Top 10 of 2012

For music, 2012 was a very good year for new albums, releases, and live albums. This makes picking only ten albums difficult, and a bit more so in making the order of them up to what I think of as the best of the past year. No matter whose list you look at for 2012, they're all going to be different since there was just so much good music released (like I feel depending on the day my order here could change), which is just fantastic! Well, here we go..


10. Baroness - Yellow and Green
The third release from Baroness, which is presented as a double album of the first disc Yellow and the second Green. Between the two parts of the album Yellow for me is a bit stronger than Green, but that doesn't mean Green still doesn't sound fantastic and great. They go absolutely excellent together (and stand alone), just overall Yellow has more to it.

Each part to this double album is filled with memorable songs

The first half of the album was "Yellow Theme", "Take My Bones Away", "March to the Sea", "Little Things", "Twinkler", "Cocainium", "Back Where I Belong", "Sea Lungs", and "Eula". Now for the second part was "Green Theme", "Board Up the House", "Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)", "Foolsong", "Collapse", "Psalms Alive", "Stretchmarker", "The Line Between", and "If I Forget Thee, Lowcountry".

9. Alcest - Les Voyages de l'Âme
The third full length album from French shoegaze post-rock/metal band Alcest whose consists only of Neige and Winterhalter for studio recordings. There is just something about Alcest that makes me think of a fantasy world filled with creatures like elves and faries, all within an intricate forest. Les Voyages de l'Âme, or "The Soul's Journeys"

The songs of this album are "Autre Temps", "Là où Naissent les Couleurs Nouvelles", "Les Voyages de l'Âme", "Nous Sommes l'Émeraude", "Beings of Light", "Faiseurs de Mondes", "Havens", and "Summer's Glory".

8. Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora’s Piñata
The third album from Swedish avant-garde symphonic progressive swing metal band D.S.O.This album really explores a variety of styles, but I think it's their strongest album (even with how fantastic their last album Sing-Along Songs for the Damned & Delirious was).

With going through all the different styles presented in this album, it still flows very coherently. This album also really displays the quality of musicianship for the members for being able to successfully pull all of that off. The songs range from swing, funk, opera, electronic, metal, and a lot in between. Now you may think how can this album possibly flow with all that jumping around between genres, well they found a way to really have it work.

Take the song "Aurora", this has to be the least likely song to hear from a metal band. The orchestration, the vocals, almost everything about this, it's the type of song that you would picture in an opera. The remaining tracks on the album are "Voodoo Mon Amour", "Guerrilla Laments", "Kevlar Sweethearts", "How to Organize a Lynch Mob", "Black Box Messiah", "Exit Strategy of a Wrecking Ball", "Mass Rapture", "Honey Trap Aftermath", "Of Kali ma Calibre", and "Justice for Saint Mary".


7. Ne Obliviscars - Portal of I 
The first full length album from this Australian metal band, really is a great debut album which makes me eager to hear what this band will have for later releases.

This album consists of of the songs "Tapestry Of The Starless Abstract", "Xenoflux", "Of The Leper Butterflies", "Forgot Not", "And Plague Flowers The Kaleido", "As Icicles Fall", and "Of Petrichor Weaves Black Noise".
 

6. Hypno5e - Acid Mist Tomorrow
If you're familiar with Hypno5e, then you have an idea of the atmosphere presented within their music. Acid Mist Tomorrow takes some of that feeling from their previous album Des Deux L'unes Est L'autre and really takes it a lot further.

This band I think is highly underrated in general, they combine ambient with experimental metal in just a fantastic way with both of their albums.When I had first heard Des Deux L'unes Est L'autre I wasn't sure how they would top such a great debut album, but they managed to and then some with Acid Mist Tomorrow.

Without dividing the songs into parts as is done with the track listing, this album consists of "Acid Mist Tomorrow", "Six Fingers In One Hand She Holds The Dawn", "Story Of The Eye", "Gehenne", and "Brume Unique Obscurité".

5. BTBAM - The Parallax
Now before I talk about The Parallax II: Future Sequence, I think it is only fitting to first discuss the previous release The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues. The two most recent releases from progressive death metal band Between the Buried and Me are both part of a two part concept album suite, which include it is most appropriate to listen to together. As to expect from these two releases, there is a high level of technicality, layering of multiple parts that are not typically seen in the "popular" music scene (I say that for in general).

