Album Eight: Simulation Theory

[LewisF]

Actually need Map 2 and Algorithm in my life rfn

 

Going back to a much earlier post btw, but when did the title Blockade become known? First I’d heard of that one when I saw your post

Edited July 27, 2018 by LewisF

[Bs]

I can. In fact, I’ll happily wait until November 2021 if it means DD and TC not appearing on a Muse album.

 

 

Harsh but true!

[Hat]

Going back to a much earlier post btw, but when did the title Blockade become known? First I’d heard of that one when I saw your post

Beats interview earlier this week (or was it last week?).

Edited July 27, 2018 by Tjet

[FabriPav]

It definitely was weak!

[Hat]

ugh

[Clunge]

/thread.

[LewisF]

Beats interview earlier this week (or was it last week?).

 

Cheers!

[Zepp]

I'm not exactly sure about how I feel about SH yet, but I think it may work well in the context of the album. I'm getting excited and optimistic actually.

 

Also :

Thought Contagion

 

 

Something Human, Dig Down

[*OoS*]

New info dump:

 

- Acoustic SH to be released soon

- Pressure is the intended next single but might be another non-single release before it that’s ‘Map’-ish electronic/synth rock (yes I’m foaming at the mouth too)

- Pressure is in at least some part about the pressure of being an artist

- 7 string returns

- ‘Plenty’ of rock in general

- The Dark Side is angsty

- Deluxe edition alt. recordings include piano versions

- US By Request still firmly on the cards, upper East coast I think

- Matt plays Star Trek: Bridge Crew

 

I know we’re sick of sequels/comparisons but if that Map comment doesn’t get you fired up idk what to say.

 

Edit: so currently, here’s a rough map of 8 out of 11 tracks so far:

 

Dig Down

Thought Contagion

Unknown Map 2 - electronic rock

Pressure - hard/alt. rock

The Dark Side - angsty, alt. rock

Algorithm - classical piano + synths

Something Human

Blockade - heavy, New Born 3

 

Only 3 totally unknown quantities left

 

Sorry to go over old ground, but it appears I'm out of the loop - how do we know that these recent releases aren't going to be on the new album (you say 'non-single releases')?

[Jobby]

Sorry to go over old ground, but it appears I'm out of the loop - how do we know that these recent releases aren't going to be on the new album (you say 'non-single releases')?

 

No no, everything being released atm is gonna be on the album. What that bit meant is there might be another release between SH and the next single (Pressure) that, in Matt’s words, won’t be a single itself. I guessed it might be a pre-order bonus for the album whenever that gets announced but idk.

[LewisF]

I think that in the case of a non-single release prior to the album’s release, it’d still be on the album, just not classed as a single (eg. The Handler)

 

Edit: sweet

[*OoS*]

No no, everything being released atm is gonna be on the album. What that bit meant is there might be another release between SH and the next single (Pressure) that, in Matt’s words, won’t be a single itself. I guessed it might be a pre-order bonus for the album whenever that gets announced but idk.

 

Oh right... I got confused when people started saying about waiting for the album meaning that TC and DD won't be on it

[Man_In_Showbiz]

When Matt said "Main Single" when mentioning Pressure I took it as if this was a normal album release then we wouldn't have heard any of what we have so far.

 

DD, TC and SH are just songs off the album released early, the main singles are probably what we get once the album is out/just before.

[Jobby]

When Matt said "Main Single" when mentioning Pressure I took it as if this was a normal album release then we wouldn't have heard any of what we have so far.

 

DD, TC and SH are just songs off the album released early, the main singles are probably what we get once the album is out/just before.

 

Nah, they are 100% singles. When Matt says ‘main single’ I’m pretty sure he just means the one that’s released to coincide with the album and generate the most hype for it.

[Hat]

Yep.

[Hopix]

"New Born 3"

 

Where did that come from? Damn son.

[OriginOfAbso]

Saw this posted on reddit:

 

I don't think I've seen it mentioned here, but Matt said there will be an acoustic guitar-driven heavy track on the album, like City of Delusion.

[Jobby]

Doesn’t directly compare it to COD tbf, just mentions that when talking about past acoustic songs (which I think he did in another interview as well ‘cos I got v happy about him remembering it). Yeah, though, good shout still. I guess that’s 6/8 tracks we haven’t heard that we’ve got at least a rough sonic picture of then, assuming that song ends up making it on.

 

I just want a full tracklist alreadyyyyy

 

Edit: I’ll make a mini updated list just for convenience’s sake

 

Likely title: Simulation Theory

 

Stuff we’ve already got:

1. Dig Down

2. Thought Contagion

3. Something Human

 

Songs with confirmed titles:

4. Pressure - next single (likely October/November), ‘classic/well-known Muse’ sound

5. The Dark Side - apparently angsty and rock-based(?), band’s favourite at one point, ‘connections to past songs’

6. Algorithm - ‘classical pianos with Blade Runner synths’ + ‘80s video game music’

7. Blockade - another rock/riff-based track, compared to New Born

 

Songs with unknown titles:

8. ‘Electro rock’/‘Map-ish-ish’ song - possibly next release (though non-single)

9. Heavier acoustic-driven song

 

Totally unknown quantities:

10. ???

11. ???

 

Deluxe edition:

1. Dig Down (gospel choir)

2. Something Human (acoustic) - apparently releasing in ‘next few weeks’

3. Unknown piano version

4. Unknown soft version of heavy song

5. ???

6. ???

7. ???

8. ???

Edited July 28, 2018 by Jobby

[OriginOfAbso]

Doesn’t directly compare it to COD tbf, just mentions that when talking about past acoustic songs (which I think he did in another interview as well ‘cos I got v happy about him remembering it). Yeah, though, good shout still.

Yeah I didn't mean to say he compared it directly, just that he called City of Delusion a heavy acoustic guitar-driven song, then described a new track as that as well.

[FabriPav]

6. Algorithm - ‘classical pianos with Blade Runner synths’ + ‘80s video game music’

 

legit scared to hear Matt's awful pastiche of Vangelis' sound

[Spectrum IV]

"New Born 3"

 

Where did that come from? Damn son.

 

But New Born 2 wasn't very good

[titoufou17]

what is New Born 2 ? Survival ?

[FabriPav]

unnatural selection

[Rajce]

unnatural selection

 

yeh

[LoganMH]

I think the new songs are okay so far (crowd whoops aside), and it would probably only take the rest to maintain the same quality/not involve a stunt guest producer or second vocalist for me to enjoy the album more than T2L and Drones. That probably says more about how low I consider the hurdle to be more than anything, but there you go

 

I'm conscious that I don't want to overplay the importance of Rich Costey being back on board as a co-producer just yet (the pros/cons have been discussed elsewhere), but I think it might just help avoid a couple of the things that plagued the backend of the last two albums and keep the songs feeling a bit better glued together/streamlined. If not, that'll be too bad, but I'm cautiously optimistic at the moment.

 

I'm glad the colourful sounds and aesthetics are back, and that the piano is going to be more involved again. I think it's going to be quite entertaining overall. It feels strange to say that based on my relatively lukewarm reaction to all 3 of the songs we've heard so far on a standalone basis (and massive problems with the last two albums), but I don't feel too negatively for some reason. Just as long as they haven't been forcing things too much with the heavier stuff. I agree that the "alternate versions" are a particularly interesting prospect at this point (if only to see why they committed to the idea!).

 

So fingers crossed, for now!