Invincible (Muse, 2006)

A great song by Muse. Even more: a great prog song. An atmospheric melody, a keen and lushing arrangement, a splendid vocal performance by Matthew Bellamy, a vibrating guitar solo and, of course, an old fashioned and still so modern arrangement. I must confess that when I found this song leading the whole planet charts I was impressed and moved. It seemed to me that the music I used to love in my youngest years was back again. And once more successful.

"Black Holes & Revelations" was the fourth studio work by Muse.

Of course, this is a 21st Century song, with all the newest technical solutions and matching with the contemporary musical scene and icons. Still, how many hints from the past I found here! No, I won't even try to write down a list of quotations: that would be useless and unfair. This is a song that clearly shows how evergreen can be that special point of view on music we call prog in want of a proper word. I'm so happy Muse are here to scream their inside world out and to keep on searching new ways for rock.

Exogenesis: Symphony Part I - II - III (Muse, 2009)

According to the critics, Muse belong to a dozen different rock and pop genres, but they certainly never hid a connction with the prog world. This very good 13 minute mini-suite is a living proof of this. I didn't believe my ears nor my eyes: how can it possibly be that in 2009 such a classic prog suite and its related album "The Resistance" sell so much worldwide? Well, there's no secret: Muse create good music, based on solid and wide melodies supported by an amazing production, meaning their sound is clear as crystal and absolutely modern.

A detail from the art illustrating "Exogenesis".

Let's explore "Exogenesis". The first part ("Overture") is an orchestral one, introducing an aerial theme and some romantic variations on which Matthew Bellamy's voice weave an almost operatic cantato opening the way to the group instruments, including a dreamy final guitar solo. The second part ("Cross-Pollination") is a piano based one, with a vocal interpretation reminiscent of Queen (well, with Muse that's not so strange, is it?). The third and last part of the suite ("Redemption") starts with a touching piano and orchestra theme growing richer and wider step by step with the addiction of the group up to a calm finale.  The lyrics, in the perfect style of the '70s, has a science fiction plot (and after all, the whole album was inspired by Orwell's 1984) about the end of our Earth and a new era for the surviving humanity. A limited edition single edition of the suite was also released for the "Record Store Day" in 2010. I really like this track, swinging between bombastic and thoughtful moments and proving that good ol' prog rock never dies.