Muse - The Resistance

ClashMusic recently ran a competition to allow two Muse fans to attend the playback of the band's new album, 'The Resistance'. As well as access to this exclusive listening session, they were asked to write up their impressions of the album.

Read the the reviews, by Victoria Ashbolt and Steve White, and ClashMusic, below.

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ClashMusic's Review

With many artists a new album brings a bold new sound, but this is Muse, a band who’ve shot for the stars since day one, now on album number 5. Where could they possibly go next?

The answer is, a Spinal tap-esque, one louder. And not just louder, but grander, wilder, more complex and generally crazier. Equal parts nonsense and skin pricklingly thrilling, ‘The Resistance’ recalls many of Rock most extravagant greats, not least Freddy & Co., in it’s sounds, structures and themes but does succeed in remaining a defiantly modern Rock album.

From album opener ‘Uprising’, a glitter band stomp spliced with the Dr Who theme, it’s classic Muse, Bellamy’s voice a thing of wonder as always. ‘Undisclosed Desires’ sounds like the band’s attempt at an r’n’b ballad, ‘United States of Eurasia’ contains THAT Queen moment, (you’ll know what I mean when you hear it), ‘Unnatural Selection’ rocks like ‘Knights of Cydonia’, ‘I Belong To You’ is based on an operatic aria, while the album ends with a three part suite, ‘Exogenesis: Symphony’; ‘Overture’, ‘Cross Pollination’ and ‘Redemption’. Ambitious doesn’t do it all justice.

A band that powers along the (very) fine line between greatness and parody, Muse are a very British Rock band with, in ‘The Resistance’, further evidence supplied of their deserved status as the UK’s premier rock outfit.

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Victoria Ashbott's Review

Very rarely do bands wander out of their territory. But Muse aren't an ordinary band. The trio started broadening their horizons with their last album, but it's only with 'The Resistance' does all of their experience from the last ten years culminate and make a brilliant album. With the right mix of all instruments (including a clarinet and slap bass), you forget the guitar heavy days of the past and marvel at their bravery of experimentation. How many bands can you name wrote a symphony? The Resistance represents everything Muse are about; conspiracy theories, pushing the boundaries and general loudness.

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Steve White's Review

The Resistance - easily the most anticipated album of the year and now simply album of the year! Whilst I sat high on the London skyline Bellamy, Howard and Wolstenholmes latest effort seemed the perfect soundtrack. It is hard to find an album with such variety and yet filled to the brim with utter brilliance, each song is a work of art with new ideas and if singing in French, a song with no guitar, an epic three part symphony and even a clarinet solo isn't unique I don't know what is. The Resistance is flamboyant, pulsating, electrifying and simply pure perfection.