First, Hypersleep Dialogues. This EP starts out with a dramatic opening of piano, brass, and pizzicato strings, followed by a suspended dissonance to introduce what is to follow. This is then followed by the standard instrumentation known for BTBAM, with Tommy's harsh vocals on top of it all. The whole thing consists of three tracks, "Specular Reflection", "Augment of Rebirth", and "Lunar Wilderness".

Of course some of the initial themes introduced in the orchestral opening are brought back within a different instrumentation, in order to bring a different tone to the original idea and to expand upon it. The three songs work with the detailed parts to also later on reference past aspects of the different sections presented. The same is done with Future Sequence, which also brings in some elements from the EP. Now the lyrics of this release set up the character development and concept of what appears to be a minds journey through space.

For Future Sequence is now taking the concept of bringing back ideas in a new way. The song "Extremophile Elite" takes part of  on of the concepts in "Specular Reflection", but now has it with different lyrics and a slightly different voicing. Now I've read that some people were disappointed with this record, but for myself I loved it. Give it a listen after Hypersleep Dialogues to decide if this is for you, since I have also seen people list this as one of their favorite releases of the year.

Overall this second part consists of the songs  "Goodbye to Everything", "Astral Body", "Lay Your Ghost to Rest", "Autumn", "Extremophile Elite", "Parallax", "The Black Box", "Telos", "Bloom", "Melting City", "Silent Flight Parliament", and "Goodbye to Everything Reprise".

4. Rush - Clockwork Angels
The nineteenth album from Canadian prog rock superstars, which won the Album of the Year at the 2012 Prog Awards (that took place in September).

The songs on the album are "Caravan", "BU2B", "Clockwork Angels", "The Anarchist", "Carnies", "Halo Effect", "Seven Cities of Gold", "The Wreckers", "Headlong Flight", "BU2B2", "Wish Them Well", and  "The Garden".

In a young man’s quest to follow his dreams, he is caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos. He travels across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy with lost cities, pirates, anarchists, exotic carnivals, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life.

There was also a book released to accompany and expand upon the story told in the album, which was also titled Clockwork Angels. This sci-fi novel was written by Kevin J. Anderson, and while I have not read it yet myself I do plan on changing that.

3. Katatonia - Dead End Kings
In their ninth studio album, Katatonia has just as much doom, gloom, and melancholy as ever, and really diving into the core of their sound. Though also continuing with a more progressive sound as seen in their previous album Night Is The New Day.

"Dead End Kings is about the corridors of our mind from where there is no return. Be a king or queen in your own right in these hallways, even at the dead end. Carry your burden with pride. That’s what we are doing, twenty years and counting. Kings, because we believe in what we are creating, in our own disturbing faith." ~ Jonas Renkse

This album I just love, and every song just flows so smoothly together really creating a solid atmosphere for the album. The special edition of Dead End Kings came with two bonus tracks; "Second" and "The Act of Darkening". These two tracks really are strong enough to have been on the album, but even without them the whole work is still wonderful.

The songs "The Parting", "The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here", "Hypnone", "The Racing Heart", "Buildings", "Leech", "Ambitions", "Undo You", "Lethean", "First Prayer", and "Dead Letters".

The album was reviewed by Danny Cavanagh of Anathema in an issue of Metal Hammer (x):

Certain bands, have just got 'it'. It is sometimes difficult to identify just what 'it' is; it's too deep to be called musical quality, and too abstract to be simply put down to good songwriting. It's timeless, and it's not to be either labeled or conceptualized. It's something magical, natural.. like the depth of love, and loss, like the feeling you can't describe - something intangible and beautiful that hangs on the music like an invisible, ethereal perfume. Whatever 'it' is, it's a sure sign of greatness, in any art form, and with Dead End Kings, Katatonia have proved again that they've got it. And they have got it in fucking spades.

2. Anathema - Weather Systems
The perfect soundtrack for an oncoming storm, which brings the listener through nothing less than an emotional journey. This is the ninth album from Anathema, and I really think their strongest one yet. Each song is filled with emotion, as you can expect from them, but such that can just overtake whomever is listening.

This album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2012 Prog Awards, which while they were beat by Rush, Anathema did however win the award for the best Live Event. I've only seen them live once, in 2011 when it was just Vincent and Danny playing acoustically to open for Blackfield, but just that they put their set together like that after the rest of the band not being able to make it over to the U.S. really says something about their musicianship. Plus they put on such a fantastic performance, they are a band whom I need to see (in full) at some point in my life at least once more.

There's feeling that I can't describe,
a reason that I cannot hide.
I've never seen a light that's so bright,
the light that shines behind your eyes.

