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Absolution | 
| Artist: Muse
Label: East West
Category: Music
List Price: £10.99
Buy New: £5.48
You Save: £5.51 (50%)
New (49) Used (16) Collectible (2) from £1.99
Rating:  255 reviews
Sales Rank: 446
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.7 x 0.4
UPC: 505046685872
EAN: 0505046685872
ASIN: B0000C7GG2
Release Date: September 22, 2003
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Intro | | • | Apocalypse Please | | • | Time Is Running Out | | • | Sing for Absolution | | • | Stockholm Syndrome | | • | Falling Away with You | | • | Interlude | | • | Hysteria | | • | Blackout | | • | Butterflies and Hurricanes | | • | Endlessly | | • | Thoughts of a Dying Atheist | | • | TSP | | • | Rule by Secrecy |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
With Absolution, size is most definitely an issue. Hoping that it will finally propel them into the musical major leagues, Muse have set out to create a cross-genre monster, a contemporary meisterwerk, the biggest-sounding album in years. That they almost succeed is testament to their sky-high confidence and unarguable abilities. With just three members to draw upon, they've individually stretched themselves to fill in the inevitable sonic gaps. Bassist Chris Wolstenholme, in particular, does sterling work, producing a driving buzz to lift "Time Is Running Out" to a massive crescendo, then a rush of distortion that pushes "Hysteria" to Queen-like levels of ecstasy. Throughout, Matt Bellamy adds classical grace with his tinkling, rolling grand piano, all the while moaning and shrieking out his fear of decay, destruction and death, like a traumatised Gene Pitney. Indeed, aside from their classical leanings and clear kinship with the prog-rock likes of Queen and Rush (there are some outbreaks of metal here), Muse often draw on classic pop, employing lush 1960s-style arrangements. With "Blackout" they go even further, daring to conjure Bacharach's "Magic Moments". If there's a weakness here, it's that the songwriting remains inconsistent, but this is usually covered up by musicianship and studio wizardry that leave Coldplay languishing in Muse's dust. --Dominic Wills
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| Customer Reviews: Read 250 more reviews...
 Not their best album April 18, 2008
This is not their best album, worth listening to, definitely. I would urge you to buy it but if it's a choice of different muse albums go for Black Holes and Revelations. Very good lyrics and the songwriting is upto scratch as usual. Still very good.
 Propably their best 9/10 October 11, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
By this stage in most bands careers they've had that classic album that gets them in the history books. Somehow despite their amazing talent Muse haven't managed this yet.
If Orgin suffered from being too unvaried this cd has Muse spreading themselves far too thin. While the anthems are numerous and indeed brilliant they are always seperated by the inclusion of too many slow songs that kill the momentum of the album while not adding enough in return.
Apocalypse please - Propably the best opener ever, crashing and climatic.
Time is running out - Slightly sleasy sounding pop song, with an explosive chorus.
Sing for absolution - Propably the best of the albums slower moments, it has atmosphere in spades.
Stockholm Syndrome - A heavy fast paced, floor the arena style rock/metal song.
Falling away from you - Squeaky guitars and romantic lyrics, it doesn't fit on Absolution and its pretty dull too.
Hysteria - Anthemic rock song about lust that keeps a strong layer of tension with competing guitars and a killer base line.
Blackout - A nice slow song with meaningless but pretty lyrics that feels a bit like Shine on you crazy diamond (Pink Floyd).
Butterflies and hurricaines - An experimental and intresting song that builds up layers of climactic emotion to an explosive level only to stop the song totally with a piano and pick it all back up again intact, testiment to Muses genius.
The small print - This is just filler but its fast paced filler so its not going to need skipping.
Endlessly - A great slow song if a little too similar to blackout in its construction.
Thoughts of a dying athist - Absolutely brilliant track where Matt confronts the underlying fears of the album, or maybe just because I can relate to a fear of death in a godless world...
Ruled by secrecy - Lyrical dribble but with a beautiful piano solo towards the end make it one of the albums best tracks.
Buy this for sure and lets hope their 5th studio album can be their Morning Glory or Ok Computer.
what the world needs now... September 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A great album, from a band who marry prog and retro with about 1000 other styles without difficulty. Great riffs, great vocals, and interesting [if borderline emo] lyrics, and while Bellamy still sounds like Thom Yorke, the band definitely have their own style and scope. I'm still amused that people always try and judge which album is best... it's such a personal thing. If you like this album, you'll like the others. Simple.
Muse just after their peak September 1, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I'll admit it would be difficult to top Origin of Symetry. But this album is still amazing it just takes more time and has a few more disapointing tracks:
1. Intro 7/10. Hard to rate an intro but they could have made it better. A crescendo (gradually getting louder) of marching with some guy saying something and then...
2. Appocalypse please 8/10. Crazy pianos with Matt claiming it is the end of the world. Don't knock it until you've heard it a couple of times.
3. Time is running out 9/10. The popular song that gets everyone cheering in a live performance because all the posers only remember that song. Starts quiet and electronic and builds up to a rocky chorus. Mainstream but good.
4. Sing for absolution 9/10. Very calm and creepy pianos with some high echoey vocals from Matt. It's very atmospheric and has a gargly guitar solo near the end. One of the growers.
5. Stockholm Syndrome 10/10. Amazing beginning riff with Matt wailing emotionally. But then the chorus along with a piano and choir comes in and it feels really beautiful. If you don't like this song I'd suggest a different album. One of the highlights.
6. Falling away with you 9/10. It starts off quiet and then explodes into a chorus with a chirpy guitar. Another grower.
7. Interlude 8/10. Well it's better than the intro. A guitar version of some opera which I've forgotten the name of.
8. Hysteria 10/10. One of Chris' best bassline quick and menacing. The guitars are great and Matt sings with power. The chorus is a bit simple though...oh well. Will grab you instantly.
9. Blackout 7/10. Very quiet. This song didn't do it for me and that's a shame because it sounds okay. I'll let you be the judge.
10. Butterflies and Hurricanes 9/10. Matt uses piano mainly on this track which is a refreshing change. He belts it out alot but deep down it reminds me of Queen's 'we are the champions' (don't ask why). Has a small piano solo as well which is pretty good.
11. The Small Print 10/10. Guitars are good and rocky and then Matt sings with great emotion. Short and sweet.
12. Endlessly 5/10. A filler. Keyboard is used but emotion hasn't been put into this track.
13. Thoughts of a dying atheist 9/10. A creepy song with Matt saying 'It scares the hell out of me!!!' A good song and has a interesting bawling guitar solo.
14. Rule by secrecy 4/10. Why carry the album on when it is fine as it is? Disapointingly dry and lack of anything in particular.
A very good attempt by Muse and one of their best. It would come second to Origin of Symetry but still has more of a variety of sounds whether they work or not.
Even better than Black Holes and Revelations June 30, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The first Muse album I heard was BH&R which I gave 5 stars simply for the overblown cheek of the thing. Well I have to say this album is even better. It is the same eclectic synthesis of virtually every rock genre you can name, prog, metal, punk, grunge, britpop, stadium rock, new miserabalism (radiohead, coldplay) but has more subtlety. I particularly like to emotion of Sing for Absolution, the sturm und drang of Stockholm Syndrome, the gentle funk of Endlessly and the upbeat terror of Thoughts of a Dying Atheist.
If you like rock music, you'll like this album. Fully Recommended
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