Muse have never been a band to think small. From dystopian concept records and politically charged anthems to symphonic rock epics and stadium-sized spectacles, the Devon trio have spent more than two decades redefining what modern rock can sound like. Now, with the release of their tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal, Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard once again prove they’re unafraid to venture into uncharted territory.
Muse @ The O2
The Wow! Signal takes its title from the mysterious radio signal detected by astronomer Jerry R. Ehman in 1977—a phenomenon that has fascinated scientists and conspiracy theorists alike for decades. That sense of mystery runs throughout the record, with Muse using the unexplained as a backdrop to explore very human emotions, examining themes of isolation, hope, connection, technological dependence and the search for meaning in an increasingly uncertain world.
While the album embraces the cinematic grandeur and science-fiction aesthetic that have long been synonymous with Muse, it also feels noticeably more personal than some of the band’s recent releases. Across ten tracks, the trio balance crushing riffs, shimmering synthesisers and soaring orchestral arrangements with introspective lyricism that reflects on relationships, identity and mortality, all delivered with the dramatic flair that has become their trademark.
The album was produced by the band alongside long-time collaborator Dan Lancaster and producer Aleks Von Korff, resulting in a record that effortlessly shifts between progressive rock, industrial electronica, alternative metal and polished pop. It’s an album that refuses to stand still, constantly evolving from one sonic landscape to another while remaining unmistakably Muse.
Muse @ The O2
One of the record’s biggest talking points is Hush, a surprise collaboration with Ellie Goulding. While the pairing raised eyebrows when first announced, Bellamy has been keen to stress that the song remains firmly rooted in the band’s DNA.
Speaking about the collaboration, Bellamy explained: “Muse fans will read online that we’ve done a song with Ellie Goulding and think it’s going to be a pop song. But it’s got one of the biggest, heaviest riffs we’ve done in a long time.”
Rather than creating a straightforward duet, the track sees Goulding’s ethereal vocal complement Bellamy’s soaring delivery against a backdrop of thunderous guitars, layered electronics and one of the album’s most memorable choruses. The result feels less like a stylistic departure and more like a natural meeting point between two artists known for blending accessibility with experimentation.
Ellie Goulding - Apple Music Festival 2015 @ Roundhouse
Bellamy also revealed the collaboration happened almost entirely by chance. “We have known each other for years and always wanted to try and do something together,” he said. “It came completely by chance. It wasn’t planned to be a collaboration.”
Elsewhere, The Wow! Signal showcases the full spectrum of Muse’s musical ambitions. The relentless pulse of Cryogen recalls the mechanical intensity of The 2nd Law, while Hexagons leans into the band’s heavier side with crushing riffs and intricate time changes. More reflective moments arrive through tracks such as Be With You, where Bellamy delivers one of his most heartfelt vocal performances in years, and the cinematic closing piece Space Debris, which gradually builds from delicate piano passages into a colossal orchestral finale.
Muse @ The O2
The album also finds the trio embracing groove-driven rhythms more confidently than ever before. Songs such as Nightshift Superstar inject elements of dance music and funk into Muse’s arena-rock formula without sacrificing the dramatic intensity that has made them one of Britain’s biggest live acts.
For a band now more than twenty-five years into their career, Muse continue to refuse complacency. Since bursting onto the scene with Showbiz in 1999, they’ve amassed multiple UK number one albums, two GRAMMY® Awards and countless headline performances at the world’s biggest festivals. Albums including Origin Of Symmetry, Absolution, Black Holes And Revelations and The Resistance have become modern rock classics, while more recent releases have seen the band continue to evolve rather than simply repeat past successes.
That willingness to experiment remains at the heart of The Wow! Signal. It isn’t an exercise in nostalgia or a calculated attempt to recreate former glories. Instead, it’s an album that feels confident enough to embrace everything Muse have become—a band equally comfortable writing intimate piano ballads, colossal rock anthems and futuristic electronic epics.
Muse @ The O2
With the album now available worldwide, attention quickly turns to the band’s forthcoming UK arena tour this November. Known for some of the most spectacular live productions in modern rock, Muse are once again expected to raise the bar with an all-new stage show featuring immersive visuals, cutting-edge lighting and the kind of theatrical presentation that has made them one of the world’s premier live acts.
If The Wow! Signal proves anything, it’s that Muse remain as ambitious, unpredictable and unapologetically larger-than-life as ever.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates:
NOVEMBER
12th – Manchester, Co-op Live
13th – Manchester, Co-op Live
15th – London, The O2
16th – London, The O2
Muse’s Supermassive O2 Arena Show Gives The Will Of The People What They Want
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