Muse - Black Holes And Revelations (CD 2006)

I'm not a massive Muse fan. I own all their previous albums, but none of them really captured my attention. Black Holes and Revelations, however, changed all that. Now I can't wait to see them this Summer at Leeds Festival , because, just off the sound of this album, I know they're gonna be immense.

That's not to say it's THAT much different from their other albums - this is still definitely Muse, and the Muse sound. It just seems that they've managed to conjure up a whole album of classics; A whole album of 'Plug In Baby's and 'Hysteria's.

From the opening cascade of 'Take a Bow', this album takes you on a journey, eventually dumping you back on solid ground as the last echos of 'Knights of Cydonia' fade away. No other Muse album has has this many instant classics - songs like 'Starlight' and 'Exo-Politics' keep the fans jumping, 'Map of the Problematique' keeps it all old-school, and 'Soldier's Poem' is a display of just how good Matt Bellamy's voice really is. And that's without even mentioning the dancefloor filler that is 'Supermassive Black Hole' - if you haven't heard this thriller of a single by now, let me promise you, you really should have.

Any problems then? Well, maybe towards the end, it does get minor 'drone syndrome', i.e. tracks seem to suddenly merge into one - 'City of Delusion' seems to be forgettable, since I don't seem to remember it... However, thank the LORD for the finisher 'Knights of Cydonia', SURELY a future single, which kicks the album up the backside and fires you off at warpspeed again.

All in all, you may now call me a Muse fan. I'm sold.

Won't tell a lie took a while too get into like alot of new albums but once it's in the cd player it's hard to get out class !!!

Muse just get better & better and put alot of todays so called bands too shame !!!!

go & buy people X X X

Everyone else I know who has bought this album loves it, and i'm a muse fan, more so than most. But not to the extent where i'm so fanatic that I'm blind to bland songs. They get 5 out of 5 for surprising everyone, but almost all these tracks are too far away from Stockholm Syndrome, and too near unintended. They're just soppy crap. There are nice moments, but when you follow an album like absolution, you want more than nice moments. My view is definitely in the minority, and most people will assume I think this to be different, but I love all their albums except this. Even their Japanese Random 1-8 is better than this.

In “Butterflies and Hurricanes,” on the Absolution album, Matt Bellamy sings, “Best… you’ve got to be the best… you’ve got to change the world and you use this chance to be heard.” He certainly heeds his own advice, as is evidenced in the politically charged lyrics of “Take a Bow,” opening song on the new Black Holes and Revelations album. He tells our current leaders that they will “burn in hell for their sins.” The question is whether he is speaking to the unnamed American leader whose name starts with B, or maybe it’s the one in Muse’s native United Kingdom. Probably both. As harsh as this message might sound, it pales in comparison to the call to arms in “Assassin,” where “the time has come for you to shoot your leaders down.” Ouch. At any rate, Muse has become a worldwide phenomenon, selling out three consecutive nights of shows at Wembley Stadium, and they do not take their popularity lightly, utilizing the opportunity to inspire their fans to do something.

“Supermassive Black Hole,” has been both praised and criticized. Its inspiring of opposite reactions is undoubtedly due to the atypical sound. Synthesizers boom in a low register while Bellamy’s voice floats above in falsetto. The cliché is tongue in cheek, “I thought I was a fool for noone, but ooh baby, I’m a fool for you.” I dare you not to groove along with this song. The use of opposites makes for a delicious theme in “Starlight” as well. “I just wanted to hold you in my arms” shows a yearning for closeness, but there is a great sense of desolation: “this ship is taking me far away, far away from the memories of the people who care if I live or die.” The music and the lyrics are so bittersweet, as in “Map of the Problematique,” which opens with “fear and panic in the air.” While there is an apocalyptic theme throughout the album, it is most pronounced here. These lyrics echo those in great apocalyptic literature, where the final survivors struggle with their finality in isolation.

The voice of the hero is never so pure as in “Soldier’s Poem.” It sounds like an Elvis Presley ballad, but beneath the sweet harmonies lies an acerbic depiction of someone serving their country yet challenging those defended to question the rationality of war and the actuality that there is no justice. It is so angry, yet wrapped in pretty paper, that it makes you giggle at the absurdity of it all. Don’t doubt that this is the intent. We are laughing with Muse, not at them.

“Knights of Cydonia” runs on a beat like the pace of a horse’s gallop. This nicely calls attention to the four horsemen in the cover art. It is such a phenomenal way to end the album (as well as live concerts), with octave-spanning accapellas and heavily rocking guitar riffs. It also ends the apocalyptic theme with a statement of fortitude, not at all going quietly into the great night.

