Black Holes & Revelations
by Muse
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 511 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 470 out of 511
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 511
  3. Negative: 19 out of 511

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  1. MarkL
    Jul 5, 2006
    10
    I hadn't paid much attention to Muse in the past, but this is just incredible. The first 3 tracks are an amazing opening to an album that doesn't stop giving, reaching its peak at Knights of Cydonia. Surely they can't improve on this.
  2. HansG
    Sep 5, 2006
    10
    Muse gets better with every album.Best album of 2006!
  3. borgy
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    This could possibly be their best album, It's spacey, Every song sounds completely different... Muse have just gotten better and better i didnt even think they could top "Absolution".
  4. StewartP
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    As spoken by the musican himself, Matthew Bellamy, this is their best album to date. Of course the previous albums are classics, but so will this album a few years down the road. Muse have only grown and the shows in the album with Matt's matureing voice, diverse guitar antics, Dom's inriched drumming, and Chris's killer bass. heres to the greatest live band of our generation.
  5. DomG
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    Absolutely brilliant album. Cannot stop listening to it, the best of 2006.
  6. Kvan
    Jul 13, 2006
    7
    Muse's newest album fails to live up to its two predecessors. However, that isn't saying that its not a good album. It's starts off fairly week with the first track, Take A Bow. Gets going with the next three tracks, but then sputters with Soldiers Poem and Invincible. By the end of the disk, Muse pulls out all the stops with Knights of Cyndonia. Overall this album has more Muse's newest album fails to live up to its two predecessors. However, that isn't saying that its not a good album. It's starts off fairly week with the first track, Take A Bow. Gets going with the next three tracks, but then sputters with Soldiers Poem and Invincible. By the end of the disk, Muse pulls out all the stops with Knights of Cyndonia. Overall this album has more hits than misses. But the duality of this album is highly annoying, hense the 7/10.… Expand
  7. ThomasB
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    Muse's best album to date, featuring some of Matt Bellamy's best musical ideas.
  8. PatH
    Jul 16, 2006
    10
    It just keeps getting better and better
  9. AndrewV
    Jul 18, 2006
    9
    wanted to give 9.5 this album is absolutely astonishing. from the moment the first note is heard to the epic last track (one of my favs by the way) i have chills. The only thing is that it ends too soon, thus the 9.5
  10. FelipeP
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    Fantastic Album! Muse come back with threir most pretencious ans acessible album for everyboy. Fantastic group, beautiful songs. Knigts of Cydonia is Probally one of the best tracks of Muse. They are on the way!
  11. I.Lynch
    Jul 4, 2006
    8
    This is a pretty good album but I am a little disapointed. I was expecting more of a rock album than a prog album. But this record basically shows you the best and worst about Muse. They've made some amazing songs (Starlight, Knights of Cydonia) and some fairly average ones (Hoodoo, Take a bow). It doesnt come together as an album quite like Absolution did,but it still deserves a This is a pretty good album but I am a little disapointed. I was expecting more of a rock album than a prog album. But this record basically shows you the best and worst about Muse. They've made some amazing songs (Starlight, Knights of Cydonia) and some fairly average ones (Hoodoo, Take a bow). It doesnt come together as an album quite like Absolution did,but it still deserves a place in Muse's awsome catalouge.… Expand
  12. MatthewC
    Jul 5, 2006
    9
    Amazing! their best album. Assassin is my fav muse song of all time!
  13. rottencabbage
    Aug 31, 2006
    0
    Utter rubbish, like the rest of their catalogue. It's bombastic, pretentious, and completely uninspired (never mind Matthew Bellamy being amongst the nation's most asinine lyricists, with drivel vomiting forth from his Thom Yorke/Jeff Buckley-wannabe maw). Wait, that's how every Muse album sounds, isn't it?
  14. MarvAlbert
    Sep 20, 2006
    9
    Muse always amazes me. The first track sets the tone of the album perfectly as you go through the ups and downs and different moods of the rest of the tracks. I usually hate any efx but Muse uses them to perfection. If you havn't already get "Absolution" it's also incredible!!!
