In their fifth studio album, progressive-rock group Muse, from Devonshire, Britain, brings a kind of magic that has not been heard since Queen's Innuendo (1991).
The album opens with Uprising, a rousing synth-pop-rock piece - think a fusion of Blondie and Kiss. The opening sci-fi synth intro is reminiscent of the Doctor Who theme track, before morphing into a bass-heavy rhythm. The lyrics are almost a rocker's mantra: 'They will not force us/They will not degrade us/They will not control us/We will be victorious'.
The title track slows the tempo down in a sombre orchestral intro that leads into a melodic piano piece. It then modulates into a Queen-like rock chorus that features a stirring crescendo, before swiftly returning to the mood of the opening.
The guitar on Unnatural Selection will rattle your windows. Meanwhile, Exogenesis: Symphony, an extravagantly arranged three-part orchestral suite, is the album's highlight. It opens with a soaring Aaron Copland/George Gershwin-like piano intro, but the middle sequence is pure rock opera. And the final segment opens with a soothing Chopin-esque etude - the perfect end to a powerful and rousing album.