Album Eight: Simulation Theory

[kueller]

Now I have heard it. Phantom of the Opera riff is nice and it does remind me of the style of Soaked or something. I want more of that and less 30 Seconds to Mars chanting. This might be ok live, depending on how they go with it.

 

Does the song sound kinda broken to anyone? Like there's the obvious parts where each vocal line is recorded separately which sounds off, but even the transitions of the different parts of the song never felt right. Some of it musical, some of it just in production. Maybe a little of both.

[kueller]

For what it's worth, I've said a number of times how disappointed I was with The Resistance, but I listened to it for the first time in a while the other day without UD and IBTY and it's a decent enough album, with some pretty good bits in there. It's just not up to the standard of the previous three which was where I felt let down.

 

The best thing I can say about the new song though is that it's not Dig Down, but that's hardly a ringing endorsement. If people like it then fair enough, but it's just not at all what I would ever listen to Muse for.

 

Resistance was the first album where the music just felt rather cold, except a few songs. I guess that's mellowed for me but only because they never recovered from it in any future work, which isn't a very good reason.

 

Now I'll probably step away for a bit because this is the post-release discussion when everybody gets really dramatic about the band and I'll wait for that to calm.

[jonisdead]

Resistance was the first album where the music just felt rather cold, except a few songs. I guess that's mellowed for me but only because they never recovered from it in any future work, which isn't a very good reason.

 

Now I'll probably step away for a bit because this is the post-release discussion when everybody gets really dramatic about the band and I'll wait for that to calm.

 

I think overall T2L was a pretty "warm" album. I think Drones was the "coldest" in that regard personally. TR was a mix

[kueller]

T2L was still held back some by their continuation of attaching everything to really shallow modern issues, but it did feel more fun I admit and the initial reactions were positive because of it.

[jonisdead]

T2L was still held back some by their continuation of attaching everything to really shallow modern issues, but it did feel more fun I admit and the initial reactions were positive because of it.

 

I meant mainly production-wise it was less kind of overproduced, whereas say Drones was the opposite. But definitely the fun aspect yeah you can tell they enjoyed making that record since it shows through on the energetic takes.

[Bs]

Resistance was the first album where the music just felt rather cold, except a few songs. I guess that's mellowed for me but only because they never recovered from it in any future work, which isn't a very good reason.

 

Yeah, that's probably a good way of putting it to be honest. Most of the songs are actually okay, but I just feel no emotional attachment to any of them, with the possible exception of Redemption right at the end. I kind of feel the same about Drones, though there are a few good moments like the last minute or so of Dead Inside and bits of The Handler. I actually didn't mind T2L maybe because my expectation levels were so low, and as a mix of songs, if not an album, I found it quite enjoyable. The other two felt like they're not as good as they could be though, or like something was missing.

[Unidentifiable]

This song is miles better than Dig Down, as the vocal and instrumental melodies are way more like Abso-era Muse (and not ripped off from another song!). The mixing and overall tone is a lot more poppy, but I don't mind that. It's probably the closest I've felt to when I heard Supermassive Black Hole for the first time.

 

The worst aspect is the "woah" and that the chorus is just a long drawn-out "thought contagion".

[serpentsatellite]

That "final solution" line is a bit shocking, in that, as others have said, HOW many people worked on this song and no one mentioned it as a problem???

Then again, that Kylie Jenner Pepsi ad and that H&M ad made it to publication...

 

Unfortunately, the lyrics are so vague, that it's actually tough to be sure that Matt didn't know exactly what it meant, and to interpret the context that he's using it in.

Alongside lyrics about "false beliefs" "wipe the slate" and knowing that he's written a negative song about "globalists" I'm not entirely comfortable with it.

 

This isn't really an issue of "everyone being offended;" it's referencing a horrific genocide in a manner that's not just irreverent, but way too open to interpretation.

And it's just plain and simple not a good climate for it right now.

[serpentsatellite]

I'm also not surprised to see them aping 30STM after the tour together. Maybe hoping some of that sing a long crap will get the crowd more engaged, since it certainly works for Mars. (And Bellamy's been itching to ditch the guitar more and more for some reason.)

[kueller]

I'm also not surprised to see them aping 30STM after the tour together. Maybe hoping some of that sing a long crap will get the crowd more engaged, since it certainly works for Mars. (And Bellamy's been itching to ditch the guitar more and more for some reason.)

 

Those sing-a-long sections were awful though so for once I'd rather have a dead crowd.

[JessicaSarahS]

Does the song sound kinda broken to anyone? Like there's the obvious parts where each vocal line is recorded separately which sounds off, but even the transitions of the different parts of the song never felt right. Some of it musical, some of it just in production. Maybe a little of both.

 

Yes, it has a very disjointed, unfinished feel. Maybe because I listened to a leak.

 

With all of my criticisms of this song, I do have to say it's rather catchy.

[kueller]

Also, is that a guitar+Whammy in the opening riff or a synth?

[Luigi.]

 

And I thought Dig Down was horrendous.

