Music CD's
"Origin of Symmetry"
by Muse
Somewhere between the conflagrant rage of rock and the delicate pathos of classical music lies the hybrid sound of Muse. Take, for example, “New Born,”which opens the record with ominous keyboards before erupting into an intense opus of distortion.
Or “Space Dementia,” a track that
moves from ethereal stirrings on the piano through forceful arpeggios to thunderous
guitars. Throughout the record, the group blends the best of rock and classical
music, consistently choosing complex
arrangements in lieu of simplistic alternative formulas.
Many modern musicians bedizen their melodies with pianos and orchestral arrangements in an ill-conceived effort to dress up a simplistic core, but few create truly successful fusions of genre.
Like most classical works, Origin of Symmetry is organized into movements instead of a random track sequence. Tracks 1-3 start with isolated piano and later add distorted guitar; tracks 4 and 5 abandon the piano in favor of a heavier, alternative sound. Tracks 6 and 7 vacillate between loud and quiet guitar progressions; tracks 8 and 9 fuse rock with foreign feels (softer rock with Eastern European and harder rock with American western, respectively). Track 10 mixes a lounge-like piano wail and hard-driving guitar; track 11 brings the entire record to an epic, explosive, and unforgettable climax.
Thus, Origin of Symmetry is
a flawless presentation of the sound that Showbiz , the band’s debut,
subtly suggested. Original, cathartic, poignant, and brilliant, Symmetry
is a record beyond contemporary comparison.
