ABSOLUTION

While it cannot pass as an essential album of prog music, it is, by all means, an excellent addition to a prog collection. It is representative for modern-day rock that tries to be something else than just guys blasting off riffs and who spend more time on their image than on their music.

I will not go into detail on every track as this is one masterfully crafted album that plainly shows fluidity and cohesiveness that make you wonder when did the album end does not belong only to the concept album zone. It's clever, it's not overdone, it's catchy [not your most proggy atribute, but trust me on this one] and really powerful. Most of all, it's floating with emotions.

All tracks are sure winners here and if you listen very carefully you will realize these guys can play and could do something a whole lot more experimental than this, they just chose not to. However, if I were to point out the strengths of this album they would be "Time Is Running Out", "Stockholm Syndrome" [has become one of my favourite songs and it's got a video that really gives me shivers every time i watch it], "Blackout", "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Thoughts of a Dying Atheist".

Clearly the proggiest of the Muse output, this is, again, not necesarilly a masterpiece of progressive music as it is still mainstream and far from what prog represents. But it's inovative, well written, well sung, well produced, and it only lasts as much as it's supposed to. So give it a listen, it just might work.