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Album Eight: Simulation Theory

Claudia O

By Claudia O
in Songs & Releases

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Citizen_Eraser Guiding Light

Citizen_Eraser

Posted
Posted
Okay time for me to actually review this.

 

Algorithm: Definitely one of the songs I’ll end up listening to the most from this album. It’s enjoyable, but at the same time I feel like Muse didn’t really make synthwave their own in this track. Even on T2L when they were all over the place they managed to make every track their own. This feels like a random synthwave song with vocals by Matt. 7.5/10

 

The Dark Side: Still an enjoyable song. Not among their best, but enjoyable, lovely vocals and a pretty cool alternative version as well. 7/10

 

Pressure: Still a...fun song. I don’t think I’ll listen to it outside of the album much, and it doesn’t really do much for me aside from keeping me interested enough not to skip it. 6.5/10

 

Propaganda: Very cool. Amazing except for the “propaganda” part which i can live with. I know it’s the hook but I feel like it’s the least interesting part of the song. The last minute with the altered melody is absolutely brilliant. Oh and great backing vocals, which actually surprised me. 7.5/10

 

Break It To Me: I really like it at the moment but I feel like I’ll grow tired of it in just a few days. Let’s hope I’m wrong though. Lovely vocal melodies from Matt. Sounds very much like ATS-era Linkin Park though so it’s not really as “futuristic” as a lot of people claim imo. 7/10

 

Something Human: I guess I can stand it on the album. Pretty nice, a little dull but it’s not bad. 6/10

 

Thought Contagion: Definitely works better in the context of the album, which actually makes me like it a little. Still a bit of a dud though with absolutely nothing making it worth actively listening to. 6/10

 

Get Up And Fight: I actually kinda like it. A lot better than the songs it’s being compared to (Revolt, Mercy etc). Nice verses that are actually pretty cool, and the chorus isn’t nearly as dull as Mercy’s even if I can’t put my finger on why. I honestly don’t really know why I enjoy this song more. 7/10

 

Blockades: Hey it’s Muse by numbers to the point where it sounds like a parody, but I still like it. I actually had the verse playing in my head while I slept. The rating of this might seem strange but it’s honestly the most enjoyable song on the album, even if it’s not groundbreaking. 8/10

 

Dig Down: Just no. 4/10

 

The Void: I feel like I still haven’t listened to this song in the proper setting and should wait before I can listen to it on my own speakers, but I still enjoy it a lot. The acoustic version is maybe a bit better but I don’t get people who say it should have been on the album. I totally get why this is on the album and not the piano version. Anyway the acoustic version really brings out Matt’s strong, dark voice. Actually got chills hearing it the first time. 8/10

 

Overall I think this album has some duds that keeps it from being one of their best, and my ratings might lower over time. But fuck it, I still enjoy that they really have it a go at being experimental and trying something new while still creating one of their most coherent albums ever. 7/10

 

Agree with pretty much everything here.

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smoledman Escapee

smoledman

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Kramnidorach

Nov 9, 2018

0

Can't blame Muse from trying new things. Sometimes, this worked well (Black Holes & revelations, Resistance), sometimes it worked about ok (Drones). Even 2nd law, which I didn't really like, had a few good songs. Here.. it's the void. Back are the electronic shenanigans from 2nd law, mixed in a more current manner, with the same Muse epic singing. yet, overall result doesn't feel fresh at all. And apart the Dark side maybe, nothing good popped to my hears. Easily the worst album of Muse of all times. Let's hear you in 3 years maybe. Yup, not even wanting to hear that garbage on tour this time (for the first time in almost 2 decades...)

 

Wow!

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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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Posted
Ouch, only a 77/100 and 7.2/10 on Metacritic. Pretty much aligns with how I feel about this album. It's ok, but nothing special.

 

It’s their highest on the website critically (OOS and Showbiz excluded ‘cos they aren’t there for some reason)

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MAurelia Escapee

MAurelia

Posted
Posted

After two listenings, this is my ranking.

 

Algorithm

The Dark Side

The Void

Pressure

Propaganda

Blockades

Break it to me

Thought Contagion

Something human

Dig Down

Get Up and Fight

 

I love all the alternative versions. Dig Down gospel version is really good and TC live is Amazing.

Very positive.

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That Little Animal Defector

That Little Animal

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Posted

Alright, I'll have a stab at rating these songs too.