  15. MarioP
    Jan 15, 2007
    8
    I'm a big and longtime fan of Muse, having bought every album of theirs at its release. Absolution is and remains their unparalled masterpiece, but this one, despite some cheesy keyboards and FX (such in Starlight and Map of the Problematique), is a very solid and even great album nonetheless. A lot of variety and the usual knack for songs structure and instruments interactions. I I'm a big and longtime fan of Muse, having bought every album of theirs at its release. Absolution is and remains their unparalled masterpiece, but this one, despite some cheesy keyboards and FX (such in Starlight and Map of the Problematique), is a very solid and even great album nonetheless. A lot of variety and the usual knack for songs structure and instruments interactions. I dislike Take a Bow and Map of the Problematique, but the rest of the album more than makes up for 'em. Highlights for me are City of Delusion, Assassin and Supermassive Blackhole. Well done Muse, yet again.… Expand
  16. SamH
    Jan 6, 2007
    10
    Its The Best Album I've Ever Heared
  17. SeamusS
    Mar 30, 2007
    6
    With an album as big, layered and slightly over produced as this, it's easy to hate. However, Muse manages to pull just slightly ahead of pretentious by making it fun in a Tongue And Cheek way. There are emotional moments no doubt but they're more comparable to a rollercoster than an epiphany. In all it's fun smart/dumb music that, all the while immediately harmless, With an album as big, layered and slightly over produced as this, it's easy to hate. However, Muse manages to pull just slightly ahead of pretentious by making it fun in a Tongue And Cheek way. There are emotional moments no doubt but they're more comparable to a rollercoster than an epiphany. In all it's fun smart/dumb music that, all the while immediately harmless, remains absolutely dangerous to the middle-schoolers and young high school kids that will grow up thinking they know good music because of a band that understands how to work a multi-tracking mixing board and a few effects peddles.… Expand
  18. GraemeS.
    Jun 21, 2007
    10
    I only really got into Muse when Absolution was released, and, even though I never thought I would say this, this album is better than Absolution. Classical rock at its best.
  19. KateB.
    Jul 7, 2007
    9
    I love this album, I just wish sometimes it would be a little more subtle. Other than that, I think it is brilliant, and would recommend it to anyone!
  20. DonoL.
    Sep 25, 2007
    0
    This is the worst most pathetic album i have ever heard.
  21. AlexW.
    Feb 25, 2008
    10
    Excellent album. Map of the Problematique is probably my favorite track.
  22. StefanS
    Oct 15, 2006
    7
    I am a huge fan of Muse, having been blown away by Absolution. However, from my point of view, this album does not live up to their last effort. Take a Bow and Starlight are two fantastic tracks. But tracks like Supermassive Black Hole sounded a bit lame to me. Nice beat, but there's better and more original dance-songs. All in all, one should experience the record, especially if I am a huge fan of Muse, having been blown away by Absolution. However, from my point of view, this album does not live up to their last effort. Take a Bow and Starlight are two fantastic tracks. But tracks like Supermassive Black Hole sounded a bit lame to me. Nice beat, but there's better and more original dance-songs. All in all, one should experience the record, especially if you're a Muse fan. But otherwise, go and listen to their previous effort for a more bombastic and enjoyable effort.… Expand
  23. PhineasG
    Oct 2, 2006
    10
    I would have given them an 8 before I saw them live. But after seeing them play, there's no way you can give them anything but a 10. They're crazy, but they're brilliant. I admit this albulm encompasses a lot of sounds, maybe too many, but it works because it's all so earnest and passionate (and not to mention half joking). But you can't really feel all that until I would have given them an 8 before I saw them live. But after seeing them play, there's no way you can give them anything but a 10. They're crazy, but they're brilliant. I admit this albulm encompasses a lot of sounds, maybe too many, but it works because it's all so earnest and passionate (and not to mention half joking). But you can't really feel all that until you see them live, so go see muse live!… Expand
  24. AndyH
    Jun 30, 2006
    9
    Don't judge it straightaway. Besides some obvious standouts it didn't blow me away until the third listen. If you like Muse, you'll love this. They are going to be awesome live!!!
  25. GeorgeF
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    It's their most complete record. It's not perfect, but almost, and therefore it's one of the best records I've listened this year by far. It's epic, it's funny, it's catchy and it's sophisticated. Outstanding.
