Massive grower - both for the listener and in terms of Muse's development. Take out Liquid State and it is pretty much perfect. Really enjoying this.

Pretty disappointing effort as far as I'm concerned. Muse turned to the fashionable sound of the day (dubstep) and made an album that will easily date itself. It's all over the place and doesn't grab me like some of Muse's earlier work has done a good job of.

I think this Album is great. Have been a muse fan since Showbiz and I'm glad they are willing to mix things up rather than growing old and stale. Good music is good music. The track Big Freeze is currently my fave on the album with the powerful chorus resonating deep inside me. If you hate this album and think Muse have gone down a terrible road... then stop listening. Go find a band that sounds exactly the same to everything else you like. If you can't stand this album because its to "pop" or whatever, then you're too insecure to consume media anyway.… Expand

All I can say is, "not good." I am quite disappointed with this album. Almost every song on here makes me cringe. I was a long time muse fan up until resistance, and this album somehow is less listenable than that. Still, Muse is amazing live and will make these songs better when played on stage. Hopefully they will go back to using their full potential as musicians instead of this over produced queen want to be nonsense with dubstep baked in. The only song I liked, which gave me hope for the album, was the first one, 'Supremacy.' From there it goes straight down hill. Madness has the potential to be a good song but is marred with pop influences. The two songs where bassist, Chris Wolstenholme sings, are fairly dreadful due to a pretty obvious lack of vocal talent. He can sing well enough for backup, but he comes out flat at lead. Essentially, if you were a Muse fan pre Twilight, you will most likely hate this album. Post Twilight fans will eat it up.… Expand

As a fan of previous Muse albums, I am really disappointed that Muse had to do this to the fans. What did Muse do you ask? Well Muse decided to create a terrible album that completely destroys what made them so good by the slow and incredibly tedious tunes and the unnecessary dub step used in one of their songs. This album also lacks cohesion and is completely joyless and dull when trying to be cinematic. Muse, you need to clean up your act and create something that made your previous albums most memorable, if not amazing.… Expand

Guys!!! Some of you really need to chill out. This is a different sound for Muse but you need to appreciate that they are able to make new sounds and touch other genre's. Muse is such an amazing band and its better to show off some new sounds than to produce the same music over and over.

It's a generally very good album, but not a patch on some of their earlier albums. Unfortunately for Muse, they seem to have already set up their own legacy with the classic albums of Origin, Absolution and Black holes. This though seems a wholly unremarkable album, its a bit all over the place and contains no really career defining songs. There are some good ones don't get me wrong. The dub-rock powerfest of - Follow me, is obviously the stand out, but there are others. These include the happy, catchy and beautifully layered - Big freeze, the funky Panic Station, the relentless - supremacy and even the two electric title tracks at the end. Madness is probably the best example of a song that grows on you out there. When I first heard it I was like "What...?" but now I love it. Weaker songs include; Survive and liquid state. I still recommend it to everyone, its an interesting but not perfect album.… Expand

if you want to get something different go for this album . muse is the best band in the world and they know what to do . let me make it clear , this album is not a rock album ! you will get some dubstep with guitar (!)as well as rock , pop-rock , heavy metal , funk ...
it's not the best album from trio cause all of their albums are awesome but it's the most perfect one ! matt bellamy's vocal is the best ever and their music is perfect . bellamy shows you that you can sing about energy , politics , illuminati , love , apocalypse ... even in dubstep and pop genre .
so if you're a muser you will be satisfied and if you're not , give it more listens , you will love it ...… Expand

Well I can say that Muse did a splended job here. They haven't turned mainstream with this album (unlike Coldplay's newest album) and that is what is important. The record has got a lot of avantgarde sounds and lot's of alternative styles in songs. There are some songs that you will skip later when listening but only 1, max 2. All in all a great album that reminds me of Queen and other alternative rock bands.… Expand

I want to like it but it is by far Muses worst album, the lyrics just make me cringe like they were written by a child. During the build up they kept saying how they were going to be doing dub step and funk and crazy electric guitar solos, none of which exist. They make an attempt at something... however it never hits the genres they advertise. I'm a big Muse fan but I cannot recommend this album to anyone. Songs I do like again I get put off because they're obvious rip offs, Supremacy is obviously trying to be a James Bond title track, Panic Station just rips off the bassline from Another One Bites the Dust and Big Freeze is basically a generic U2 track. I just don't get this album, it isn't Muse, it isn't creative and just makes me cringe so much.

The biggest disappointment since Resistance, which at least had some original ideas and a few good songs.… Expand

Definitely worst Muse album to date. Bits and pieces of different styles and different concepts thrown in one not-so-good-smelling mess.

Out of 13 tracks 8 are fillers, other tracks sound like a collection of singles, not an album.

