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EspañolBLACK HOLES AND REVELATIONS
'''Black Holes and Revelations''' is the fourth studio album by English rock band Muse, released on July 3, 2006. The album sold 115,144 copies in its first week in the UK,[1] which is more than the first week sales of Muse's previous album, ''Absolution''. ''Black Holes and Revelations'' is a BPI double platinum album.[2]
The album has political and sci-fi undertones.[3][4] Matthew Bellamy, the band's frontman, cites influences including Queen, Millionaire, Sly and the Family Stone, Depeche Mode, U2 and classical music from southern Italy.[5]
Musical style
''Black Holes and Revelations'' marks a significant departure from the styles of previous albums, and features a wide variety of alternative musical themes. The album is primarily alternative hard rock, and the first track, "Take a Bow", uses a similar intense, dramatic rock sound to the previous album, ''Absolution''. Later tracks, especially "Starlight", described by one reviewer as "an Abba gig on the moon",[6] follow a more mainstream album-oriented rock sound[7] which contrasts strongly with the funk rock, post-disco style of first single "Supermassive Black Hole". Other tracks follow the intense style of earlier Muse albums, but the final track, "Knights of Cydonia", described by one reviewer as a "spaced-out intergalactic epic",[8] combines elements of surf rock[9] and the progressive rock that are more reminiscent of earlier Muse albums, to create a song which Bellamy describes as "pushing the epic side of the band to almost comical levels".[10]
Lyrical content
''Black Holes and Revelations'' has a strong political theme that follows the earlier albums and marks a new direction for the band. It often describes the more controversial elements of this topic, including "unjustifiable war, abusive power, conspiratorial manipulation and populist revolt", and is strongly influenced by the conspiracy theories that are popular amongst the band. Interview - Muse James Hurley Matt Bellamy stated that he finds "the unknown in general a stimulating area for the imagination", and this interest is reflected throughout the album, which features alien invasion (in "Exo-Politics") and rebellious paranoia (particularly during "Assassin"). Muse - Black Holes and Revelations Michael Schmitt The album also includes more emotional themes, including regret, ambition and love, again reflecting the romantic style of earlier albums.
The title "Black Holes and Revelations", taken from lyrics in "Starlight", is explained by Matthew Bellamy in his September 2006 interview for ''Q Magazine'': "Black holes and revelations -- they're the two areas of songwriting for me that make up the majority of this album. A revelation about yourself, something personal, something genuine of an everyday nature that maybe people can relate to. Then the black holes are these songs that are from the more... unknown regions of the imagination."[11]
Album art
The album's artwork, designed by Storm Thorgerson, depicts a red landscape resembling the surface of Mars. Four men are seated around a table with three miniature horses on it.[12] Faintly in the sky behind the figures, one can see the planet Earth and its moon. The setting is thought to signify Cydonia, and the connection with horses a reference to knights, explaining the title of "Knights of Cydonia."[13] The knights are also believed to represent the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible, with their horses of four different colors.[14]
Critical reaction
''Black Holes and Revelations'' has been met with generally favorable reviews from the media, with ''Q'' stating it to be "one of the year's best albums."[15] Many critics also noted how the band have taken a more original, progressive style of rock music different from their Radiohead-esque debut ''Showbiz''.[16] Pitchfork's Sam Ubl, however, gave the album a 4.2 rating, claiming that Muse, "always loveably lame...managed to take a turn for the lamer." Black Holes and Revelations Sam Ubl The album was placed third in the NME Albums of the Year list for 2006.[17]
Track listing
All songs written by Matthew Bellamy, Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenholme unless otherwise noted.
# "Take a Bow" – 4:35
# "Starlight" – 3:59
# "Supermassive Black Hole" – 3:29
# "Map of the Problematique" – 4:18
# "Soldier’s Poem" – 2:03
# "Invincible" – 5:00
# "Assassin" – 3:31
# "Exo-Politics" – 3:53
# "City of Delusion" – 4:48
# "Hoodoo" (Bellamy/Wolstenholme) – 3:43
# "Knights of Cydonia" – 6:06
# "Glorious" (bonus track) – 4:38
#
★ ''Originally released only on the Japanese version and the iTunes Store pre-order version, the song was later added to a second release of the album on iTunes. It is listed as "Album Only" with a digital booklet, unique for the second release as well. The song was also released in the UK as the B-side to the 7" version of the Invincible single.''