[Hat]

How long is the song supposed to be? The version I heard was about 3:38, but people keep saying it goes on for too long?

 

I like it anyway.

 

Edit: actually, third time listening and I’m already a bit bored. We’ll see how this turns out.

[Keth]

So much better than Dig Down. The chants are definitely very 30STM but as long as they don't do it on ALL of the rest of the songs, it will be fine with me. I see myself listening to this more than I listened to Dig Down.

[Citizen Erased 01]

I actually quite like this?? Not sure if I've mellowed out like fuck over the last year, or if I'm just in a really good mood today, or just that Dig Down was so shit anything is better than that...

 

But yeah brace for the final solution is pretty tasteless

 

edit: it is neither fury part 2 nor heavy though, and it isn't single material... little bit worried about the album, going to be underwhelming if this and DD are anything to go by

Edited February 15, 2018 by Citizen Erased #01

[Gemsy]

naaaaaah

[vixi]

This is pretty uninspired but not half as bad as dig down. I like the "you were bitten by" part, but the song itself is kind of a mess. Also, the mixing makes it really flat and it's hard to tell each part of its structure - but it could just be a problem of the leaked version, I guess we'll hear this afternoon.

[odier]

I actually quite like this?? Not sure if I've mellowed out like fuck over the last year, or if I'm just in a really good mood today, or just that Dig Down was so shit anything is better than that...

 

But yeah brace for the final solution is pretty tasteless

 

edit: it is neither fury part 2 nor heavy though, and it isn't single material... little bit worried about the album, going to be underwhelming if this and DD are anything to go by

 

I think TC obviously a single material... DD should be never released and TC is fit to be a lead single of an album. TC has a catchy chorus like TIRO, SMBH, and Uprising. That's a lead single works isn't it? (Yeah, there are some exception like Madness that weirdly works well)

 

I love TC though... Nice intro, Dom's hi-hat works well in the verse, the synth is well placed too, lyrics isn't bad as expected.(lol).

 

I cas see this song is better live. So, will Morgan plays piano part during pre-chorus?

[New Born Lee]

This...actually might be worse than Dig Down. Dig Down is painfully slow and overwrought but at least it's got a sort of fist-clenching general inclusiveness, a message vague but widely optimistic. Thought Contagion seems like a criticism of...something? Or is it just a bad thing happening? What's a thought contagion? Oh, it makes the sky sad? Oh dear.

 

The chorus. The woahs. The desperately delivered yet meaningless lyrics. The painfully obvious, pantomime evil melody. There's no musicianship to the track. It's like all the instruments are compressed into one sound.

 

Am I just tired? I'll sleep on it, okay.

[Zepp]

I think it has great live potential. Too many woahs for sure, but I like the beaten by bit and the riff. I don’t know if it’s my recording or the mix but it sounds rather messy.

 

Some parts are cringey but I’d be lying if I said there there aren’t things that I like about it. It’s also strange to hear and judge a stand-alone single without the context of an album. I feel it distorts my expectations.

 

If Matt does the piano bit live it could be really cool; i wonder how they’ll do the backing vocals. Could be great or shit but anyway I’m longing to hear it.

[Hat]

This is pretty uninspired but not half as bad as dig down. I like the "you were bitten by" part, but the song itself is kind of a mess. Also, the mixing makes it really flat and it's hard to tell each part of its structure - but it could just be a problem of the leaked version, I guess we'll hear this afternoon.

I’d say it’s anything but uninspired. Now I’m not saying this is a necessarily good thing, but this isn’t really like anything we’ve heard by them before, and it’s clear they’re inspired by new things.

[kueller]

I thought the same. Nothing about it really stands out like something I'd put on a top list for any attribute. But it has more power than Dig Down which helps.

[FabriPav]

"brace for the final solution"...

 

One of the worst mixes I've ever heard in a song also.

 

RIP Muse

 

bit late, no?

 

Strung out, falling from the big time

Welcome to the infinite black skies

Brain-cleanse, fractured identity

Fragments and scattered debris

 

Thought contagion

Thought contagion

 

Fall down, learn when to count it out

Prop me up before I blackout (ey)

Withdraw before you’re out of time

A clean slate and buried war crimes

 

You’ve been bitten by a true believer

You’ve been bitten by someone who’s hungrier than you

You’ve been bitten by a true believer

You’ve been bitten by someone’s false beliefs

 

Thought contagion

Thought contagion

 

They’ll never do what you want them to

Give it up and watch them break through

It’s too late for a revolution

Brace for the final solution

 

Thought contagion

Thought contagion

 

You’ve been bitten by a true believer

You’ve been bitten by someone who’s hungrier than you

You’ve been bitten by a true believer

You’ve been bitten by someone’s false beliefs

 

Thought contagion

Thought contagion

Strung out, falling from the big time

Welcome to the infinite black skies

It’s too late for a revolution

Brace for the final solution

 

Damn. I bet Matt is proud of this shite.

 

I see myself listening to this more than I listened to Dig Down.

 

Kind of a low bar you set there.

[Stephanie Kaoss]

Not heard the song yet. I'm so afraid.