‘…a late career classic from a band so many had written off, reviving the unparalleled majesty of the band’s glory days with a surprising degree of maturity…’
Allow me to give you a little peek behind the Vinyl Fantasy Reviews curtain: the last time I posted a review of Muse’s material, for their single ‘Be With You’, I haemorrhaged interactions and follows on social media. By the measure of what the algorithm deems worthy, to review this record would be foolishness, and furthermore, is my opinion really all that essential for a major release from a stadium sized band?
However, without the Teignmouth trio, there would be no Vinyl Fantasy Reviews; my Dad brought home a poorly ripped CD copy of the band’s 2006 ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ record, and after a single spin in the old portable CD player, 11 year old me had his entire worldview of what music was capable of turned on its head. The love for this band was a constant through my teenage years, although the band’s last release, ‘Will Of The People’ truly put that to the test; the ninth record from the outfit, designed as a “greatest hits” compilation of ideas, was a boring mess of creative missteps. Even for somebody who firmly enjoyed ‘Simulation Theory’ for its daft and rambunctious nature, ‘Will Of The People’ was indefensible.
In the animated classic ‘Ratatouille’, stern food critic Ego is served the titular dish in the movie’s climax, and in a single bite, is transported back to taking a seat at his mother’s dining table as a child; he is instantly reminded of the very reason he became obsessed with food. That scene is precisely the experience that ‘The Wow! Signal’ elicits; this is a late career classic from a band so many had written off, reviving the unparalleled majesty of the band’s glory days with a surprising degree of maturity. Does it transform the “big three” of Muse’s catalogue into the “big four”? Time will tell, but the argument in favour is incredibly solid.
Of course, in the dreadful spirit of the modern streaming environment, half of the record had already been released as singles by the time ‘The Wow! Signal’ had arrived. Last year’s bombastic and bruising ‘Unravelling’ finds a position late in the track listing, its tense ebb and flow between moody electronic verses and soaring string-accompanied choruses still providing a thrill ride, although perhaps feeling a little flat compared to the array of exciting and novel ideas Muse have since unveiled. The djent influenced bridge, however, still remains an undeniable delight.
‘Be With You’ arrives at an odd midpoint of the record. Whilst the spirited vocal performance of Bellamy, set against a surging and ceaseless instrumental, still feels glorious to behold, the dramatic, slow-burn introduction does dent the momentum of the record somewhat. In a similar vein, the wickedly brilliant ‘Nightshift Superstar’ sits at a strange place at number two; a whiplash inducing funk-rock performance following the progressive drama of the opening cut. Christopher Wolstenholme’s legendary bass work, however, makes any momentum misgivings worth their price; this will go down as a classic Wolstenholme performance in the annals of Muse history, no doubt.
The much celebrated ‘Cryogen’ sees Bellamy lifting influence from his own past, with an electrifying lead guitar riff that echoes that of ‘Plug In Baby’. It’s a cool and classy affair, as Bellamy decries an emotionally absent lover atop of a snappy and varied rhythmic backbone; the foundation of Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard remains as undeniably strong as ever, especially as the track evolves into a slap-bass breakdown in its dying moments.
It is unquestionably, however, the band’s brand new material that provides the record’s truest highlights. That earlier mentioned opening number, ‘The Dark Forest’, is a blistering, brilliantly overdramatic affair, cruising by atop of tango rhythms as Bellamy sings of contacting the great unknown. The choral elements in the back half truly send things into the stratosphere, transforming the track into an omen of doomsday with apocalyptic grandeur. ‘Shimmering Scars’ simmers the drama down somewhat, and sees Bellamy successfully executing a beautifully introspective track, something the band have often struggled with in later years.
The guest feature of Ellie Goulding on ‘Hush’ works remarkably well, and sees Muse perfecting the electropop elements that have attempted on records such as ‘Simulation Theory’. There’s a natural chemistry between the pop star and the band, creating a claustrophobic and intimidate banger that alternates between pulsing dancefloor beats and scorching riffs. It is ‘The Sickness In You & I’, however, that takes the crown, and instantly cements itself as a Muse classic. A swaggering behemoth of a track, this sees the band weaving funk rock elements in with alternative rock heaviness to create something that is diabolically cool. The transition into the second verse, leaving just bass and drums, lands like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart.
All of this gets wrapped up beautifully with the genuinely touching closer ‘Space Debris’, as Bellamy laments a love that is irrevocably drifting away. It is remarkable that a band so late into their careers, after multiple releases that had increasingly alienated listeners, can craft something so compelling. Eschewing expectations, tropes and gimmicks, ‘The Wow! Signal’ is free to flirt with whatever ideas come naturally, and the presence of producer Dan Lancaster may have worked wonders at shepherding all of these ideas into something unmistakably brilliant, and unmistakably Muse.
Of course, I shall admit it: I am biased. You read as much at the very start; every person deeply interested in music has one artist that kickstarted it all, and for myself, that was Muse. But no reviewer can ever discard their biases, and any that ever says otherwise is lying to you. It is on the reader to read other opinions, and most importantly, form their own opinion by listening to the record in question. However, speaking as someone who has followed the band from ‘Black Holes and Revelations’, all the way until now, I can say without doubt that this is the first time in a long time it has felt so good to be a Muse fan; take that for what you will.
RATING: 90/100
For Fans Of: Enter Shikari, VUKOVI, Royal Blood, The Dear Hunter, Nothing But Thieves
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase here.
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