US limited DVD
★ Absolution Tour DVD
Japanese limited DVD, Asian Tour edition bonus DVD, Australian Tour edition bonus DVD
★ "Supermassive Black Hole" (video)
★ "Starlight" (video)
★ "Knights of Cydonia" (video)
★ "Supermassive Black Hole" (Live from Paris)
★ "Starlight" (Live from Copenhagen @ MTV Awards)
★ "Knights of Cydonia" (Live from London)
Credits
★ Matthew Bellamy - lead vocals, guitars, piano, synthesizers, production
★ Chris Wolstenholme - backing vocals, bass guitar, brief vocals on "Supermassive Black Hole", some synthesizers on "Map of Problematique" and "Hoodoo", production
★ Dominic Howard - drums, percussion, brief drum machine on "Map of Problematique", production
★ Rich Costey - production
Single releases
| Title | Date released | Format(s) | Catalog | UK Singles Chart | U.S. ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Supermassive Black Hole" | June 19 2006 (UK) April 23 2007 (U.S.) | 7" CD DVD | HEL3001 HEL3001CD HEL3001DVD PR015888 | #4 | #6 |
| "Starlight" | September 4 2006 (UK) November 20 2006 (U.S.) | 7" CD DVD | HEL3003 HEL3003CD HEL3003DVD | #13 | #2 |
| "Knights of Cydonia" | June 13 2006 (U.S.) November 27 2006 (UK) | Radio/CD-R (U.S.) 7" CD DVD | PRO-101829 (U.S.) HEL3004 HEL3004CD HEL3004DVD | #10 | #10 |
| "Invincible" | April 9 2007 (UK) | 7" CD DVD | HEL3005 HEL3005CD HEL3005DVD | #21 | |
| "Map of the Problematique" | June 18 2007 (UK) | Digital Download | #18 | ||
| "Exo-Politics" | September 2007 (UK) | Digital Download | #67 |
Release details
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 28 June 2006 | Warner Music Japan | digipak (bonus track) | WPCR-12306 |
| CD | WPCR-12307 | |||
| 21 February 2007 | CD / DVD re-release | WPZR-30194 | ||
| United Kingdom | 3 July 2006 | Helium 3, Warner Bros. | CD | HEL3002CD / 2562635495 |
| digipak | HEL3002CDX / 2564635092 | |||
| Australia | 7 July 2006 | Warner Music Australia | CD | 2564635095 |
| 10 February 2007 | CD / DVD re-release | 5101197352 | ||
| United States | 11 July 2006 | Warner Bros. Records | CD | 0 9362-44284-2 8 |
| CD / DVD | 0 9362-44350-2 0 | |||
| Taiwan | 4 July 2006 | Warner Bros. Records | CD | 2564635092 |
| 13 February 2007 | CD / DVD re-release | 5051011973529 |
Charts
| Chart (2006)[18] | Providers | Peak position | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Album Chart | ARIA | 1 | Gold | 35,000+ |
| Austria Album Chart | Media Control | 4 | ||
| Belgium Album Chart | Ultratop | 1 | ||
| Billboard 200 (U.S.) | Billboard | 9 | 360,000 | |
| Euro Top 200 | IFPI | 1 | Platinum | 1,200,000 |
| France Album Chart | IFPI | 2 | Platinum | 249.100 |
| Ireland Album Chart | IRMA | 1 | ||
| Italian Album Chart | FIMI | 2 | Platinum | 135,000 |
| Finland Album Chart | GLF | 3 | ||
| Netherlands Album Chart | Megacharts | 2 | ||
| New Zealand Albums Chart | RIANZ | 5 | Platinum | 15,000+ |
| Norway Album Chart | IFPI | 6 | ||
| Sweden Album Chart | GLF | 15 | ||
| Switzerland Album Chart | Media Control | 1 | Platinum | 30,000+ |
| UK Album Chart | BPI | 1 | 2x Platinum | 545,000+ |
| United World Chart | Media Traffic | 1 | 2,322,000+ | |
| Total | +7.5% Mediatraffic doesn't cover | Platinum | 2,496,150+ |
References
1. The Official UK Charts Company: All the No. 1's - Black Holes and Revelations
2. The BPI - Certified Awards
3. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations Dan Raper
4. Kate Moss? We briefly met once
5. Muse - Intergalacticists Stride Our World Talia Soghomonian
6. Black Holes and Revelations HMV CD Editor
7. Muse - Starlight (Warner) Michael Hubbard
8. Black Holes and Revelations Ross Stewart
9. Black Holes and Revelations Mike Diver
10. Messages from Mars Neil McCormick
11. The Q Interview, , Ben, Mitchell, Q, 2006
12. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations Mo
13. Muse: Close encounters Jacqui Swift
14. Reviews: Albums - Muse: Black Holes & Revelations Anthony Thornton
15. Black Holes and Revelations, , , , Q, 2006
16. Muse, Black Holes and Revelations Andrew Perry
17. NME Albums Of The Year 2006
18. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
External links
★ Muse.mu - official website
★ ''Black Holes and Revelations'' at Metacritic.
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