The problem with the 2nd law is it is less a cohesive album and more of a collection of diverse songs that just do not flow. That said, the majority of the songs on this album are brilliant, from the ridiculously epic supremacy to the funky panic station, or the subdued guitar genius of animals to the chilling Isolated system. The songs big freeze and liquid state may be weak links, but the rest of the album is very strong. It's a much more diverse and interesting record than the resistance, with Muse showing the bombastic sound that made them famous ahead of the manufactured sound from their previous effort. You may not like the album, but you cannot complain of a lack of heavy songs-survival, supremacy, liquid state and possibly even follow me are all loud tracks. It's heavier than the resistance, and again features a wide range of genres, with influences coming not just from Queen, but also from INXS, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and even Stevie Wonder.

The addition of tow tracks by bassist Chris Wolstenholme is also a welcome addition, as he has a good voice and produced a great track in save me.

Overall, the album is ridiculous, over the top, but also brave enough to explore every genre-those fearing an album of dubstep can rest easy. This is the best work they have produced since Absolution.… Expand

Another great album from Muse. I have been a Muse fan since the first album and I find it really brave of the band to experiment and mix with new sounds. Music is always likely to change, and nothing stays the same forever. Big Freeze by far is my favorite from the album, along with Isolated System. Big Freeze has similar tones to Map of the Problematique. It still annoys me to here complaints that Muse sound too much like U2 or Queen. Bands are out there to inspire other people, and other bands, it is how new music comes out... through inspiration. Muse are inspired by other bands, and they inspire other people! Deal with it!… Expand

This album is a waste of time, if you want to listen to muse than listen to their other albums because this album is just **** boring, Bellamy is a sell out.

La tournure commerciale qu' a pris Muse et le nombre de groupies qui s'est multiplié montre l'évolution musicale pathétique des anglais.
Rien ne sert de faire une critique sur l'album puisque c'est le néant, le vide, le rien !!!

It is after buying my first album from muse (this album) made me buy their entire collection - except for Hullabaloo and Showbiz' ! This album was the defining moment for new listeners to run out of their house, find the nearest music store and get their entire collection!!! I know it is gonna be a good investment, because you know it is gonna be an evergreen band, once you hear the entire album and you just know that¬!
It is something about the atmospheric cult, intentions, and presence that made me jump out from the seat and get their previous albums. The 'can't get enough of Muse syndrome' imposed to me at the point of wanting more from what the band already had accomplished'' The effects from listening their albums are highly addictive;; This album will make one dwell into Bellamy's surreal resounding tone which compliments the musical scores, composition well enough to say this is the album I am waiting for this! - certainly a different approach from their previous albums, - Bellamy's voice for the word 'pure' on the 'undisclosed desire' track still resonate in my mind , he said it so effortlessly, convincingly, like he meant it - piercing through your heart - made the affirmation of getting their collection ever so satisfied and to the point of believing this cult projected from this band will leave a trace for a long time and will persevere if they continue to outperform what they already achieved; - You can;t go wrong with this album, if you already enjoyed their previous tracks.… Expand

Awful! The worst album Muse has so far produced. It seems to me Bellamy has spent too much time in hollywood! Really boring and disappointing. Hopefully he'll get back on track.

They continue to amaze me. Even though The 2nd Law is not as big of a leap from Resistance as Black Holes was from Absolution it brings plenty of freshness. It's light and sometimes funky. Starts with a grand James Bond-like opening. The bass line from Panic Station just makes you wanna grab the nearest lamp and dance to it. Sometimes you can even hear a little latino influence in the guitar and the brass sections.
The dubstep influence is not as grate as you might have expected, but it's there and it sounds brilliant... and yes Chris puts down the bass and does the lead vocals on two tracks, a bold move but in my opinion a good one. So I definitely recommend it.… Expand

"Not a bad album at all. It has very great musical detail, and with [Matt's] soothing vocals. Though the album doesn't include as much great songs on the album and with some of the song's not being exactly 'perfect' and 'accomplishing', the album does give a great direction to a new musical era."

The first time I listened to this, I hated it (as a years-long Muse-Fan), it was too Poppy, too mainstream. But then, after the third or fourth time of listening, it grew on me. I still don't think it's their best work (in my opinion that was their last album "the resistance" and "Absolution"). Muse are still experimenting and their music is as epic as ever. And there's not too much Dubstep in this, only in two songs. That's bearable...… Expand

I honestly don't entirely know what to think about this album. For the most part it just doesn't sound like Muse. I've read several reviews from people stating that their lack of traditional Muse trappings is due to the evolution of the bands sound but in reality it's not that they've evolved and more that they seem to have run out of original ideas. I really want to love it but this album is completely disjointed and sounds more like a tribute album to the '80's greatest pop and rock music with some dub step thrown in for good measure. On their own each song ranges from acceptable to great ( with the exceptions of "Liquid State" and "The 2nd Law-Unsustainable"), but many of these songs don't sound like Muse at all. That wouldn't be a problem and could be attributed to the progression of their musical style, except that those songs sound nearly identical to songs written and performed by existing bands, especially "Big Freeze" which sounds exactly like U2 with Matt Bellamy as the front man. All in all this isn't a bad album but it isn't a good one either and I feel like the least they could have done would have been to market this as a kick ass tribute to '80's rock instead of a Muse album.… Expand

This album is such a mixed bag. It is definitely more a collection of tracks rather than a cohesive whole...it contains some of the best moments of the band's career (Animals, Follow me and Supremacy), but also a few of their worse moments too (Survival, and the too awful for words Big Freeze). Chris Wolfenholme sings on 2 of the tracks, and he is a pretty decent vocalist, but his songs do not really sound like Muse.… Expand

I wouldn't call myself a Muse fan. I used to love Origin of Symmetry, but found the albums since then to be quite boring. For some unknown reason I became caught up in the hype around 2nd Law, after watching the preview video a few times, and wondering how Muse were going to fuse dubstep with their guitar-based band.

