As I've already stated in previous reviews, Muse are my absolute favourite band of all time. Absolution, released in 2001, was their third album, although it was the first one I bought, as it had several songs I recognised on it. I got into Muse at uni when the club I used to go to kept playing Plug In Baby (from Origin of Symmetry) and Time Is Running Out (from Absolution) and I realised I really liked these songs. I also had a friend who was really into Muse, who persuaded me that it was worth getting hold of their music. Muse is made up of Matt Bellamy on lead vocals, guitars and piano (who also wrote all the songs on this album), Chris Wolstenholme on bass, and Dominic Howard on drums.

This album is even more ambitious, bigger and louder than its predecessor and many of the songs deal with apocalyptic themes. It was met with more success than the band's previous two albums, reaching Number 1 in the UK album chart.

The aforementioned Time Is Running Out is one of my favourite Muse songs. It's on a par with Plug In Baby as an incredibly catchy rock song with a distinctive riff. Hearing this song live is amazing. Other fantastic songs that are incredible live include Hysteria and Stockholm Syndrome, another two songs that I absolutely love.

The album includes three love songs, Sing for Absolution, Falling Away With You and Endlessly, which marks a bit of a change from their last album. These are lovely songs, particularly the former, which has haunting repetitive piano work. Despite the different kinds of song, however, the album hangs together really well as a whole.

Muse have always been distinguished by their classical influences and use of piano and this really comes out on this album. Opening track Apocalypse Please uses piano to great effect and Blackout is a slow song with a very classical sound using strings alongside guitars. Butterflies and Hurricanes is an epic standout track that is often played live.

Track Listing
1. Apocalypse Please
2. Time Is Running Out
3. Sing for Absolution
4. Stockholm Syndrome
5. Falling Away With You
6. Interlude
7. Hysteria
8. Blackout
9. Butterflies and Hurricanes
10. The Small Print
11. Endlessly
12. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist
13. Ruled by Secrecy

Overall, this is a fantastic album. I love all of Muse's albums and would find it hard pressed to choose a favourite, but if someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose then it would probably be this one. The album as a whole works really well and there are several standout tracks. Five stars from me, of course!