The genius of Muse, and of Matt Bellamy in particular, is head spinning. If he were only the lyricist he is, the vocalist, guitarist, or keyboardist, he would be a major talent, but the quadruple threat amplifies his genius to an unheard of level. Was this boy genetically engineered (as the puppies in “Plug in Baby” on Origin of Symmetry), bred and raised by a Mensa society, or spat here by God himself as a gift to music lovers? He is his own four horsemen, isn’t he? If he is heralding the end of the world, then, yeah, that sucks, but at least now I have that one album I’d like to take with me.

If you love muse, you will love this. Another excellent album from the legends. I can't fault it anywhere.

This album is awesome, start to finish from disco rock(supermassive blackhole) to buzzsaw guitars (Assassin) to mellow slowburners (Soldiers poem) to straight up funky queen inspired rock (Knights of cydonia) this album doesn't fail to deliver at any point!!!!! Its a natural progression for the band AND This is one thats gonna stay in my CD player for a VERY long time!!!

I purchased this cd because in my opinion it is the best this group has made to date.
It was very reasonably priced, and in good condition.

An epic album. Probably Muse's best. As a linear album, the songs work really well together. Also they work really well as single songs.

I heard a couple of Muse songs on the radio so decided to give them a try. Result, FANTASTIC!. Even better cranked up on car stereo. Go on, give them a try, You know it makes sense.

It is not my favourite Album but of course may grow on me yet.

My son loves it! So there you go.
It is of course a great Album and Muse are one of the best.

I really bought the Album on the strength that Muse are so good and how could I fail to be any thing but pleased. Of course it is an asset to anyones music collection. Brill

Recently I have been listening to alot of Muse music, and I thought it was time to buy a CD of theirs. Instead of buying from a shop or an on-line store, I looked to see if there was any on ebay. I found one that was a good price, and had the songs I wanted, and bought it. There are some very good songs, but too many slow songs for my liking.Apart from that, superb! :)

This is a brilliant album which is a must have for your CD collection. MUSE a collective 3 pieve from Devon rightly were awarded a Mercury Prize for Album of the year for this effort. Matt Belamy and Co take a slice of Heavy Metal, a twist of Dance, a swirl of industrial, a spade of classical and pinch of psychedelic to create Black Holes and Revelations. From the Singles Starlight and Supermasive Black Hole you have a band demonstrating the reason for selling out Wembley Stadium on the preceeding tour and becoming one of Britains biggest bands. I would recommend this album for any fan of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Prodigy, Radiohead and The Manic Street Preachers. Powerful stuff from begining to end, turn the stereo up to 11!

Some people like Muse some don't, this album has had a track taken from it for the twilight film as the writer loves Muse. Its a great album full of not too stereotypical Muse tracks and its cool to be able to repeat.

Muse keep growing developing thier own style, this album s still quite "QUEEN" sounding and thats not a bad thing to be compared against.

An album full of grand full dramatic tracks with out any week ones.

Thanks, your company is excellent. I only bought the CD yesterday, and here it is - through my letterbox. Brilliant. You will be my 1st port of call when I want to buy music in the future. Regards Peter

the album has some massive tunes in it, would love to see these live. knights of cydonia is a massive antheme that your put on repeat again and again

EXTERMLY REASONALBLE PRICE AND EXTERMLY QUICK POSTAGE, ITS A GREAT CD. LISTEN TO IT MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE ONLY JUST GOT EBAY SO IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT HOW GOOD EBAY REALLY IS. THANKS

I am not a Muse fan as such although I had their first two albums on my ipod and having seen a clip of one of their live performances on TV - I decided it was time to expand my Muse collection.

I'm glad I chose to buy this album because there does not seem to be a bad track on it. The driving force behind this band is the lead singer and guitarist Matthew Bellamy. Here he experiments with his guitar sound in an effort to not always sound like a guitar which makes the album refreshing.

A fusion of rock, pop and synth like sounds with plenty of references to Sci-fi themes, as the album title suggests.

I suggest you buy it, turn it up loud and enjoy, right through to possibly the best track on the album the last and magnificent - Knights of Cydonia.

GREAT ALBUM WITH GREAT TRACKS LIKE STARLIGHT, SUPER MASSIVE BLACKHOLE AND KNIGHTS OF CYDONIA. MUSE FAN OR NOT YOU'LL LOVE AT LEAST ONE TRACK ON THIS ALBUM.

bought it because my bf had been going on about muse for about a year but i couldn't find one in the shops - he loves it - and therefore me for getting it lol

I think this could be the best CD I've heard I love Muse and I love the genre of music to my ears this is absolutly great but it all depends on your taste if you like Muse you will like this as it carries on from there norm.

Very Queen influenced, Muse's lead singer also sounds like the lead from Keane! If you like driving rock and electronica and want to give your car audio system a very good (but considerate) thumping then make a compilation of Keane "hope and fears", this album and Queen "A night at the Opera"!

I had read Stephanie Meyers twilight books and she said that she got inspiration for writing from listening to Muse. I am not a young teenager, more your older lady with a responsible and stressful job and i just wanted to listen to something loud that would blow my socks off, and it did its brilliant.