track 1 (take a bow): this song is a brilliant opening to muse's new album.Listening to it for the first time might make long fans of muse a little contraversial about the direction of the album, but as i listened to it i grew a wider understanding of why this song is so sucessful. The music is quite techno and began to grow on me. It came in quietly and making a slight crescendo. The vocals are as powerful as ever, and so are the lyrics, giving out a definate message that muse want to bring across.

track 2 (starlight): This track i wasn't overly impressed with but began to like it the more i listened to it (just like a lot of the songs on the album.) Though i don't think it is the most powerful song on the album it doesn't have to be. It is unique in its own way, and begins rather abruptly from the mezmorizing take a bow. The lyrics 'Hold you in my arms i just want to hold you in my arms,' Are sang so smoothly and lovingly its almost in a trance, and other lyrics such as 'I'll never let you go if you promise not to fade away,' are sang with more backing towards it.

track 3 (Supermassiveblackholes): This song jumped up and suprised quite a few fans when it was released as a single. After listening to every song on the album i realise it is the song that differs from the rest but not in a bad way. Supermassiveblackhole has brilliant character and was ridiculed by very serious fans hoping for a muse song like the others. But this was the right direction for a new album. I was a little confused after hearing it the first time too but i think the boys accepted that their would be some contraversy with it. The music is one of its kind with pop, techno, rock...everything in it which makes it sound so twisted and derranged. I think its a fun loving song that should never be taken seriously. It isn't the best lyrical song in the world, or musical, but it certainly makes an impact.

track 4 (map of the problematique): This song flows like water. The music, with different layers, work so well its like a jigsaw fitting together with no trouble whatsoever. The drum beat struck me also. This song is hypnotising, and then after this water flowing verse you hear a much heavier riff burst into the middle. The lyrics 'lofe will flash before my eyes so scattered and lost i want to touch the other side' were brought to my attention. The song ends with that same heavy riff and your left trying to pull yourself out of that hypnotism you were under

track 5 (soldiers poem): This track is a slow, harmonic one that i would have thought would be a hard tune by the boys. Their view on this song suprised me, as i htought it would be the same old 'i want to go home, fight for your rights' song that you hear from so many bands. Of course i shouldn't have judged muse so soon. The lyrics sing 'throw it all away lets loose ourselves, because there's no one left for us to blame its a shame we're all dying, and do you think you deserve your freedom?' Its a quiet medly with one hell of a message.

track 6 (invincible): I heard this song would have been scrapped without the guitar solo in it, as it was not powerful enough. Though the solo was put in , and i think invincible is a beautiful song that reminded me a little of butterflis and hurricanes considering the message put across. It is reassuring, confident and would make you feel ten times better after a hard day. It begins with a haiwaiin feel and a lazy guitar. This then grows slowly, until the guitar solo drives into play and sings the song by itself. It reminded me or the guitar warming up, managing a few words and then the ending screeches were its most hardhitting lyrics. After that matty belts out the last lines.

track 7 (assasain): This song has an angry pace to it, and the lyrics are defiant, strong and some are left out (possibly for their own good) most of the album is very politically based, and this is no exception. All about opposing your leaders, killing them and creating an assasain. Im not sure if they mean that the assasain is warped and bereft or the leader is, but either way you conceive it, it will always make you think. Also near the end you can hear the firing of a bullet which i like just before the music comes to a grinding hault.

track 8 (exo politics): i think exo politics comes up with every question you ask when you read the newspaper. Well, maybe not exactly but somewhere in that region. Thee are so many songs on this album that make you htink and sometimes bring a shiver down your spine, and this is a big one for me. The vocals are rather strong in this song because i think mattys in a much loved theory of his. 'secrets locked up and loaded on my back' reminded me of assasain.

track 9 (city of delusion): city of delusion starts the more spanish theme and is so unique. There is a spanish guitar, and then your good old muse riffs including what sounds like a little charge up just before the chorus. City of delusion is as powerful as the others with bold words that represent the point of view of a mind we'd all judge as disturbed or crazy. There are strings in this song too, along with a trumpet solo that adds to the wacky feel muse manages to bring to us.

track 10 (hoodoo): Hoodoo is one of my favourites. It begins with a spanish beginning, almost like a little warm up or a jam, and blooms into a beautifully lyriced song. Then, the piano comes in with a blasting intro to the chorus. The words mimic the way the first few songs were written. You can feel everything in his voice, you can feel everything being put into the drums, and strings. Your drawn towards this song, like its the end of something special, not exactly summing up but definately brining smething to a climax. Only a few last words sang by matty and a spanish guitar end the song leaving shivers dwn your spine.

track 11 (knights of cydonia): This is the ultimate summary, and reminds me of everyone going up on stage and taking a bow. The screech of the guitar and wail of the vocals really blend, and the same spanish feel flows through this song. If you see muse live this is the song that could go on for hours and youd want it to. Its out of this world, something so zany it sounds like the screams of madmen, thats why its so brilliant.