ARTIST: MuseALBUM: H.A.A.R.P.LABEL: Helium 3, Warner Bros.
“H.A.A.R.P.” isn’t the most obvious of acronyms, yet it is the ideal name for the new live CD/DVD set from Muse. Arguably the new bellwethers of progressive rock, the power trio melds elements from alternative, electronica and classical genres into what can only be described as operatic music from outer space. The band’s epic sound bristles with a dark yet beautiful splendor, which especially thrives in a live setting. Having built a reputation for their incredible concerts, Muse sought to capture the experience for the masses with the release of H.A.A.R.P.
The cryptic title refers to the “High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program,” a project based in Alaska in which government officials study the effects of sending high-frequency radio waves into the ionosphere. Some cynics believe the project’s true purpose is to use atmospheric wave energy to control enemy satellites, the weather and even human minds. Singer and guitarist Matthew Bellamy has a penchant for such conspiracy theories and often incorporates them into the band’s lyrics. In the case of this album, H.A.A.R.P. serves as a bold metaphor for the infectious energy of a Muse show and the power to overtake a crowd of thousands with music.
Recorded at legendary Wembley Stadium in London, the album begins with rabid cheering and a Wagnerian orchestra playing in the background. The anticipation builds up as Bellamy plays his first distorted notes. Soon, the band erupts into a blistering version of “Knights of Cydonia,” its galloping space-cowboy epic. The roar of the crowd immediately lends itself to the album, injecting it with even more adrenaline. Fan favorite “Hysteria” follows, featuring Chris Wolstenholme’s infamous synth bass line. The band proceeds with several cuts from the two most recent albums. Of particular note is “Butterflies & Hurricanes,” a haunting ballad that exemplifies Muse’s ability to seamlessly switch between menacing and majestic.
Throughout the show, the energy of the crowd never diminishes. The excellent mixing of the album places the listener among the thousands that sold out Wembley that night (a first-ever feat). The effect is especially stunning during “Time Is Running Out,” in which myriad voices sing along for the whole number. The band then surprises the crowd with a few songs from their first two albums, including “New Born” and the calmer, sensitive “Unintended.” The former’s main riff and extended coda epitomize the sheer intensity Muse can muster up.
The album approaches the end with “Stockholm Syndrome,” another dynamic song with pounding verses and a melodic, eye-of-the-hurricane chorus. Interestingly, the band closes with “Take a Bow,” the opener for Black Holes and Revelations. The show ends in a short chaos of blurred synths, cascading percussion hits and a high wail from Bellamy. Despite its fourteen tracks, the CD excludes several songs found on the DVD (which requires its own review).
Conspiracy theories aside, radio waves do have power over people’s minds. Few things elicit reactions as effective as music does, and few bands do it as well as Muse. This album is all the proof you need.