The album is very disjointed - no two songs seem to sit quite comfortably together in the way an album might be expected. But strangely it works, in much the same way as Queen's Night at the Opera, to which this album owes a lot. However, I haven't been able to get the songs out of my head all week - surely a sign of a great album? Having a listen seems to be the only cure, albeit only for a few hours.

Rather than simply sounding like a Radiohead tribute as they did 11 years ago, Muse now display a wide variety of influences. Queen, David Bowie, ELO, and U2 all crop up here. The song Big Freeze could very easily be made by U2. Survival might as well be an ELO song.

One stand out song is Panic Station, which should join the ranks of Junior Senior's Move Your Feet as a surprise club hit, with its strong beat and brilliant writing.

The band here have evolved, with Matt Bellamy's voice matured almost beyond recognition since Origin. No more screeching falsetto all the time (although it's not completely absent). There is a distinct lack of guitar work here too, with a lot of synths providing the background to his moving vocal work. Clearly Muse are not afraid to experiment in order to move their sound forward.

The only weak point, somewhat ironically, are the final two songs titled The 2nd Law: Unsustainable and The 2nd Law: Isolated System. They lack the power and finesse of the rest of the album.

All in all this is a fantastic collection of songs, and gets better with each listen. I haven't listened to an album in such depth in about 15 years, so I'm sure you can understand my excitement with it.… Expand

This is one of those albums that has to grow on you before you like it. At first, The 2nd Law didn't strike a chord with me. It didn't seem as heavy as Muse's past records like Absolution and Black Holes & Revolutions. But after a second listen, I can say that this album has some amazing moments and some very good songs.

Overall it has a Queen-U2-Depeche Mode kind of vibe.The opening track, "Supremacy," has a Led Zeppelin-esque style (it reminded me of their song "Kashmir"). "Madness" begins quietly with bass and samples, building up into a Queen-style climax. "Panic Station" (my personal favorite) is a heavy funk-driven track. The bombastic "Survival" (the 2012 Olympics anthem) is probably the only song on the album similar to "old" Muse. "Explorers" sounds very similar to "Invincible" from BH&R. "Save Me" and "Liquid State" are both sung by bassist Chris Wolstenholme. "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable" sees Matt Bellamy emulating dubstep via guitar (similar to what Tom Morello did in RATM by emulating turntables and synths via guitar), although the choppy, distorted vocals ruin the song.

Most of the lyrics deal with personal subjects. "Madness" details a shaky relationship. "Follow Me" is about Bellamy's newborn son. "Save Me" and "Liquid State," the two songs sung by Wolstenholme, describe his dark experience with alcoholism. The final two songs, "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable" and "The 2nd Law: Isolated System," refer to the second law of thermodynamics (hence the name of the album).

In conclusion, The 2nd Law is an album that takes a little while before one can appreciate it. It may not be as "in-your-face" as past Muse albums have been, but it is still an interesting record that can be enjoyed.… Expand

While i am more of a rap/hip hop lover, The Resistance was one of my favourite albums when it came out and I would even argue it could be considered "classic". I had very high hopes for this album and while I admit the first couple of listens scared me (as I was expecting the 2nd coming of god), in the end this is an excellent album that grows with each listen and I tip my hat off to Muse. Well done chaps!… Expand

I am a HUGE Muse fan, but I must say that this album is not as awesome as their previous work. BUT.. still, it's too damn good. I love (almost) all the songs, even the vocal contribution of the bassist Christopher Wolstenholme. I love how they never refrain from experimentation like incorporation of funk, dubstep symphonic rock with their classic space rock in this record which is something rare. VERY RARE. As a band, they are really growing, they are not leaving their roots behind. I don't know why are the fans upset about the utilization of the whole dubstep idea. I just wanna say one thing to them and that is: Dubstep, itself, isn't bad. When you listen to an unsual genre song from a great artist, they make it sound like they are the pioneers of that genre and that's what happened here with Muse (IN MY OPINION). Listen to The 2nd Law: Unsustainable and Madness. You are definitely going to love them. Remaining songs on the album sound like they're Muse's, for sure. You can't ignore the intensity of the variation and experimentation in making this record. I am glad they have made this album, I mean I get to listen to different side of Muse, so I am not gonna hate on them. NEVER. I still love the band, they're still my top favourite band. And they will always be. If you want to listen to the same sound like the one used in previous albums, go ahead and listen to previous albums. Simple. Just stop being a bi**h and get over it. And at least, appreciate that they have made a new record which still sounds nothing like their previous work (sounds different and great) and that's a great thing. They keep evolving after making each record and I am really impressed with that and that's one of the major reasons I love this band so much. I know the expectations were really high and at first, I was kinda disappointed as well but when I finished listening to the whole album, I was like, "WOW!" and as a fan, that's quite enough for me. I don't care if people don't like the songs, what's done is done, you can't undo it so the only option is: TAKE IT. You can't just leave it. The songs have started growing on me and I am glad about it. Just give it a go again and I hope you would start loving it, too.… Expand

