The Resistance

At last, Muse has released their latest album, titled The Resistance. The band famous for their space-rock anthems, military and political lyrics and lead singer Matthew Bellamy’s melodramatic voice has done it yet again.

Now, let’s talk about the album cover…

I have no comment on the album cover since it looks like a guy entering an LSD-induced universe. Well, unlike Blackholes and Revelations, The Resistance is more Queen-influenced, classical music heavy and the vintage Muse. If you guys think I’m not joking on the Queen part, I’ll show you guys:

#1 – Uprising

The first track and the first single of the album. I’ve always liked an album to start with a bang and this was no exception. Once I heard the heavy drum beats, rocking guitar riffs, I knew this song has started the album with a bang. The lyrics, let me say, is more political and the chorus of the song talks about political oppression(They will not force us/They will stop degrading us/They will not control us/We will be victorious)

See what I mean?

#2 – Resistance

“Love is our resistance”

That is one of the lines that made me love the song. In every war movie, the soldiers use weapons and barricades as their resistance. But this song represents love as one’s resistance because no geezer with a sword is stronger than a couple making love. Am I getting the wrong picture here?

#3 – Undisclosed Desires

Although the intro reminded me a lot of Coldplay’s Rainy Day, But this song is considered a ‘very personal song’, said Matthew Bellamy. Somehow, it’s true. The song is about the singer wanting to really know his lover and show that he really loves his girl. Besides that, he wants to know his girl’s undisclosed desires so he could satisfy her. If you are a Depeche Mode fan, you’ll find a tinge of similarity in this song.

#4 – United States of Eurasia

Remember I told you about the Queen part, this is the song I was referring to. Try listening to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, I’m dead serious that this song is 90% similar to Bohemian Rhapsody. Just to let you people know, this song is not about a bunch of Eurasians which are populated in Malaysia. This song is about a country and its fallen heroes.

#5 - Guiding Light

The drum beats. Ah the drum beats, it’s very typical of Muse to start with an epic riff and end the song with melancholic lyrics. Therefore, I have no other comment on this. On to the next song…

#6 – Unnatural Selection

The intro really reminded me of a classic horror movie anthem since it starts with a church piano and Matthew Bellamy’s masked singing. Then, it goes very fast-paced and it slowly turns into a shout-along song. This song is not my favourite but it has a potential to be song in a cheesy TV drama.

#7 - MK Ultra

I don’t understand why they titled this song MK Ultra. It sounds like a rejected sci-fi character. And even the song sounds like a sci-fi anthem. But the saving grace is the strong lyrics which sounds like the singer questioning a villain’s wrongdoings.

#8 – I Belong To You

Classical music is heavily used in this one. Besides that, it also sounds very French-influenced and there's a possibility that this is the only English song a tourist will hear playing while walking in the streets of Paris because the last minutes of the song features the singer singing some shit in French. And the worst part is that this song will be featured in the new Twilight movie, New Moon.

#9-12 – Exogenesis: Symphony

A 12-minute classical rock trip is what I call this ‘song’. Split into three parts (Part 1-Overture, Part 2-Cross-Pollination, Part 3-Redemption), This sounds like another song used in a TV series. Enough said…

Overall, The Resistance is one hell of a joyride. Though Muse aren’t really that original in this album, but they did their best. I give this album 3.8 stars.

Cheers,
-Tim-