Genres: Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Symphonic Prog
The Musiquarium’s The Wow! Signal Review Score: 9 out of 10
Despite maintaining their reputation as one of the greatest modern live acts in rock, it’s an understatement to say that Muse has been on a critical decline for the past two decades in terms of entire album experiences. The recent divorce of frontman Matt Bellamy seems to have inspired and awakened something creative within him, as The Wow! Signal is without a doubt the band’s most exciting and consistent work since 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations.
From the first few seconds of the opener, The Dark Forest, fans are greeted with a welcome return of the epic and grandiose sound of classic Muse, with a galloping spaghetti western rhythm (reminiscent of Knights of Cydonia) and a Latin choir. Nightshift Superstar is a nu-disco song, not unlike something Dua Lipa or Tame Impala might have made in recent years, with Matt Bellamy singing in a falsetto — the song is the perfect blend of the pop-leaning tendencies of 2010s Muse with the heavier sounds of their earlier material.
Shimmering Scars is an emotionally-packed song, where Matt Bellamy faces the music and accepts his half of the blame for his failed marriage. Cryogen’s riff feels like a spiritual successor to Plug In Baby and is one of the most satisfying things Muse has made in years. Be With You is a pop ballad that starts with church organs, before going to the more familiar synthpop territory of their past couple of albums.
Hexagons is a mini-epic, with a cascade of arpeggiators and progressive virtuosity. Unravelling sees Muse venture into djent and as it was the album’s first single, it signalled a return to the heavier sound that 2000s many Muse fans have been begging for. The Sickness in You & I is another metal-coded rocker and sees a return of Matt Bellamy’s falsetto from earlier on the record.
It took ten albums, but Hush sees Muse’s first feature, with Ellie Goulding providing vocals alongside Bellamy on yet another track with a killer guitar riff and memorable chorus. Space Debris sees the trio end the album with some breathing room, following the intensity of the rest of the album; the song is also notable for sampling the actual Wow! Signal, which was an anomaly detected in space in 1977.
The Wow! Signal is the closest thing we’ve had to a classic Muse album in two decades, but without feeling regressive either. This is without a doubt the strongest, most consistent and thoroughly enjoyable album that Muse has released since the mid 2000s and is devoid of any filler, other than maybe the relatively-weaker Be With You. Muse is back, baby!
For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Muse on Discogs.
Back to the master 2026 Album Reviews Guide or the Muse Album Reviews page.
Written by Brett Nippard
Leave a Reply