The Resistance
by Muse
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 500 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 412 out of 500
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 500
  3. Negative: 38 out of 500

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  1. Ricko
    Mar 13, 2015
    6
    The band's previous album, "Black Holes and Revelations" had a handful of excellent tracks and some brilliant singles which ultimately carried the rest of the album. This is a trick Muse have been pulling for quite some time. On hear the Blondie/Dr Who influenced opener "Uprising", it seemed that the band would have no problem continuing to produce great singles even if the same could notThe band's previous album, "Black Holes and Revelations" had a handful of excellent tracks and some brilliant singles which ultimately carried the rest of the album. This is a trick Muse have been pulling for quite some time. On hear the Blondie/Dr Who influenced opener "Uprising", it seemed that the band would have no problem continuing to produce great singles even if the same could not be said of their album tracks. Unfortunately this time around , "Uprising" stands alone as the only really great track on show. "Uprising" is followed by the passable but overlong "Resistance" and the moderately interesting "Undisclosed Desires". The rest of the album flips between half decent and cringe. And what's with the intermittent mutations into Queen every now and then. It's like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Your happy out thinking your listening to Muse when all of a sudden I could swear Brian May and Freddie Mercury take over before Muse come back to us. The final third of the album is a bit of a mess and best forgotten. This looked like the beginning of the end for Muse and while follow up "The 2nd Law" reigned in the craziness a little bit, this album still marks the start of the decline of Muse.… Expand
  2. Vampire25
    Dec 4, 2010
    8
    The Resistance is different sounding from Muse's predecessor's Black Holes And Revelations and Absolution. They somewhat slowed down on the rock and went for more the singing. Matt Bellamy's voice has definitely matured form their previous album. A few great tracks are Mk Ultra, Uprising, Unnatural Selection, and the beautiful 3-part symphony Exogenesis. All In All, The Resistance showsThe Resistance is different sounding from Muse's predecessor's Black Holes And Revelations and Absolution. They somewhat slowed down on the rock and went for more the singing. Matt Bellamy's voice has definitely matured form their previous album. A few great tracks are Mk Ultra, Uprising, Unnatural Selection, and the beautiful 3-part symphony Exogenesis. All In All, The Resistance shows another side of Muse that sounds really good. B… Expand
  3. j30
    Jan 30, 2012
    6
    Muse, being one of the best bands on the planet, have a let down with their new LP The Resistance. With Black Holes & Revelations there was some sort of progression and variety in those catalog of songs. Where The Resistance fails is it's power in creating something new and different; it is more "been there, done that."
  4. Muddsjr
    Apr 28, 2014
    6
    There are moments where it can sound too much like one thing, and others where it simply might not be enough, but as well as that, there can be the rare moment of reward, and primarily, there's still that familiar sound of a band still on the roll.
  5. owenrw89
    Dec 7, 2016
    6
    The first time we saw Muse stumble. The main issue I have is the length. Exogenesis - as gorgeous as it may be, takes up too much space. It leaves you with just 8 tracks - two of which are a bit bland ('I Belong to You', 'United States of Eurasia'). The remaining tracks - such as 'Uprising' and 'MK Ultra' are very good yes, but do they match the likes of 'Starlight', 'Plug In Baby', 'MicroThe first time we saw Muse stumble. The main issue I have is the length. Exogenesis - as gorgeous as it may be, takes up too much space. It leaves you with just 8 tracks - two of which are a bit bland ('I Belong to You', 'United States of Eurasia'). The remaining tracks - such as 'Uprising' and 'MK Ultra' are very good yes, but do they match the likes of 'Starlight', 'Plug In Baby', 'Micro Cuts' or 'Map of the Problematique'? The answer sadly, is no.… Expand
  6. alecvl08
    Oct 13, 2014
    6
    The songs on the album sound nothing alike, and some just aren't that great, but I'm giving props to Muse to experimenting and being bold and bombastic. It takes guts to put a "Symphony" at the end of your rock album. Bravo. Favorite track: Undisclosed Desires
  7. DonldTrump_45Th
    Jan 26, 2023
    10
    Hello, this is a default review because i'm forced to use 75 characters. I'll edit this review in the future talking about the game, don't worry ;)

    My final rate is: 10
  8. LoRevisor
    May 9, 2016
    9
    Excelente & Magnífico Álbum Do Muse

    A Única que chega a desejar um pouco é a "Unnatural Selection" Que é um pouco fraca.

