classical music, sounds with a timbalan vibe, guitar and keyboard techniques drawn from the infinite ancient library of music, Frenchisms and Arabesques, influences from the nineties, eighties, and seventies. They don't take long, indeed, to make us relive Queen, Depeche Mode, always the dear Radiohead, and why not? Even Chopin. It is also appreciable how many songs seem to go one way but then go another, just like the entire album taken as a whole. All of this, without ever losing the soul that has characterized them since "Showbiz".

And here is their winning formula.

The dances open impeccably: "Uprising", in Italian "Ribellione". It starts with a direct rhythmic sequence introducing an electronic and alien keyboard riff that dominates the powerful track. From the outset, you can perceive that it is a strong, rhythmic track, yet simultaneously deep and reflective. Separating every verse is a charismatic "come on!" that drags the song to a truly magnetic chorus. In the special, cries like a battle anthem and a solo launch the chorus in an even more passionate way. Powerful: 8.5. The second track is none other than the title-track and undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of the album. "Resistance" is distinguished by a beautiful poetic text of Orwellian inspiration. After about 45 seconds of atmosphere, a sweet and rhythmic keyboard riff begins, with a drum background that gives momentum to the song. In the bridge before each chorus, a masterful part with choirs. And then, a beautiful chorus erupts, magically revealing the album's title: "Love is our resistance!!!". Finally, it closes with another atmospheric phase. Explosive: 9.5. The third track is "Undisclosed Desires", set in a surprising r'n'b atmosphere. An unusual song for Muse, as it lacks guitars or pianos, but is still an electric and captivating song. In my view, it was their attempt to make a rather commercial song but without ever descending into banality. It was chosen as the second single and I believe its success will be quite significant. Irresistible: 8. And here we come to "United States Of Eurasia". The song with explicit political messages begins gently with Bellamy's tender voice accompanied by sweet piano notes. Everything explodes with choirs that immediately recall the great Queen. The song is inspired by Queen, and it's evident, the choirs, the progressions, the shrilling guitar just like Brian May's. After the chorus, a beautiful oriental part that I think combines well with the rest of the song. Finally, it concludes with a brilliant finale. But it's not over! Because "Collateral Damage" begins, a beautiful piano piece reminiscent of Chopin with a sound similar to an airplane engine. Eclectic: 8.5. "United States Of Eurasia" is indeed the railway junction of the album: it closes the first part and launches the second. It starts well launched, indeed, "Guiding Light", a good song. An ascending song that reaches its peak during a powerful guitar solo and in the bridge where Bellamy shows off his vocal prowess. Enjoyable: 7.5. The journey continues with "Unnatural Selection", almost seven minutes of rhythmic punk alternating various musical themes, between adrenaline rushes and moments of deep calm, characterized by a very pleasant chorus. Very beautiful during the latter are the background choirs. Appreciable: 8. So we move to "MK Ultra", which opens with an extraordinary keyboard riff that then extends in the background throughout the song. The speed makes us relive the early Muse and gives another burst of rhythm to the already changing album. Lightning-fast: 7.5. The eighth track is ingenious. It’s "I Belong To You/Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix", which mixes pop, classical, and jazz. A sweet riff in the background, Matt Bellamy's excellent interpretation with a truly romantic and intense chorus. A French interlude and then a further return to the original track that can thus be completed in an excellent manner. Romantic: 8.5. And it is here that the Exogenesis Symphony opens, divided into 3 parts. The first part is "Overture". This is the album's culminating moment. An epic atmosphere, violins, with the spectacular touch of the guitar, all wrapped in the singer’s intense falsetto. Beautiful, sensational, perfect, with a truly ingenious violin arpeggio. Masterful: 10. The second part is titled "Cross Pollination" where the piano reappears and the alternation of violins and voice creates a very special effect. Excellent: 8.5. Finally, to close the album, the last part of the symphony: "Redemption". Even sweeter than the two previous parts, it softly closes a wonderful album. Soft: 8.

Best Track: "Resistance"
Key Tracks: "Undisclosed Desires", "United States Of Eurasia", "Exogenesis Symphony"
Rating: 9

Mr. The Fly