With regards to the 2nd Law, my greatest fear, that it would be a dubsteppy and bad mess, was relatively unrealized. The unpredicted problem arose when I realized I couldn't remember any truly great songs, or even riffs. There wasn't the amazing Rachmaninoff/Bach/Prokofiev virtuosity I'd come to expect, there wasn't a landmine of unexpected pr
og-rock devastation to be stepped upon like BH&R's Knights of Cydonia...there were a bunch of songs sounding like Guiding Light off The Resistance, a few dubsteppy whatevers, and a couple synthy-rock mashes that were simply straws too short to drink from the 64oz big gulp of satisfying Map of the Problematique.

The Resistance may have been rather haphazard, stilting between happily scratching a Muse itch and leading to worries that I Belong to You would become their new permanent sound in place of gorgeous operetic rock-anthems like the ENTIRE ALBUM of Origin of Symmetry. Yet, it still had its seminal moments, like the overblown Eurasia, the pulsing piano/drums lead in to the title track, the unforgettable synth pounding Uprising dishes out, and the wondrous oddity of the three-track symphonic suite close-out.

The only tracks I can remember after my listen were of the interesting-yet-boring first single Madness, the unpleasant dubstep closer Unsustainable, and one or two tracks in the middle with a fun-yet-unremarkable sound. There wasn't one single game-changer.

One of my favorite bands, unalike in almost every way to Muse except for Ability To Own Arenas, is the Goo Goo Dolls. Between 93 and 02 they released 4 albums that I consider to be nigh-flawless, with every song meriting special attention and playtime. Their 2006 effort Let Love In signaled the end of this streak, as it (and their 2010 album) had a few interesting new songs sandwiched by largely-forgettable tracks. For non-Goo fans, I'd submit other evidences via Metallica's Reload (eventually leading to the pathetic St Anger) and Smashing Pumpkins' Adore (as Machina I and II became their unfortunate (and temporary?) swan song).

Muse has, I feared, reached this same point. Peaking with 2006's Black Holes and Revelations (if you like fascinating and creative masterpieces, you own that album), they have now released two straight albums where you can no longer hit play and go from start to finish with your mind buoyed to the heavens by exceptional musical craftsmanship. I am not so foolish or stuck in my ways to demand a band 'go back' to a seminal sound, but the direction for growth chosen in 2nd Law, extra electronica and crawlingly slow U2-ish medleys, doesn't strike me as an advancement for the band. It feels more like a diversionary toy. I had hoped for an expansion of the orchestral feel of the Exogenesis symphonic suite, or a more frenetic offering of synth-rock similar to Map of the Problematique and MKUltra, or (even more hopefully) an expansion of spaghetti-western rock much like the seldom-heard City of Delusion off BH&R.

I wasn't obliged, and a kind of aimless tinkering filled the air for the better part of an hour. I was never so hooked on any melody that I stopped and had to know what was playing. I never felt challenged. I didn't feel like anything new or exciting was going on. And that makes me sad.… Expand

Certainly one of the most anticipated albums of 2012 for me personally. It's not an album. It's not coherent. But, except Liquid State (to much Foo Fighters), all are great songs. And I really enjoy that the band is evolving and searching at new music styles. All great longterm artists in history have evolve. And yes, they are still searching, but in the meanwhile they have put beautiful new songs on a disc.… Expand

If you understand music, and don't have a predisposition to already hate Muse, this album is remarkable. Genre -bending, done better than anyone else, all in a package that is much better live. Muse always has been and always will be a live band, and this album will be massive in all the right ways in front of a crowd of true music fans.

Pretty cool album. I'm not a huge Muse expert, as I've only briefly listened to their last one and this one, but this is awesome! Solid mix of arena style Muse rock and even elements of dubstep. It's like everything cool wrapped into one musical sushi roll. There's even a song that reminds me of George Michael (track 2). Maybe if you're a Muse purist, or an early adopter of the band, you won't like it (probably because they're popular now). But bands grow over time, and I dig what they're doing.… Expand

Muse has shaped and shifted their sound in so many ways since the early days of Showbiz. While some (many?) fans have been disappointed with the direction muse has taken over the past 6 years, Muse has successfully executed entirely new directions, expanding their own horizon's as a band and rising out of a stagnation most bands would see after 6 studio albums. The 2nd Law is bound to receive mixed reviews due to its controversial influences and aspirations.