    Top Músicas Do "The Resistance" (2009)

    1-Resistance
    2-Guiding Light
    3-Undisclosed Desires
    4-Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)
    5-Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)
    6-United States Of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)
    7-Uprising
  9. clinteastwoo
    May 11, 2016
    9
    ....................................................................................................................................................Great album
  10. vscoott345
    Apr 26, 2012
    10
    A beautiful album. The classical music compositions are astounding! The orchestrations are amazing too!! "Undisclosed Desires" is sexy and so rock n' roll, and "United States of Eurasia" is soft and very beautiful. Geniuses.
  11. Spielberg00
    Sep 10, 2011
    8
    This is very hard work Muse has done for their audience. What a great band, but listening to stuff like this, we start to wonder why rock is so underrated and why everyone goes and listens to stuff like pop and hip-hop.
  12. muzziklover
    Sep 20, 2010
    7
    The most classically themed album from the Devon trio, it falls heavily from being unoriginal, unexciting and uninspired but does manage to keep Muse's over the top attitude towards their own work which still makes it a worth while listen.
  13. theahsanhaseeb
    Oct 4, 2012
    10
    IT'S SO HARD TO RESIST THE RESISTANCE! What an epic mixture of symphonic rock, new prog and classic rock. Matthew Bellamy knows what he's doing and he does it right every time. Best things about this album? The entire concept of singing about Illumanti, Resistance, Undisclosed Desires, United States of Eurasia, I Belong to You and Exogenesis: Symphony (listen to this three-part song andIT'S SO HARD TO RESIST THE RESISTANCE! What an epic mixture of symphonic rock, new prog and classic rock. Matthew Bellamy knows what he's doing and he does it right every time. Best things about this album? The entire concept of singing about Illumanti, Resistance, Undisclosed Desires, United States of Eurasia, I Belong to You and Exogenesis: Symphony (listen to this three-part song and you will fall in love with Muse).… Expand
  14. EmmeKira
    Jun 9, 2015
    7
    This and the follow-up The 2nd Law are probably the most polarizing records Muse have ever released. With this thing they started having a more experimental, melodic and symphonic approach rather than a straight-up progressive rock one. The result is a good and interesting album with some good tracks that really portray this desire of trying something completely different (a feeling thatThis and the follow-up The 2nd Law are probably the most polarizing records Muse have ever released. With this thing they started having a more experimental, melodic and symphonic approach rather than a straight-up progressive rock one. The result is a good and interesting album with some good tracks that really portray this desire of trying something completely different (a feeling that already was a bit foreshadowed by Black Holes & Revelations). Songs like Undisclosed Desires, Resistance or the Exogenesis trilogy are good examples of that. Other tracks still feel very old school, like Uprising or MK Ultra, but compared to what we listened in the previous records, they sound a bit less powerful. Overall, I like the LP, but considering what we saw in the 2000s, the Muse of 2010 did not caught my attention as much.… Expand
  15. Blanche
    Aug 10, 2017
    7
    A baroque rock infused record with dark undertones and thrilling riffs, operated by Matt Bellamy's powerful trademark voice, makes for a compelling listen start to end. A few songs are dull to the ears, but overall the album shows that the band are undoubtedly talented and versatile. Good album.
  16. CRL
    Aug 27, 2011
    9
    With every subsequent listen this album just amazes me more and more. It starts out with two songs that, while not quite 'mainstream rock', have the usual rock and roll style. Undisclosed Desires is my surprise favorite, with a really jolting guitar rhythm that becomes almost addictive after a while. After that is strays almost into neo-classical territory with United States of EurasiaWith every subsequent listen this album just amazes me more and more. It starts out with two songs that, while not quite 'mainstream rock', have the usual rock and roll style. Undisclosed Desires is my surprise favorite, with a really jolting guitar rhythm that becomes almost addictive after a while. After that is strays almost into neo-classical territory with United States of Eurasia / Collateral Damage and I Belong to You, while also continuing with the progressive rock in Guiding Light and Unnatural Selection. Then it finishes with a literal bang with the massively ambitious Exogenesis Symphony, that could have, in the wrong hands, been unmeasurably awful. However Muse does it just right, and makes The Resistance an album that cannot be missed.… Expand
