Muse – Drones

The seventh studio album by musical juggernauts Muse is a loose concept album following an unknown protagonist as he navigates a dystopian future, ruled over by an uncaring government which monitors and targets its citizens with the titular drones. Titles such as Reaper, Dead Inside and Psycho reflect the bleak subject matter and could lead to a morose sound, but there are moments of unbridled optimism and passion in tracks like Defector and Revolt.

The spoken interludes, Drill Seargent and JFK continue the themes of the control the government has through its armed forces. The script from JFK is actually an excerpt from a speech by President John F. Kennedy when he called for greater government secrecy when media reports condemned the botched Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba which propelled suspicion and mistrust during the cold war. This fits in perfectly with the message of mistrust being espoused here.

The album closes on a reflective note with penultimate song The Globalist, which is almost ten minutes long, showcasing the prog-rock aspect of Muse’s sound. It begins slow and steady, almost like the end credits to a spaghetti western, before expanding out to a cacophony of wailing guitars which proves that these gentlemen are still able to rock out without inhibition.

The album ends on Drones, a slow paced choral, mourning song which repeats the lines “killed by drones”, speaking of a family lost. This lament is a fitting end to an album that is a commentary on the way the world is going with its advancements in modern warfare, and government control over its populations. This is a the perfect way to wrap up the album, as it leaves a hint of hopefulness, but embedded in a sad longing beauty.

With Muse’s reputation for their energetic and expressive live performances, this album has great potential for amazing visuals, and to tell a story on stage. In continuing the themes of war, individuality, love and rebellion against control that have been present in past albums, Muse is set to continue their legacy. While the album does not expand greatly on their sound, they are secure in their message and their abilities and bring it all with a vengeance.

Yassine Senghor

Drones is released on 8^th June 2015, for further information or to order the album visit here.

Watch the video for JFK + Defector here: