Absolution (album)

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• AIR (London)
• Livingston (London)
• Cello (Los Angeles)* Alternative rock
• progressive rock
• art rock
• hard rock52:19TasteTemplate:Efn* John Cornfield
• Rich Costey
• Muse
• Paul Reevex|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Absolution is the third studio album by the English rock band Muse, released on 22 September 2003 through Taste Media.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was produced by Muse and Rich Costey, with additional production by John Cornfield and Paul Reeve.

Absolution incorporates classical influences, with orchestra on tracks such as "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Blackout", and apocalyptic lyrical themes. Muse used effects, synthesisers and software to process many tracks. Most of the album was recorded at Grouse Lodge in County Westmeath, Ireland, with additional sessions at AIR Studios and Livingston Recording Studios in London and Cello Studios in Los Angeles. Costey aimed to give Muse a bigger, more aggressive sound.

Absolution reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. It also produced Muse's first top-ten single, "Time Is Running Out", which reached number 8 on the UK singles chart. As of 2018, Absolution had sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide. A 20th-anniversary version was released in 2023, with remastered audio, unreleased demos and live versions.

Background

Muse set aside time to develop their third album, as their previous recording sessions had been rushed.<ref name="seattlepi2">Template:Cite news</ref> In early 2002, they rented a country house outside Brighton for six months to write material.<ref name="XX">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> During this period, they were dropped by their American record label, Maverick.<ref name="XX" /> The System of a Down singer, Serj Tankian, attempted to sign Muse to his label, Serjical Strike, but Maverick asked for half a million dollars to release them from their contract and his attempts to have Sony provide the money failed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Muse decided to focus on Europe, and embarked on the final leg of their tour for their previous album, Origin of Symmetry, playing the future Absolution songs "Hysteria" and "The Small Print".<ref name="XX" /> After the tour, Muse resumed writing and recording demos in an unused commercial loft in Hackney, London.<ref name="XX" />

Recording

File:Different sounds... - geograph.org.uk - 432857.jpg

Air Studios, London, where Muse recorded "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Blackout"

Muse began recording in late 2002 with the producers John Cornfield and Paul Reed at Air Studios, London, where they recorded "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Blackout".<ref name="Buskin-2003">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They were joined later by the American producer Rich Costey, who produced the rest of the album. Costey had worked with acts Muse admired, including Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and wanted to give them a bigger, more aggressive sound. According to Costey, Muse wanted to sound like a "colossal, dynamic, epic and powerful rock band".<ref name="Buskin-2003" />

Muse and Costey returned to Air in late 2002 to work on songs including "Hysteria" and "Stockholm Syndrome". The songwriter, Matt Bellamy, restructured "Hysteria" after feedback from Costey. For "Stockholm Syndrome", Costey vocodered Bellamy's guitar with a Nord modular synthesiser.<ref name="XX" /> Muse and Costey regrouped in early 2003 for 10 days at Livingston Recording Studios, London, completing the recordings they had made at Air.<ref name="Buskin-2003" />

Muse moved to Grouse Lodge, a residential recording studio in County Westmeath, Ireland, where most of the album was recorded.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> The sessions were marred by Muse's strained relationship with their record company and a lawsuit with their production company. When Muse's co-manager arrived to review their progress, they found him disruptive and threw them out of the studio. Bellamy said later that "there was a genuine sense of impending doom for the band".<ref name="XX" /> The bassist, Chris Wolstenholme, an alcoholic, drank extensively during the sessions.<ref name="XX" />

To create basic tracks, Muse recorded together live, then focused on overdubs.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> Costey minimised editing to preserve the "human touch" and avoid an artificial result.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> He added little reverb, preferring to use the natural ambience recorded by the microphones.<ref name="Buskin-2003" />

Bellamy used custom Manson guitars and Marshall and Diezel amps.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> Wolstenholme split his signal into three Marshall amps, one clean and two distorted, and blended the results.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> For "Fury", Bellamy used the DigiTech Whammy pedal to rhythmically pitch-shift the guitar riff.<ref name="Lynham-2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Muse and Costey used the sound design system Kyma to process tracks including "Time Is Running Out", "Hysteria" and "Apocalypse Please". Bellamy said Kyma added an "outrageously hi-fi and bright and futuristic sound"; Costey described it as "the sound of the record".<ref name="XX" />