  17. Jai11elas
    Jun 29, 2012
    4
    Making one stuff over and over again may get you to mainstream but may not rise your music advances the least thing to be cared about was the concept of this album far more complex but still better than Nickelback
  18. Scratch
    Dec 31, 2016
    3
    Following the absolute bullet train that was BH&R, 'The Resistance' is what happens when a train going at full speed goes off the tracks and refuses to stop. For every moment I was excited, there were 20 where I was bored or disgusted. Muse is trying to expand their horizons, but they've started that journey by going in the wrong direction.
  19. txrangersfan72
    Dec 29, 2010
    10
    The best album of 2009. The best concert I attended in 2010. I've been listening to Muse since 2003 when Absolution came out and they were a featured artist on Yahoo Music. I was blown away by them with songs like "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Time is Running Out." I am a sucker for magnificent, multi-layered, orchestral and ambient production. Muse has perfected it. And while they wroteThe best album of 2009. The best concert I attended in 2010. I've been listening to Muse since 2003 when Absolution came out and they were a featured artist on Yahoo Music. I was blown away by them with songs like "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Time is Running Out." I am a sucker for magnificent, multi-layered, orchestral and ambient production. Muse has perfected it. And while they wrote great songs a decade ago, they are one of the rarest breeds who continue to grow and improve their near perfection every time they record something new. The Resistance opens with a relatively weak song for Muse with a repetitive, mundane beat in "Uprising," which made me concerned about this CD. Until I heard it...Within the construct of the entire album, every song melts into the next with perfect segueing. By the time I'm listening to "Undisclosed Desires," I am completely hooked. Their heavy Queen influence on "United States of Eurasia" is undeniable. From there, their symphonic brilliance carries throughout the rest of the album. Musical perfection.… Expand
  20. Rob274
    Aug 18, 2010
    8
    Their resistance was good, even with their uprising!! Best songs ad album ever by Muse! I've only heard like 5 songs, and out of those 5 songs I must say: Excellent and well done! Awesome rock songs going on with Muse
  21. SwitSwat
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Another great album from Muse, which includes a couple of my favorite Muse tracks; "Unnatural Selection" and "Resistance." Someone mentioned that it was on par with Origin of Symmetry, and while that can be argued, I believe that it may not be quite on par with OoS, but nonetheless, this is still a fantastic album.
  22. showbizjunkie
    May 23, 2015
    8
    This album is unapologetically over-the-top. Frontloaded with songs like Uprising, Resistance, and Undisclosed Desires, and finishing up with the beautiful Exogenesis Symphony trilogy, the only place this album suffers is in the middle. I Belong to You is the worst track, and United States of Eurasia is laughably comical, although props to Muse for the 1984 references. The grandeur of theThis album is unapologetically over-the-top. Frontloaded with songs like Uprising, Resistance, and Undisclosed Desires, and finishing up with the beautiful Exogenesis Symphony trilogy, the only place this album suffers is in the middle. I Belong to You is the worst track, and United States of Eurasia is laughably comical, although props to Muse for the 1984 references. The grandeur of the rest of the album more than makes up for the weak moments.… Expand
  23. Copeland
    Dec 17, 2012
    8
    A good Muse album, definitely not their best but contains some excellent songs and is very well structured, a good listen that I'd recommend to all Muse fans.
  24. alexwrands
    May 31, 2011
    8
    Questions have been raised over whether Muse had become too predictable. This album proved them wrong. There was the traditional rock sound, with graceful, piano fueled scores and a three piece symphony to finish. A very good album
  25. Argeon
    Nov 13, 2015
    8
    The Resistance was the first Muse album I managed to listen to, and it was the thing that got me hooked. This album describes 1984 loosely through each of the tracks (excluding the marvelous Exogenesis Symphony) and reeks of Queen in the best way possible.

