Muse’s Matt Bellamy reflects on personal turmoil in new album
Matt Bellamy, walking around the west London morning sunshine, has a cheery disposition for someone who has just made an album “coming from a place entirely of personal emotional turmoil,” reports BritPanorama.
Muse’s 10th album, The Wow! Signal, is a break-up record, but it carries complexities beyond that designation. This is Muse, renowned for over 25 years of bombastic space-rock that delves into themes of extraterrestrial life, sci-fi apocalypse, and political revolt. The album’s uncharacteristically raw directness was always going to be offset by their signature grandiosity. Bellamy extrapolates his loneliness and the need to belong to that of alien life – the title references a famous blast of unexplained noise speculated to be an alien communication, intertwining humanity’s search for meaning.
Bellamy raises significant questions: “Why do we have this deep desire for there to be a higher power?” he asks, articulating thoughts with a rapid-fire pace that reflects his passionate internal dialogue. “We’re building a god,” he muses, shifting towards the implications of artificial intelligence (AI). He paints a cautionary vision of a future where humanity may depend on a “higher intelligence” that dictates how to live while risking the degradation of personal intelligence.
This dystopian outlook seems to contrast with his inherent optimism. “What’s more likely to happen is that AI will realise that its ability to grow will be in space,” he theorises. He believes accessing intelligence from the cosmos and harnessing resources from asteroids and the moon could lead to a more enlightened society, rather than an apocalyptic one.
Despite his speculations, Bellamy admits mixed results regarding predictions for the future. Reflecting on his last album, he recalls how even he had overlooked its release as an NFT, a format he describes with a wry smile. Nonetheless, he is convinced of an impending transformation in musical consumption. “If there’s no world war, I’d say probably within 10 years,” he forecasts. “It’s all coming to be, unfortunately.”
At 48, Bellamy showcases an unchanged demeanor from his days during Muse’s 1999 debut. “Don’t worry, I’m not that famous anymore,” he assures, although the band’s impact speaks for itself. Muse formed in 1994, gaining notoriety for their nu-metal influences and substantial live performances. With 30 million albums sold and seven consecutive UK number one albums since their third record, Absolution, the band’s success is underpinned by their reputation as a spectacular live act.
The trio has pushed the boundaries of live performances, employing high-tech visuals and elaborate stagecraft. Bellamy recalls the early days of their career, where they compensated for self-doubt with extravagant light shows and effects. “We were always playing gigs bigger than we felt ready for,” he notes, reflecting on his journey with a degree of nostalgia.
However, the separation from his wife, Elle Evans, has enriched Bellamy’s creative wellspring. He describes this chapter as one of existential reflection, citing personal turmoil as a catalyst for songwriting. The realities of parental responsibilities and the complexities of separation have wove themselves into the fabric of the album.
Writing much of the album last autumn amid a period of intense personal upheaval, Bellamy found solace in the creative process. “It was just – boom. It would just pour out of me,” he reveals, describing the cathartic experience of crafting new material.
The album encapsulates a wide array of musical styles, blending hard rock and opera with sharp lyrics. Tracks like “Cryogen” and “Be With You” illustrate the emotional depth of Bellamy’s current artistic phase. The theatrical opener “The Dark Forest” intertwines personal loneliness with cosmic themes, questioning the motivations behind silence in the universe.
