If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't planning on listening to this album.
I've been listening to Muse for quite some time now; nearly a decade of following their work (and lucking out with seeing them in 2010 - if you get the chance, I absolutely recommend it). I entered into their realm during The Resistance era, exploring back through their discography and anticipating each new release with much enthusiasm.
That is, until their last album, Drones. While I wasn't as active with my blog between 2015-16, that was one of the few albums I did review, and it was not my taste. So I was skeptical of new music from the group when they started releasing singles nearly a year an a half ago. I definitely enjoyed "Dig Down", but found myself feeling less and less optimistic with "Thought Contagion", "The Void", and "Something Human" (the later two of which I listened to maybe twice). It felt, from initial impressions, that the band went from revisiting their edgier rock roots to falling in with the trends.
So, when I was the album released, I didn't even try listening to it. I was feeling fairly uninspired by the singles, and not wanting to invest my time into an album that I didn't think I was going to enjoy. I don't have as much time as I'd like to just listen to music and potentially review it, so I've been more selective and stingy about what I listen to. Which is not always fair to music and the artists, but I can't waste time on music that doesn't catch me and excite me.
Yesterday, however, I was driving to work and the opening track came up on my weekly suggested playlist from Apple Music. So I decided to give it a go and see how it sounded.
I'm quite glad that I did.
While I was right in my initial impression that this album plays more with current trends in music, I was wrong in the depth and musicality of it. Trap high-hats, dubstep wobbles, and pop-star falsettos all make their appearances, but alongside layering of electronic synths, live drums, gritty bass and guitar lines, and a smattering of orchestral instruments. The result is an album that feels like Muse at their peak - intentionality and experimentation coming together in a way that promotes exploration without compromising the band's integrity or character. Simulation Theory feels like the band took all the tools they've been playing with over the last decade and brought it all together - much like Linkin Park did with their Living Things album in 2012.
Some of the songs and moments feel very similar to Muse's past material. "Blockades" feels quite like it could be at home in a set list right between "Starlight" and "Knights of Cydonia", with the synth arpeggios, sweeping vocals, and guitar solo that reminds you of Matt Bellamy's shredding skills. The wobbles of "Dig Down" bring to mind "Madness" and the almost heartwarming, hopeful nature of the song feels like "Undisclosed Desires". "The Void" could very easily fit in with the "Exogenesis Symphony" of The Resistance, with just a more modern/80's feel.
The band does make some moves in new and previously unexplored directions, however, and these ones pay off big time. "Propaganda" is probably the most obvious track in this case; produced by Timbaland, the song ends up feeling like a mash up between Muse and Justin Timberlake in the best way possible. While "Thought Contagion" felt like it was trying too hard, I think "Propaganda" manages to be this contemporary sounding song without feeling too weird or out of line. Timberland's touch was definitely helpful with this - but also was never a collaboration I would have dreamed of, which makes it all the better.
"Break it to Me" is similar in this sense, but with a much more gritty tone. This was the song that made me know I was going to review this album, that I was going to give it an honest chance. The bass and drum lines come together to give the song swagger, while the vocals give it a sensuality that I never, ever would have expected in a Muse song. It's been a long time since I heard a Muse song that got me excited, that got me dancing in my car. Not to mention the scratching (that I think is done on a guitar??) section in the bridge - I felt like I had been taken back to the Nu-metal days of the early 2000's. I want to write about every single moment of the track, but the bottom line is it's just a sick, cool-ass song.
"Get Up and Fight" is another one that caught my attention, drawing influence from alternative of the late 2000's and early 2010's. The chorus is the best part, shattering the minimalistic, calm verse with a wall of guitars, drums, and some of Bellamy's most earnest and honest sounding vocals in a while. I also discovered that the female vocals featured during the intro and transition from chorus to verse were recorded by To Love - someone I have listened to and appreciate, but an unexpected collaboration nonetheless.
All in all, this album is a job well done. Drawing from popular trends such as trap and 80's sounds, while working with new producers and pushing the boundaries for the band as a whole, has demonstrated that the band is working to create new areas to explore while still retaining their sense of self. Something this album does well that I noticed in the Apple Music description is the general sense of positivity in the songs. The band has delved into some darker and more cynical notions the last few albums, and hearing more hopeful and uplifting ideas from this album helps to make the album something I'm more likely to come back to for more. It's not perfect, but it's definitely a solid, exciting record. I'll gladly admit that I made a wrong assumption about this record, and I will be sure to keep that in mind as I listen to their music and that of others in the future.
Rating: 3.75/5
Recommended: "Break it to Me", "Get Up and Fight", "Pressure", "Blockade"
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