The group experimented with drum sounds, using a number of microphones. For the introduction to "Apocalypse Please", they recorded two kick drums in the Grouse Lodge swimming pool. They also recorded Wolstenholme diving into the pool, which was used in the bridge of "Thoughts of a Dying Atheist".<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> For "Ruled by Secrecy", they recorded a drum take in the courtyard outdoors, hoping to capture an unusual ambience, but discarded the results.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> On "Falling Away with You", Costey captured the sound of Bellamy's fingers on the guitar strings to create an intimate feeling.<ref name="Buskin-2003" />

For "Sing for Absolution", Muse used prepared piano, laying metal objects such as nails and guitar strings on the piano strings. They also processed the piano with a pitch-shifting DigiTech Whammy pedal and an Echloplex delay effect.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> For "Ruled by Secrecy", they blended piano and a Yamaha CP-80 electric piano. Costey recorded Bellamy's left and right-hand parts separately, and ran them through guitar amps and an Echoplex.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> "Time Is Running Out" was the most difficult song to record; Muse spent hours working on the bass sound for the introduction, processing Wolstenholme's bass with multiple effects.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> Eventually, they used a Roland synthesiser played through a Marshall amp.<ref name="XX" />

"Endlessly" was the last song completed. Muse struggled to improve on the simplicity of Bellamy's demo, recorded with a piano and a four-to-the-floor drum machine rhythm. Eventually, they used lighter, jazzier drumming and an old Hammond organ.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> Later in 2003, Muse and Costey spent three weeks in Cello Studios, Los Angeles.<ref name="Buskin-2003" /> They recorded more overdubs, including the marching sounds that open the album, and the final version of "Endlessly", and mixed the album.<ref name="XX" /><ref name="Buskin-2003" /> They also attracted interest from American labels and signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records.<ref name="XX" />

Music and lyrics

Absolution contains elements of alternative rock, progressive rock,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> hard rock, and art rock. It features a more polished and direct sound than Muse's previous albums.<ref name="XX2">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2020, Wolstenholme described it as a continuation of their second album, Origin of Symmetry (2001): "We knew what we wanted to do, and we'd found our feet a little bit, and we felt comfortable with what we did."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Bellamy wrote most of the songs on piano, including guitar-based songs such as "Stockholm Syndrome".<ref name="keyboardmag2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For "Butterflies and Hurricanes", he sought to create a heavy rock song using classical piano instead of guitar, with a "mechanical paradiddle thing all the way through".<ref name="keyboardmag2" /> He was inspired by the "intensive, repetitive" piano compositions of Terry Riley, such as "In C".<ref name="keyboardmag2" /> "Blackout" uses mandolin and orchestra.<ref name="Buskin-2003" />

The lyrics incorporate themes of fear, mistrust, personal achievement and joy, and a general theme of "things coming to an end".<ref name="seattlepi2" /> Bellamy said that absolution was "not necessarily a religious word; it has meanings of purity, but it's not necessarily talking from a Christian or any particular religious point of view. I think it's just suggesting that the act of making music is a way of understanding things."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Initially, Bellamy planned Absolution as a concept album about insanity; Reeve said "Butterflies & Hurricanes" was a remnant of this idea.<ref name="Beaumont-2013">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The direction changed following the beginning of the Iraq War.<ref name="Beaumont-2013" /><ref name="seattlepi2" /> Bellamy said that the lyrics for "Apocalypse Please" followed naturally from the "epic and in-your-face" chord progression.<ref name="keyboardmag2" /> The end of Muse's relationship with their American label, Maverick, also influenced the lyrics.<ref name="XX" /> Bellamy became interested in conspiracy theories connected to subjects involving the September 11 attacks, which he described as "good subject matter" for songwriting. He later disavowed conspiracy theories as dangerous.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="XX" />

Artwork

The Absolution cover was created by Storm Thorgerson, and depicts the shadows of figures either leaving or descending to Earth.<ref name="Griffiths">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rather than use software such as Photoshop, Thorgerson's team cut shapes from hardboard, fixed them to poles and photographed them in a chalk pit to create strong shadows.<ref name="Griffiths" /> The Reader's Digest writer Kris Griffiths likened the image to the René Magritte painting Golconda.<ref name="Griffiths" />