Despite this, this album has something for everyone. If you like the old style of Muse, Symmetry opens up and rips you to shreds with it's classic rock swagger and dynamic shifts. If you jumped onto the Muse station-wagon in the Black Holes and Revelations era, there are plenty of lighter materials that you undoubtedly will be nodding your head along with (Big Freeze). For Resistance fans, there includes a distinct Queen sound in Panic Station and Survival. What I can't stand is Dom's vocals (sorry Dom). Matt SLAYS the vocals on this album and to step away from that really is upsetting to me. Stylistically, the songs are well orchestrated but the unfamiliar voice is something I won't be putting on my ipod soon. All in all, this album is a growing album. You may not like it off the bat but on your second or third listen through take it all in (cheesy lyrics aside) focus on what muse does best- present a sound that will rock your socks off.… Expand

Whatever genre Muse touch, they make it sound better than some band who are that genre only.
This album is a grower, that's for sure. I enjoyed pretty much whole album at first listen (except Explorers) but with each listen it gets better and better! Well done Muse.

Really good stuff. Could of done without Liquid State and Save Me but regarless the album has broken new ground and broken it well. Muse will always be one of the finest acts around.

I really had to get used to The 2nd Law. When I heard it the first time I was very, very disappointed, but now that I've heard it a couple of times songs like Panic Station and Unsustainable (dubstep on guitar? Genius) are actually quite catchy. The thing is: this isn't Muse's style. This was already shown when they started playing Uprising and Undisclosed Desires from The Resistance on the Reading concert in 2011. Those songs really wrecked the overall concert, in contrary to the entire Origin of Symmetry album they did before those. Space Dementia and Citizen Erased were as good as never before. People say they enjoy Muse because of their capability of doing so many different styles and if they would solely create the styles used in OoS and Absolution, they'd become boring. I couldn't disagree more. OoS is easily the best album any band/artist has created. I listen to it every single day. I am not and will not be able to listen to either The 2nd Law or The Resistance every day, simply because those style do not make Muse Muse. If you take the Muse label off of this album and put a completely different band name on it, I'd give it a 10. But because that's not the way it is, it gets an 8.… Expand

seems to be very under-rated so far, lots of good old fashioned muse with a lot of new style to it, not their greatest but definitely not their worst, definitely worth a listen.

As a longtime Muse fan, a new album is always a nervous event to comprehend because of Muse and their ever-changing approach to music. From the depths of their uncertain 'Radiohead-esque' era of Showbiz to the masterpiece that was Origin of Symmetry, Absolution, and Black Holes & Revelations, Muse have always impressed me as diverse musicians. Of course, 2009's The Resistance wasn't a great release bar a few tracks and the mighty, and beautiful, Exogenesis Symphony, but The 2nd Law has somehow evolved Muse even further than anything previously has ever done before. Though the recent tour leaves a lot left to be desired (hopefully Undisclosed Desires and Matt's Bono impersonations will be left alone for the stadium tour), The 2nd Law is a solid era, and a rather solid album.

Back when Survival, Unsustainable (shortened via 'The 2nd Law: Unsustainable' on the album), and Madness were released as singles before the album release, I was worried, naturally. Madness, a simple but effective electronic track stripped to its bones, was a concern, but it eventually grew on me. Hearing how diverse this album was going to be, my nerves soon relaxed. Unlike others, I instantly fell in love with Survival and Unsustainable, two monster tracks built for stadium experiences. Still to this day, Survival remains my absolute favourite from The 2nd Law, for its over-the-top builds, its dirty and meaty riffs, and the brilliantly hilarious, but fun, choir. Aside from those three releases, the album holds up as one strong piece of work well polished.

The album itself opens with the epic Supremacy (a nod to James Bond, perhaps) which doesn't set tone at all, but proves Muse have still got it when it comes down to beefy riffs and stunning choruses. This is by far one of the greatest tracks on the album (after Survival, and later Panic Station) and perhaps one of their greatest works. This is followed up by Madness, Panic Station, and later a lovely short prelude progressing into the monster Survival. Panic Station is one track I was initially worried about before the album release, but now stands as one of the strongest on the album. A 'funk-like Stevie Wonder induced anthem', Panic Station is a mountain of fun. It's brilliantly paced as a track, and would work wonders as a single. Follow Me soon follows, an electric 'rave' track deemed the new single (sadly) which was mixed and mastered, I believe, by Nero. This is a track that you will either love or hate, depending on your mood. Strong vocals, cheesy lyrics, surely to attract the chav population of England. Animals is the complete opposite, almost a nod to their Origin of Symmetry era. Strong Pink Floyd styled guitar solos, brilliantly orchestrated lyrics, and a superb ending. Animals is also one of the stronger tracks on the album.

Then the album takes a turn (for the worse?) with classic Bellamy influenced Explorers and Big Freeze. I love Explorers, though some don't seem to enjoy it. Which is understandable, actually. A wonderful piano piece with haunting lyrics and a magical closing, which leads to the 'U2 rip-ff' that is Big Freeze. I despised Big Freeze upon first hearing, though like the rest of the album, it's a grower. If you don't mind a U2-inspired track with Bellamy trying his hardest to sound like his idol (almost a parody, think United States of Eurasia), Big Freeze still stands as a great song. Though I'm not surprised it hasn't been presented in their live shows just yet.

