Matt Bellamy

Matt Bellamy tells us what 21st century guitar means to him and breaking free of the genre traps on Muse’s cinematic and escapist Simulation theory

there’s always been a certain otherworldliness inherent in Muse’s interstellar stadium-prog rock, whether they’re conjuring the sound of rampaging apocalyptic armies in Knights of Cydonia, from 2006’s Blackholes And revelations, or crafting billowing tufts of symphonic grandeur with the three-part Exogenesis suite from 2009’s Theresistance. But when it came to the British trio’s new and eighth studio album, Simulation theory, singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy opted to leave this world behind entirely, immersing himself and his music in a sort of virtual reality. “I’m talking about things like gaming and living in an imaginary world online on the album,” he tells us. “This idea of going into a nostalgic sort of dream-type land that’s outside of this time.” And, really, can you blame him for looking for an escape hatch? “It was an aesthetic choice, but I guess you could also say it was partly political,” Bellamy admits. “We live in complicated times, and wanting to get away from them is probably a natural thing.”

But that aesthetic choice to, as Bellamy puts it, “distort reality,” also had genuine musical ends: “It made us go into a place that isn’t the traditional Muse sound,” he says.

True to Bellamy’s word, Simulationtheory is far from the traditional Muse sound – which is saying something, given how untraditional Muse’s music is to begin with. But on Simulation Theory the band – which also includes bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard – find a way to build upon what is already a remarkably singular sound. There’s plenty of Muse-isms in the throttling grooves of Pressure, the celestial rock of Blockades and the epic sweep of opener Algorithm. But there’s also an R&B and funk edge to tracks like Break Ittome and Thoughtcontagion, an overt global pop influence on Somethinghuman and Getup Andfight and a full-on electro-prince pastiche, Propaganda (which also features — because why not? – an acoustic slide solo).

And while Simulationtheory is far from the band’s most guitar-centric record – there’s no aggro-riffing along the lines of, say, Stockholm Syndrome – there’s still plenty of enthralling playing to be found in the album’s 11 tracks, with Bellamy continuing to display the blend of virtuosity and idiosyncratic creativity that has led him to become one of the 21st century’s few true guitar heroes. This time, you just have to be a bit more patient in waiting for those moments. But, Bellamy says: “When the guitar