If, like me, you’re a long-term Muse fan, there’s usually mixed emotions when they drop a new track, primarily because so many of us yearn for the meaty, powerful songs that they’ve delivered in the past, like ‘Dead Star’, ‘Hyper Music’, and ‘Stockholm Syndrome’. Given that, it was with some trepidation that I first opened their brand new single, ‘Cryogen’, which is the third track from their upcoming tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal.
I should not have been concerned, however, because what greeted my ears was nothing short of five minutes of Muse at their absolute best. Opening with a guitar riff that immediately brings ‘Plug In Baby’ to mind, we’re then assaulted with the meatiest of drums and the magnificent Muse bass sound. Matt Bellamy‘s vocals are fantastic in this, up and down, meandering through the thick, dark forest of the rhythm section, punctuated, as ever, with his trademark falsetto.
There’s nobody on this planet who can make a bass guitar sound like Chris Wolstenholme‘s insane, cell-rattling tones. One minute a stalking bass-panther, the next a head-bang-inducing sledgehammer, it’s then capped off with a divine riff in the last minute, mirroring Bellamy’s guitar. Dom Howard is punching out some of the best drumming of his life in ‘Cryogen’, going head-to-head with Wolstenholme’s bass in a phenomenal low-end dance. Magic.
I particularly love the twist four minutes in, where the song seems to be tapering off, only to return for a final brain-blowing one minute jam. There were involuntary noises of elation coming out of my soul.
‘Cryogen’ is one of the best songs they’ve ever done, referencing their earlier sound in a perfect mix with their contemporary style. It feels like this is the song I’ve been waiting for from them for years, and I couldn’t be happier. This one has me really excited for the new album which is coming out in June.
I need a lie down now. Holy moly.
Photo credit: Tim Saccenti