Chris Wolstenholme, the legendary bassist (legendary; in no way an understatement), has given his fair share of commitment to The 2nd Law, too. Almost absent from The Resistance, Chris pounds back with two tracks of his own. Though, they're aren't on top form. Save Me is a slow, dragged out, track backed up with beautiful and personal lyrics. Liquid State is what I wanted from Chris, though turns out to be some short clutter, though by far one of the heaviest tracks on The 2nd Law.

Matt naturally closes the album with two masterpieces of music composition, Unsustainable and The 2nd Law: Isolated System. Unsustainable is a massive 'rock take' on Dubstep, with news reader commentaries (a science lesson in itself), which is closed with the haunting and perfect Isolated System. Though no Exogenesis Symphony, Isolated System is one of Muse's greatest works. Haunting, intimate, massive, bold, furious, but calm at the same time. Wonderful stuff.

Overall, The 2nd Law is a bold direction Muse have undertook, and you'll either love it or hate it. Though it seems like a collection of singles with no flow, The 2nd Law is a brilliant achievement and a clear advancement from their prior album, The Resistance. If you can forgive some cheesy lyrical content and some rip-off guitar solos, The 2nd Law will surely work for you.

Overall Score: 9/10… Expand

While the album started off in a spectacular fashion, it quickly lost its charm with like Follow Me and Save Me.

I honestly feel that this album should have been titled "Matt Bellamy: The Club-Rock Album." It seems like they focused so much solely on Matt's vocals at the beginning of the album, that they just decided to remove him from the last four songs altogether.

This album has very little in the means of excitement, with only 4 of the 12 potential songs (Supremacy, Survival, Panic Station and Liquid State) and having the feeling that they were even written by a rock band originally known for their driving songs. (Remember the days when we had songs like Space Dementia?)

This is NOT an album for an "old-school Muse fan," as I guarantee that you will be pulling out your hair wondering what the hell had happened to the trio you knew before. However, if you are more into the new-age "popular" style that Muse that has become more accustomed to, then this album should have nearly all that you need. I really feel sorry for the drummer, Dominic Howard. He really has no real shining moment on this album at all. Some of the songs could have been done without his presence entirely. The album overall is... nice. (my god, I HATE THAT WORD) But there is just little to nothing at all that makes it really stand out.… Collapse

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Muse have never been the type of band that has a jam in the rehearsal room, come up with a few song ideas and picks out the best ones that should go on the album. No, Mr Bellamy knows exactly what he wants an album to sound like. It’s almost as if each Muse album shows just a snippet of what goes on in that man’s unpredictable mind. The 2nd Law can be summed up by listening to the first minute of the first track, Supremacy. It shows the two sides to Muse; the grandiose screeching guitar riffs and apocalyptic rhythms, but also the soothing symphonic passages which act as reflection scenes on the album. This first song is crying out to be the soundtrack to a James Bond film as it resembles Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir before it settles into the contrasting military-like march which leads you to believe Muse have skydived as 007 and landed into the aftermath of an epic sci-fi battle. The lyrics towards the end of this section suggest something is building up; “You don’t have long, I am on to you, the time, it has come” (are you ready?) “To destroy…” Prepare yourself as Bellamy exclaims “Your supremecyyyy!” with all of his might whilst being overdosed on voice effects. Ladies and gentlemen Muse have arrived. Their first single, from the album, released by the band was Madness, a real pop song with heavy influences of Queen. Chris Martin described it as “Muse’s best single yet” so obviously questions were going to be asked of the bands new sound. Madness is based around a pulsating synthesiser bass riff and contains reminiscences of vocal harmonies from Killer Queen, for example, and the guitar solo from I Want To Break Free, however this song explodes into life to create an emphatic bridge section with inspiring vocal melodies in which Bellamy is declaring he has realized his mistakes from a past relationship.

Muse do like to be unpredictable, don’t they? I don’t think anybody expected the band to kick out a track like Panic Station. A real powerhouse-funk jam which you can not help nodding your head to. Chorus-filled slap bass, drums with 80’s style gate-reverb and Matt Bellamy shouting and squealing like he’s just completely taking the mickey, like a British Michael Jackson, but funnily enough, it works. The synthetic brass in the background only adds to the brilliance of this track and they help it erupt into a stomping joy-filled groove.