    After OoS and Absolution, this is probably Muse's third best work. It's very tight in songs, has a good mix of Muse's offerings, and    The Resistance was the first Muse album I managed to listen to, and it was the thing that got me hooked. This album describes 1984 loosely through each of the tracks (excluding the marvelous Exogenesis Symphony) and reeks of Queen in the best way possible.

    After OoS and Absolution, this is probably Muse's third best work. It's very tight in songs, has a good mix of Muse's offerings, and is a beaut that I think any progressive Muse fan can enjoy. From the anthemic Uprising to ballads like United States of Eurasia to the rocker Unnatural Selection, this is a classic for them.    … Expand
  26. MattBellamy
    Sep 17, 2010
    6
    After Black holes & revalations i wondered if muse had lost it but they came back with an un-appreciated masterpiece. ignore Uprising and this is not commercialised one bit.Truly Great
  27. arov59
    May 6, 2011
    5
    No, just no. This is not as good as the sounds of Origin of Symmetry, SHowbiz and Absolution... for me this is the second album in a musical depression.
  28. MirceaC
    Sep 30, 2010
    3
    Honestly, I wanted to like Muse. But again, most of the songs just not fit in, or feel like rock 'n' roll songs. I can't really see how Muse can be a 'rock band' with all those electro/techno noises coming from around while playing the guitar and drums. Rock is about the passion and groove and what I hear at Muse is just a fail attempt at rock. Also, the singer's voice isn't really theHonestly, I wanted to like Muse. But again, most of the songs just not fit in, or feel like rock 'n' roll songs. I can't really see how Muse can be a 'rock band' with all those electro/techno noises coming from around while playing the guitar and drums. Rock is about the passion and groove and what I hear at Muse is just a fail attempt at rock. Also, the singer's voice isn't really the best one I ever heard. But again, most rock bands sound like this nowadays, which is really sad. You can rate this review as unhelpful, because you are either a Muse fan or someone who likes this kind of music, but you're turning your backs to what rock 'n' roll should sound like. AC/DC? The Rolling Stones? Van Halen? Cream? Jimy Hendrix? Do these ring any bell?… Expand
  29. coldplaz
    Feb 13, 2011
    8
    worst muse album, but still good
    1st half is amazing uprising, resistance, undisclosed desires, but second half is not so good the only really good song is unnatural selection and exogenesis symphony was big disappointment
  30. gingy
    Jul 27, 2011
    10
    Ladies and gentleman - this is what I call a masterpiece. It's not easy to produce a song that would make me cry, but there are two from this album that actually made me cry. (Well, Chopin and Beethoven are my kryptonite, Bellamy must've known that). A bit of classical music, a bit of rock and a lot of power. Whether you like Muse or not - it is good to know this album. This is howLadies and gentleman - this is what I call a masterpiece. It's not easy to produce a song that would make me cry, but there are two from this album that actually made me cry. (Well, Chopin and Beethoven are my kryptonite, Bellamy must've known that). A bit of classical music, a bit of rock and a lot of power. Whether you like Muse or not - it is good to know this album. This is how history is made.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed Album of 2009
34
#34 Most Shared Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. AllMusic
    80
    "Black Holes and Revelations" may be a more commercial record, but The Resistance is Muse's most realized effort to date.
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  2. Drowned In Sound
    70
    As it stands it’s an indulgent and, at times, gorgeous listen that merely helps restate your concrete opinions about Muse.
    Read full review
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    While not their best, it’s decent enough to ensure there’ll be more-- even though the truly off-the-wall moments are either rare or misguided, meaning the record feels slightly anonymous.
    Read full review
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