SebastiaN MUSE LoverS ForeveR

The album cover

Muse refine their style

The artwork on this fifth Muse album gives you a pretty good idea what you're in for.

It's very weird, naturally. There are four bald men (Phil Mitchell-esque) in outlandish suits meant to represent the four riders of the apocolypse.

They are sitting around a dining room table on which you can see their minature horses. They have outgrown them.

The musical themes of the album are equally apocolyptic and strange, everything we have come to know and love of Muse.

I've come to think of myself as a fairly hardcore fan and what has always appealed most is the passion, energy and range in their music.

It's definitely present in abundance in "Black Holes and Revelations" or "BHAR," as it quickly became abbreviated to in our house.

Muse lead singer Matt Bellamy

For pure blow your head off Muse, "Assassin" hits the spot. It's a raw and angry rage against authority. It'll certainly do the trick in the mosh pit but (and this is the beauty of Muse) has a great melody too.

The final track "Knights of Cydonia" brought a smile to my face as soon as I heard it. It sounds like Dr Who meets Spaghetti Western and will be beyond the pail, most likely, for those who've come to Muse having heard and liked "Supermassive Black Hole."

I love it because it is Muse holding true to their own unique style despite their commercial success increasing by the day it seems. But apart from all that, it's a cracking track - both original and catchy.

However, there are offerings on "BHAR" that will bring Muse to a wider audience, I'm sure. There's "Supermassive Black Hole" of course, which is undeniably toe-tappy but with that gorgeous bass line.

Another contender for a top ten single is surely "Starlight." It's really catchy with (dare I say it) a Keane-like melody but with far more balls.

Just goes to show the sheer range and talent of the boys from Teignmouth. Now, I will go through phases as to which is my favourite track on the album but at this very early stage it's "Invincible."

I like it when their lyrics get a bit (only a bit) romantic and aspirational. The military style drumming puts me in mind of some kind of national anthem and it builds it a classic Muse guitar solo.

All in all BHAR is a fine piece of work and I'm looking forward to getting to know it inside out. What's equally exciting is the prospect of hearing the new material LIVE.

The tracks will take on a new dimension in front of a live audience and Muse aren't the kings of the festivals for nothing.

I'm hoping to catch them at the Eden Sessions this year, which promises to be a real treat. There's no Devon gig on the cards at the moment, which is a shame but we live in hope.

* Black Holes and Revelations went straight to Number 1 in the album chart and has been nominated in the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Prize - the award for the best album by a British group.