Long before the release of The 2nd Law Muse were asked to compose a song for the London 2012 Olympics and for this reason it received the most radio airplay. Survival is a real classic Muse song, showing off the incredible vocal and guitar talents Matt Bellamy has in his locker. Introduced by the orchestral masterpiece that is the Prelude, Survival begins similarly to the start of the second section of Bohemian Rhapsody (note: another Queen reference), but then in comes the infectious drums and choir. On piano is Matt Bellamy before the song ruptures and he takes hold of his guitar and unleashes a shredding solo. The kitchen sink unit along with the ominous choir, with lyrics like “Race, it’s a race” and “I’ll reveal my strength” are really quite adrenaline pumping, very fitting for the occasion. The penultimate song The 2nd Law has to offer is Unsustainable, one that really sticks out from the album. It was an internet sensation at the time of its release. It starts with a thrilling orchestral section, which could be heard in a sci-fi adventure movie, and then in comes a news reel explaining the world’s energy resources are running out causing mass eruption. This is reflected in the upcoming section that is none other than dubstep. It’s Hans Zimmer meets Skrillex, or you could just call it the excellence of Muse. You can just imagine Bellamy tapping and scratching away at his ultra-cool science fiction-like guitar effects pad, which I guess is a reason against the idea of it being ‘real’ dubstep. You can still pick out the drums, bass, and of course the face-melting guitar which works to Muse’s advantage as it dismisses all arguments from people suggesting the band are copying modern artists. Isolated System is final song on the album offering more reason to believe that Muse are more than capable of writing film soundtracks. The electronic piece of music is pumped with more ‘end-of-the-world’ news reel clips, syncopated synthesiser sequences. It’s not quite the futuristic cowboy monumental finale that is Knights of Cydonia, from Black Holes and Revelations, which I guess sums up the whole album really. In The 2nd Law Muse have let their imaginations run wild creating some breathtaking moments and completely unexpected turns, which works to the albums success. However, whether it can compete with past albums, such as Absolution, I’m not so sure. Nonetheless, any die-hard Muse fan would not be disappointed as the band demonstrates their unpredictable talents yet again.… Expand

It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but I realised after a while that I laughed my way between 'Follow Me' and both 'The 2nd Law' tracks. What was quite weird was, considering they're both title tracks, 'The 2nd Law' tracks don't feel like part of the album at all.

I'll never understand the deep hatred towards this record. Muse have not only made a great rock opera record, but my 2nd favorite Muse album I've had the pleasure to listen too. Much more rock-orientated than The Resistance, which was a huge disappointment, Muse touch upon their apocalyptic rock roots that made them huge in the first place. Matt Bellamy hasn't just grown as a vocalist and songwriter, but also a guitarist. Easily Muse' guitar record.

All In All, Muse are only getting bigger, and The 2nd Law just proves it. B+… Expand

It's a fun album, and it is clearly meant to be one, but some of are still waiting for them to get a grip on and focus on one theme and stop making parodies out of themselves. There are a few jewels on the album, but also some utter misses (Big Freeze, Explorers, Survival). The highest peaks are Supremacy, Madness, Unsustainable and Isolated System. All in all, a drop in quality after The Resistance, I am still hoping for a MotP inspired album.… Expand

Muse's latest album is another effort to stretch the band's repertoire, but still maintaining the accessibility that they have taken in the last two albums or so. The fact is, singles are important in the current marketplace, and a band that doesn't sell out will be in trouble, especially in the current economy. The 2nd Law starts out with several strong tracks before descending into experimentation. If you are a fan of Muse in their early years (The Origin of Symmetry a standout effort), you will still be disappointed, especially if you are enamored with their 'concept albums'.… Expand

I've been a fan of Muse since early 2000, or 2001 when a friend introduced me to their fantastic music in High School. I grew up listening to them religiously, and watched them go from a relatively unheard of band, to the giants they are today. Which is why I shock even myself by scoring this album so low. Unfortunately, I have to give an unbiased review, and unfortunately I found this to be a complete disappointment. I understand they are constantly evolving and changing direction, but this is just complete nonsense! The first time I heard Unsustainable, I could barely recognise that it was Muse. It just sounded like another generic wobble wobble artist. Of course, the rest of the album isn't quite the same, but it still doesn't live up to the bar their other albums set. There's only one song on the album worth listening to, and surprisingly it's Chris who sings it. Muse are the most talented band around today, and they have so much potential, it's just a shame they decided to abandon all creativity and release an album that was clearly made for the masses - but I guess it's just business at the end of the day. Such a shame.… Expand

This album is a great experience to listen too. Only a few songs on there own can be listened to regularly, but if you listen to it all at once, it will sound amazing. The only problem are the last 2 songs are terrible and out of place. Song Suggestions from this album: Big Freeze, Panic Station.

The 2nd Law combines 13 completely different songs to create a surprisingly magnificent whole. Best songs are Follow Me, Animals, Explorers, Save Me and Liquid State.

I didn't listen to this album till now because I had lots of preconception due to the dubstep stuff they've included. But now, Christmas day, I finally got to listen to it. And: all my fears were gratuitious! Matt Bellamy still is a great singer and songwriter - and he got better than he ever was on this CD - and the whole band is harmonating and having fun at making their music. They lyrics are a mix between criticism of society, sarcasm and their usual rock poetry. The tunes are catchy, the dubstep totally fits in, and the rock never gets lost. The guys developed their music further and maybe their next release truly is a 10-point-album. The 2nd Law isn't yet, because of two rather flagging songs - the rest is purely awesome, whether it's electronic or rock stuff. Do me a favor and ignore all this nescient "critics" who can't see that songs can also be sophisticated when the writer explains what the "secret message" is while singing the lyrics. You don't need this difficult stuff if you have this straightforward and heavily talented band. Final word: this album is great!… Expand

As much as I love Muse and their efforts to mix up their sound, their attempt this time round is not a very good one, with songs ranging from absurdly good to laughably bad. Examples of the good are Supremacy, Madness, Panic Station and Follow Me, while the laughably bad includes Animals, Save Me and Liquid State. It's not a bad album, but an incredibly inconsistant album, which is not what you'd come to expect from Muse.… Expand

First off, you guys don't have the best professional review on here: BPM! It's funny and pretty reflective of how Muse try to present themselves to their audience. This album is just the next in a long line of diminishing returns. The official song of the Olympics has a line that reads "vengeance is mine?" Seriously?