Release and promotion

Absolution was presented to the press with a star show at the London Planetarium, followed by a party at Madame Tussauds.<ref name="Beaumont-2013" /> It was released on 22 September 2003 on CD and double vinyl.<ref name="muse">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first single, "Stockholm Syndrome", was released as a download and was downloaded more than 20,000 times.<ref name="seattlepi">Template:Cite news</ref> Because of contractual obligations, Muse could not allow it to be downloaded free, so the fee was set at $0.99 in the US.<ref name="seattlepi2" /> On tour for Absolution, Muse performed in arenas for the first time and headlined Glastonbury Festival in 2004.<ref name="XX2"/> The tour ended with two sold-out nights at Earls Court, London.<ref name="XX" /> Muse also toured the United States, playing in small clubs.<ref name="XX" />

Critical reception

Template:Music ratingsOn Metacritic, Absolution has a score of 72 of 100 based on 16 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".<ref name="metacritic2" /> Alternative Press wrote that its "chaotic choruses feel like the triumphant culmination of some earth-shattering undertaking",<ref name="ap"/> while Andrew Future of Drowned in Sound called it "a truly elemental opus".<ref name="dis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tyler Fisher of Sputnikmusic felt that Absolution was Muse's most consistent album to date and that it perfected their sound, writing that it "expands on newer sounds and improves on others".<ref name="sputnikmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote: "Muse sound like a band who are at the top of their game. Their confidence carries you through the album's excesses."<ref name="guardian"/> Rob Kemp of Rolling Stone was less enthusiastic, drawing Radiohead comparisons and concluding that Bellamy "doesn't bring as much ingenuity to his singing".<ref name="rollingstone"/>

Absolution was Muse's first album to chart in the US, and is credited with establishing their fan base there.<ref name="seattlepi" /> It was the second Muse album released in the US, after a dispute with Maverick Records had canceled the release of Origin of Symmetry there.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Absolution reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and No. 107 on the Billboard 200.<ref name="billboardchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was certified gold in March 2007, becoming Muse's first album to be certified in the US.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Time Is Running Out" became Muse's first top-10 single on the UK singles chart and was certified gold in the US.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legacy

In 2005, Absolution was ranked number 345 in the Rock Hard book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 2009, Q readers voted it the 23rd-best British album,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref> and in 2009, Kerrang! readers voted it the second-best album of the century so far.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A remastered 20th-anniversary reissue, Absolution XX Anniversary, featuring bonus tracks, live recordings and demos, was released on 17 November 2023.<ref name="XX2" /> Clash wrote that the reissue was not as "neatly constructed or unique" as the 2021 Origin of Symmetry reissue, with "largely dispensable" bonus material, but praised the "punchier, cleaner" remaster.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

Personnel adapted from Absolution liner notes<ref name=linernotes />

Muse

• Matthew Bellamy – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming, string arrangements, production
• Chris Wolstenholme  – bass, backing vocals, production
• Dominic Howard – drums, programming, percussion, production

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Production

• Dennis Smith, Safta Jaffery – executive production
• Rich Costey – production, mixing, engineering, additional production on "Blackout" and "Butterflies and Hurricanes"
• Wally Gagel – engineering, digital engineering, additional production on "Butterflies and Hurricanes"
• Paul Reeve – production and backing vocals on "Blackout" and "Butterflies and Hurricanes", vocal samples on "Intro"
• John Cornfield – production and engineering on "Blackout" and "Butterflies and Hurricanes"
• Roger Lian – digital editing
• Howie Weinberg – mastering

Template:Col-2 Additional personnel

• Audrey Riley – string arrangements
• Spectrasonic's Symphony of Voices – vocal samples on "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Endlessly"
• Storm Thorgerson, Dan Abbott – graphic design
• Rupert Truman, Sean Winstanley – photography
• Perou – band photography
• Lee Baker – layout design
• Sam Winston – typography

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (2003)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen Soundscan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	84
Irish Albums (IRMA)	3
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	22
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	14

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	83
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	73
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	62
Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	55
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	38
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	70

Chart (2004)	Position
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	124
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	82

Chart (2005)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	171

Chart (2006)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	197

Notes and references

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External links

• Template:Discogs master