  26. OobahJoobah
    Jul 11, 2006
    9
    The music on this album is of a high quality, and the only thing stopping it getting a 10 from me are the lyrics, which are pretty dire. however, matt has always written pretty dire lyrics, and if you're clever you just choose to ignore them. But even then, muse can be commended to a certain extent for their lyrics. For despite being poetically disabled, muse come out with some of The music on this album is of a high quality, and the only thing stopping it getting a 10 from me are the lyrics, which are pretty dire. however, matt has always written pretty dire lyrics, and if you're clever you just choose to ignore them. But even then, muse can be commended to a certain extent for their lyrics. For despite being poetically disabled, muse come out with some of the most audacious statements...showing that they truly have no fear. However, i want their next record to be wholly instrumental, because in the case of muse, the music speaks louder and says more than anything matt has ever written.… Expand
  27. RobertJ
    Jul 11, 2006
    10
    Think what it must have been like when say Seargent Pepper, Dark Side of The Moon or Led Zep 4 were first released and you were in at the birth of that rare thing, a classic album. I was there for The Joshua Tree and Definetly Mayve and this is proably the third such classic album Iv'e been priveledged enough to be in at the start for. Well this is one of those masterpieces which Think what it must have been like when say Seargent Pepper, Dark Side of The Moon or Led Zep 4 were first released and you were in at the birth of that rare thing, a classic album. I was there for The Joshua Tree and Definetly Mayve and this is proably the third such classic album Iv'e been priveledged enough to be in at the start for. Well this is one of those masterpieces which will join that company of those other unreputed classics. It really is that good. Iv'e never noticed Muse before or been a fan but this is simply breathtaking. A must buy.… Expand
  28. mioR
    Jul 10, 2006
    9
    Amazing, but not utterly amazing. Muse have done it again, they'e put out yet ANOTHER epic and beautiful album. Black Holes and Revelations gets a 9 for me, but its not better than OoS and Absolution
  29. StephenC
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    This album is truly fantastic, and stands out as Muse's finest work yet. It actually feels like a "very best of", simply because of the huge range of sounds and styles encompassed onto one flawless disc. There's the classic Muse we all know and adore, underlined in the multi-staged "Invincible" with a huge tapping solo, but there's definitely a new direction in tracks like This album is truly fantastic, and stands out as Muse's finest work yet. It actually feels like a "very best of", simply because of the huge range of sounds and styles encompassed onto one flawless disc. There's the classic Muse we all know and adore, underlined in the multi-staged "Invincible" with a huge tapping solo, but there's definitely a new direction in tracks like "Hoodoo" and "City Of Delusion" - Flamenco space rock the order of the day! From the melodic acoustics of the quite magnificent "Soldiers Poem" to the epic horse-back rampage that is "Knights Of Cydonia", Muse have done it again. This will please the die hard Muse fans, but is diverse and stunning enough to attract a whole new following. Top bombing.… Expand
  30. LizR
    Jul 10, 2006
    10
    I have been following Muse's career since Showbiz, and I am thrilled beyond words with Black Holes and Revelations. They are stunning musicians and this album is a keen and unusual creative leap. Muse is the rare group that combines passion with superb musicianship, and catchy hooks. Their time changes are worthy of Led Zeppelin, and their feedback worthy of Sonic Youth. This is the I have been following Muse's career since Showbiz, and I am thrilled beyond words with Black Holes and Revelations. They are stunning musicians and this album is a keen and unusual creative leap. Muse is the rare group that combines passion with superb musicianship, and catchy hooks. Their time changes are worthy of Led Zeppelin, and their feedback worthy of Sonic Youth. This is the best record I have heard all year.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Most Discussed Album of 2006
22
#22 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 32
  3. Negative: 1 out of 32
  1. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    Entertaining and rabble-rousing, daft and deadly serious, it's a fantastic record, with almost limitless appeal.
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  2. Under The Radar
    70
    Black Holes and Revelations isn’t a perfect record but it’s a worthy addition to an already stellar catalog. [#14]
  3. The Guardian
    80
    It shouldn't work, but Bellamy's mania is so convincingly realised that even the most avowed Muse refusenik may have to finally concede defeat.
    Read full review
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