Album of the Day

“I think that absolution is not necessarily a religious word,” noted Muse frontman Matt Bellamy of the title of their third studio set. “I think it's just suggesting that the act of making music is a way of understanding things.” By the sound of the 2003 album, the British trio were grappling with some heavy issues, the Iraq War, fears of societal collapse and more among them. Counterbalancing the intense lyrics are epic arrangements mixing art rock, progressive metal and orchestral flourishes on such highlights as “Stockholm Syndrome,” “Time Is Running Out,” “Butterflies and Hurricanes” and “Hysteria.” Listeners responded to the band's ambition; it topped the U.K. album chart and went gold in America, establishing Muse's fanbase stateside. Anyone who enjoys dark, dramatic music played with go-for-broke grandeur should seek ABSOLUTION.