Thursday 28 June 2012

Review: Muse - Survival

My God I have been waiting for a new song for too long, so I have felt compelled to review this bitch.

Where do I start? Oh yeah, the piano introduction of course, and no, I don't mean 'Prelude', as that is a different track. I mean, oh please! Anyway, I'm told it wasn't just me that thought it was originally Scissor Sisters breaking into 'Laura'? Well, yeah, it seems very similar. This does not amuse me (pun overused, yet intended). To be fair, it contributes greatly to the fact that 'Survival' is about as camp as a row of tents. But then... one and a half minutes in, oh sweet giblets. There are some guitar techniques and detuned riffage similar to what made me fall in love with Muse in the first place. The song has definitely picked up and revived my faith in the band. 
However, to say this song is viciously dry-humping Queen would be to say the words of truth. I'm a Queen fan, but Muse are not Queen, they're Muse (funnily enough!), and 'Origin of Symmetry' and 'Absolution' didn't need to sound like Queen to be good. They were diverse but not overblown, and were stationed within acceptable levels of over-the-top-ness. Comparisons with Queen continue as the operatic choir vocals carry their soprano tones throughout the second verse. A bass-heavy verse climaxes in a fucking maniacal Rage Against The Machine riff-fest. I am literally drooling at this point - I have not wanted to headbang and/or fistpump this much since I heard the ending to 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Using a low G# string on the guitar has given this song beef not seen since 'Citizen Erased', which it definitely needed. If the guitar sections weren't in this song then I'd probably be more nervous of the reaction this song would get as the London 2012 Olympic Anthem. 
Guitar orgasms aside though, these lyrics are atrocious. I mean it, they're shite. Bellamy, who is a talented songwriter and lyricist, I expected to do better. Did he give a piece of paper to his baby boy and let him write it? "Life's race, I'm gonna win, I'll light the fuse, I'll never lose" - come on Bellamy, buck up your ideas man! That is dire. Guess what though? I DON'T CARE. His lyrics hardly make any sense anyway, so why should I care this time? Not going to deny that he has cocked up there though, so I hold more hope for some improvements in time for new album 'The 2nd Law'.
From what I've heard from the previews, it's going to be a controversial album. 'Survival' and a preview of 'Unsustainable' have surfaced over recent times, with the latter giving an insight into a new era of Muse-dubstep; Musestep if you will. Even for dubstep it sounds ok, but it's only a preview and I will reserve full judgement when the album is out in September. And as for the fans who are haters of this song, they're too narrow-minded and selfish to see that the band are no longer stuck in 'Origin of Symmetry' or 'Absolution', and even though I do cry out for some heavy rock from Muse, I accept what they currently are, which many others don't. As for now, enjoy the two links below (first minute of the first link is 'Prelude'), and enjoy having 'Survival' shoved in your faces and down your eardrums throughout London 2012.

Rating: 7/10
Best part: Nearly 3 minutes in: "I'm gonna wiiiiiiiiiin" followed by big fuck off pwoper beefy riff


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