 

Algorithm - I really appreciate the extended synth intro. Great way to open the album. The vocals and lyrics feel a bit out of place and are a bit too Supremacy for my liking. I would have preferred vocals more similar to the Void, or more squeezed and urgent like Take a Bow. Overall though, great way to set the tone and it will hopefully make an amazing set opener. 8.5/10

 

The Dark Side - My favorite of the pre-album singles. Great vocal melody, lovely authentic sound, fitting and fun solo. I expect to listen to this one for years to come. 9/10

 

Pressure - Good fun, never annoying and therefore I don't mind if it's a tad bit repetitive. I like all the weeees and woooos. 8/10

 

Propaganda - I want to like it more than I do. Opening with "floooozy" throws me off. It's so well put together though, and all the sounds and blips and bass and synth structures are in the right place. Surprising how short it is, considering everything that happens in it. 7/10

 

Break it to Me - Keeps growing on me. I'm not sold on the verses, but the clunky beat, the chorus, the theremin bits and the guitar solo are some of the best things on the album. 8/10

 

Something Human - Not my cup of tea. I'm not sure what it is that make me want to skip it, but I feel like it has a lot to do with the claps in the beat and vocal delivery. Synth solo/bridge section is lovely. I like the ooohs and aaahs. But I've been skipping it. 6/10

 

Thought Contagion - Never been a fan. Some say it has grown on them in the context of the album. Not for me though. It does get stuck in my head, so there's that. 6/10

 

Get Up and Fight - I keep flipping on this one. And I keep lamenting the terribly standard radio beat in the verses. I like the female vocals. I like the melody in the verses. I like it better than Revolt and some other songs that I never considered liking for a second. But overall, it's not something I would listen to if it weren't a Muse song. 6.5/10

 

Blockades - It's so Muse-by-numbers that I can't concentrate on listening to it. I just kind of zone out, like when you read a book and get to the end of a page without absorbing any of what you just read. But all its bits are great. There is absolutely nothing in there that I dislike, including vocals and lyrics. So I must rank it highly, even if it doesn't necessarily stand out. 8.5/10

 

Dig Down - Now this HAS grown on me in the context of the album. I really thought it was one of the worst things they had done. But after the recycled beginning it builds nicely into a gospel like thing that they really haven't done in any other song. By the time the solo kicks in my head is bobbing. 6/10

 

The Void - Almost exactly what I hoped it would be. I keep mentioning that I dislike the beat in the bridge, and that's only really because it so rudely interrupts the dark atmosphere it so carefully builds from the start. 9/10

 

I'm not going to rank the alternative version individually, but the fact that they are included is part of what makes me appreciate this album more than its three predecessors. It's something for the fans, it's a way for a band that is really all over the place to offer some alternative listening options. When in the past they had b-sides as studio leftovers, now they have alternative versions to share some of their more subdued and over the top impulses while keeping the rest of the album consistent. I think that's a solution that works for everyone.

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White Heat Escapee

White Heat

Posted
Posted

Some of the alternate version songs are as good or even better than the original ones, personally i find Algorithm alternate version way better (not that the original is bad).

 

Also I feel like TDS and The Void alternate versions are different songs from their respective "original" versions, it's hard to think of them as the same song.

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OriginOfAbso Escapee

OriginOfAbso

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Posted

I'm having trouble ranking the songs, which is a good thing cause there's like 6 songs battling it out with each other right now in the "great" category. This album turned out about as well as I could've hoped considering The Dark Side was the only pre-release single I really liked. And so far all the stuff I initially liked (but was sometimes unsure of) has fortunately only grown on me.

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Mattestro Escapee

Mattestro

Posted
Posted (edited)

Rankings after listening properly:

1.Algorithm

2.TDS

3.BITM

 

4.Blockades

5.GUAF (it’s not that bad!)

6.Propaganda

7.The Void

8.Pressure

 

9.TC

10.SH

 

11.DD

 

Rankings 4 through to 8 are constantly changing, though I do think the initial tracks we heard are my least favourites (with the exception of TDS,) which is the opposite of what happened with Drones.

 

I do agree now (after a couple tracks grew on me) that this is probably their best album since BHAR.

Edited by mattestro.
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serpentsatellite Escapee

serpentsatellite

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Posted

I don't know how I feel at all.

Something about the vocals on the album bugs me all the way through, but I can't really put my finger on it.

 

I'm wondering if I'd just heard the album straight through instead of hearing so many of the songs individually before hand if I'd like the whole better.

 

Did having 3-4 songs that I strongly didn't connect to so early on taint my views, or am I just old and cynical. (I mean, I know I'm that last one... but is that the ONLY reason? :chuckle: )

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kyo2004 Escapee

kyo2004

Posted
Posted
Apologies if wrong thread - new to this - preordered cd 31st August - got confirmation - no RAH presale code - no cd arriving today - thankfully got Spotify so listening and liking - worried that cd won't turn up - extremely worried that no presale code for British tour will be sent to me which would screw up my Christmas present. What should I do - panicking at present.

 

Mine (Super Deluxe) was canceled (pre-ordered on August 30th). The reason was they don't send to freight forwarder address... Which sucks so much because the international shipping in my country is awful (lost packages rate of 80%)

 

I'm waiting for the refund and try to buy again and get the int. Shipping roulette... :/

 

BTW, The Void Acoustic for ender... It has to be a must in the next tour (finally replacing Harmonica KoC)...

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