40% of this album is good, the rest is an experimentation soup that doesn't taste so well. It could've been an epic album, an incredible come back rock monstrous opera, but the chance has gone once again... The audio and sound engineering is amazing though...

Best: Animals, Liquid State, Isolated System
Worst: Big Freeze, Explorers, Unsustainable

very different from their previous albums, it's so different that it sounds like someone else wrote it. i still think though that absolution will always be their best album

After their album "The Resistance" i didn't have high expectations for this one, because i thought it just had to not be as good as the resistance, because i liked it so much. When the first promos were released i wasn't really to happy about them either. But then i (thank god), still decided to buy the album and give it a chance. After listening to it on loop 3-4 times, i completely fell in love with it. Yes, it is very different from their former work, but i think they still achieved to evolve but still have their old power and awesomeness. they even brought it to a new level in my opinion. I recommend everyone to at least be open minded and give it a try, before turning it down completely… Expand

I am not a muse fan but I will say that the album is great and for me EXPLORERS is the best song from the album. It is not a waste of time and also not the waste of money. This album makes me think that people like justin bieber (A$$hole) and one direction (more A$$holes) becoming so success in their debut album and Muse took so much time to rise and get into the mainstream. I support Muse and I will always love this band.… Expand

Given: I pretty much give all Muse albums a "10". This one's at LEAST a 9.501. I took my time in judging: I skew heavily in favor of the BEST BAND ON THE PLANET. And I'm one of those weird fans who was enthralled with "Survival" (except the simple lyrics). "Supremacy" is one my favorite Muse songs EVER; side "2" as I call it (starting with "Follow Me") is 100% SUBLIME (subliminally, even; and sustainable? Definitely). And what's-his-face from Coldplay thinks that "Madness" is the best Muse track ever...insipid, dull, vanilla, blond COLDPLAY. Gives me shivers. I LIKE "Madness", it deserves to be a bigger, er, "hit". But personally, it's in the "still-sublime-even-when-boring" MUSE category. Viva la Vida MUSE!… Expand

Muse are one of the best rock bands in the world. I admit that they had better albums in the past, however this album is good and interesting. Songs like Madness, Animals and especially Supremacy are amazing rock songs, always with a touch of mystery. But, in the other hand, there are some songs in this album that are not very good, and even a little bit boring. Muse are original and powerful and still being one of my favourite bands.… Expand

This is one of the worst things I've ever heard. What a piece of c**p. Lobotomized Muse fans and payed music critics can say what the hell they want: this is a piece of s***t

I am definitely not a fan of the direction Muse are going. Unsustainable isn't terrible bad but it's really the only song within the album I can even slightly enjoy.

After a long and dull 3 years of waiting, muse have finally issued some new and fresh material, awaited by many spoilt musers around the world. The 2nd Law, as you've already learnt in these couple of months, is the second law of thermodynamics and the album is not only referencing it, it's actually telling and describing how actually is that law affecting our lives and those who are above us, well you know muse. So the album is telling us a story but it's not in my power nor interest to try and tell you that story as you have to have some brain in you to play with the words and music to figure it out. So on the embedded message the album gets a 10. The music on the other hand should've been composed better. For me clear favourites are madness, unsustainable and isolated system. These songs, especially the last 2, are brilliant, pure muse, that is, these are the songs which are hard to read and analyse, these are the songs that start you thinking and these are the songs where music describes everything it should with no words needed. Madness is a song of musical class, but lyrically it's a bit disappointing. On the other hand, songs like big freeze, liquid state and save me are just appalling. Other songs, hiding in between like survival, supremacy and animals should get some praise, but the others are in overall just better than mediocrity. Recognisable by influences, more than themselves, this album is kind of a let down especially when you know what they are capable of doing, getting you to space and keeping you there. Even though this album raised some dust, in the end even those dust particles realized that they should just slowly be heading back to the ground.… Expand

As a collection of songs The 2nd Law might be impressive. However, when taken in context of an album the entire things feels disjointed and there is little to no flow. It is also let down by a few weak tracks. That being said the album does offer some very fantastic tracks from many different genres. From the progressive rock song Supremacy to the pop song Madness and then the funk inspired song Panic Station, Muse are firing on all cylinders. They have a good mix of new influences (dubstep, electropop, funk) and a bit of their old rockier/classical side which comes through on a few tracks as well. No Muse's best album but also not their worst.… Expand

When you constantly check if the minijack is properly connected to the player in fear of embarrassment that someone might hear what you're listening, then you know the music is bad, really bad. Being a fan of Muse, im stumped. Dont wanna give it zero so might as well mention that Supremacy is somewhat decent, but... ugh... I dont like this album, at all. I guess they cant all be good.