I can see this life and what you mean to me
and when I dreamed, I dreamed of you.

Then I wake, tell me what I do.

Songs such as "The Gathering of the Clouds", exhibit several vocal parts layering on top of each other creating a really great blend over the other instruments. Even with how the album opens, with the two part "Untouchable"
The remaining songs on the album are "Lightning Song", "Sunlight", "The Storm Before the Calm", "The Beginning and the End", "The Lost Child", and "Internal Landscapes".

1. Wintersun - Time I
The second album from the Finish folk metal band, brings the first part in an epic tale. Each song on this album is memorable and adds to this journey they are presenting. The music of the whole thing really fits wonderfully with the lyrics (a lot of which I think are just beautiful).

The release of this album suffered many delays, as their first (self-titled) album came out in 2004.

The whole album is five tracks; "When Time Fades Away", "Sons of Winter and Stars", "Land of Snow and Sorrow", "Darkness and Frost", and "Time". Each of these songs just flow from one to the other, where you just don't want the album to end (which is where Time II will come in hopefully this year).

Time will go on and we are drifting away in the night.
I've been searching so long, but I will find you even if it takes my whole life.
But tonight I feel so alone and I know that you are forever gone.
Oh time, don't fade away when I need you here, oh please don't leave me now.

 In an interview on Noisecreep, bassist Jukka Koskinen said about their overall sound; "The Wintersun sound is like a movie soundtrack but no one has taken to the level we have. We have a softer side, a very progressive side, and a very brutal side to what we do." With how Time I is set up and orchestrated, I really have to agree with this since it really describes it well. There is a certain epic-ness to their sound, but presented in a way that's not 'over the top', but instead just the right way.

Picking only ten albums from this year was difficult, as there was just a vast amount of great music released this past year. The other albums I have listened to from 2012 are as follows, and really the majority of these I would highly recommend listening to anyway. There are a few in here I have not gotten to listen to as much due to just either not having the chance or giving them their first listen more recently and not fully digested them. Which could also maybe in time give a slightly different list than what is above, but those albums really I could not stop listening to (and still feel the same way).

Circa Survive - Violent Waves | Children of Nova - Impossible Landscapes** | Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman: Ascension | Cynic - The Portal Tales | Dark Empire - From Refuge to Ruin | Deftones - Koi No Yokan | Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud | Flying Colors - Flying Colors | Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! | Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage** | HTDA - An Omen EP | The Human Abstract - Moonlight Sonata | Isis -Temporal | Kayo Dot - Gamma Knife** | Linkin Park - Living Things | Marilyn Manson - Born Villain | The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet** | Meshuggah - Koloss | Metric - Synthetica  | Muse - The 2nd Law* | Neurosis - Honor Found in Decay** | No-Man - Love and Endings  | Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol | The Pineapple Thief - All The Wars** | Placebo - B3 EP | Porcupine Tree - Octane Twisted | Sigur Rós - Valtari | Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods | The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania | Soen - Cognitive | Soundgarden - King Animal | Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion*/** | Swans - The Seer | Serj Tankian - Harakiri | Testament - Dark Roots of Earth | T.R.A.M. - Lingua Franca | Trioscapes - Separate Realities | Steven Wilson - Get All You Deserve

* These albums I have already written a review of in previous posts (specifically in 2nd Law of Muse and "..and how prog is that? (-;").
** Close runner ups to the "top 10" that easily could have been included.

Even with those two lists, there are still many albums I have not gotten the chance to listen to. Ones I have been meaning to, and will eventually when I have access to them, are the following:

Absent Hearts - August Earth | Agalloch - Faustian Echoes | Art By Numbers - Reticence: The Musical | Atoma - Skylight | Be'lakor - Of Breath and Bone | Beardfish - The Void | Being As An Ocean - Dear G-d… | The Big Pink - Future This | Bilocate - Summoning the Bygones | The Birthday Massacre - Hide and Seek | Car Bomb - w^w^^w^w | Cloudkicker - Fade | The Contortionist - Intrinsic | Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind | De Profundis - The Emptiness Within | Deathspell Omega - Drought | Dissona - Dissona | Eluveitie - Helvetios | Ensigerum - Unsung Heroes | Enslaved - RIITIIR | Epica - Requiem for the Indifferent | Eths - III | The Faceless - Autotheism | The Flower Kings - Banks of Eden | Gavin Harrison & 05Ric - The Man Who Sold Himself | Gazpacho - March of Ghosts | Grizzly Bear - Shields | Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited II | Headspace - I Am Anonymous | Ian Anderson - Thick as a Brick 2 | In the Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad | Ihsahn - Eremita | Jon Durant and Colin Edwin - Burnt Belief | Kamelot - Silverthorn | Lamb of God - Resolution | Les Discrets - Ariettes oubliées | Marillion - Sounds That Can't Be Made | Paul McCartney - Kisses on the Bottom | Mestis - Basal Ganglia | Mothlite - Dark Age | My Dying Bride - A Map of All Our Failures | Napalm Death - Utilitarian | Nile - At the Gate of Sethu | Nifty Breed - Keep Quiet | No Doubt - Push and Shove | North Atlantic Oscillation - Fog Electric | Nosound - At the Pier | Old Man Gloom - No | OSI - Fire Make Thunder | Periphery - Periphery II | Pig Destroyer - Book Burner | Sonata Arctica - Stones Grow Her Name | Stolen Babies - Naught | Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix | Vaura - Selenion | Ulver - Childhood's End | Jack White - Blunderbuss

Well I hope you have enjoyed my top ten list, there were just so many fantastic albums that came out in 2012, and I expect so many more to be released this year. Hopefully not forgetting some, I believe some groups that have albums set to release (or at least a likely possibility) are; Atoms for Peace, Black Sabbath, Cult of Luna, Cynic, Dir en Grey, Dream Theater, Ghost, How to Destroy Angels, Kill Hannah, Mastodon, Nine Inch Nails, Riverside, Steven Wilson, and Wintersun. I'm sure I'm missing some here, but I know as time goes on that will change. Any way, I look forward to all the new music that has yet to be released.

Note: I may edit this slightly later on, but only with additional comments for the albums I have in the top ten. I wouldn't be changing the order or anything, I just know me and that I will probably not get as much time to get to that immediately since my semester begins tomorrow. And if I do not change anything from what I have now, I hope you enjoy it either way.

"..and how prog is that? (-;"

Since the release of Get All You Deserve I thought I would go back to this little something I was going to do a while ago, but finally have together to be a bit more cohesive.. Here shall be a little review, or maybe more of a general "talk" of the album trilogy between Opeth's Heritage, Steven Wilson's Grace For Drowning, and the much awaited Storm Corrosion. So while the trilogy has been out for a while, I still love it to bits and would like to have my little input on the whole thing up on these series of tubes..

The albums Grace For Drowning from Steven Wilson and Heritage by Opeth are both part of an unofficial trilogy, both of which were released in September of 2011. The final album in this trilogy is titled Storm Corrosion, which is a collaboration between Steven Wilson (most notable of Porcupine Tree) and Mikael Åkerfeldt (of Opeth) which was released in April. Both the first two albums of the trilogy play tribute to 70's progressive rock, such as bands like King Crimson and Jethro Tull.  This is especially true with songs such as "Raidar II", that have obvious influence from Crimson. Even lyrically, Heritage and Grace For Drowning have a darker tone than the albums preceding them (Watershed and Insurgentes, that were both released in 2008). The album covers for the three albums were done by Travis Smith, Lasse Hoile, and Hans Arnold, respective to the order of each release.

Heritage has been described by Steven Wilson as "... a kind of contemporary take on the darker side of seventies progressive music." While this album differs from most of their discography, it still maintains the distinct sound and style of Opeth. This is their second album where no harsh vocals are used at all, the first to do this being Damnation. Many people seemed to be surprised by the album due to this, but I find that it really doesn't sound too drastically different from what you might expect Opeth to do. Yes, it's no death metal album, but it has their core and distinct sound within each of the songs.

While the instrumentation used in Heritage isn't much different from their other albums, how they arranged and mixed it provided an obvious difference in their sound. The album presents itself as being less heavy than Opeth's previous albums, but somehow more melancholic. The track "Famine" draws many similarities to Jethro Tull with the use of flutter tonging in the flute, with a similar style to what Ian Anderson would use.

Grace For Drowning is a double album, disc one is titled Deform to Form a Star and disc two is Like Dust I Have Cleared from My Eye (as well as a third disc, The Map, included in the deluxe edition). Aside from the deluxe edition having a third disc and a blu-ray, it also has an amazing 120 page book of photographer Lasse Hoile's work

The songs go through a variety of styles, from a 20-minute epic that pays tribute to 70's prog, to the more electronic and modern. This track is of course "Raider II", which I have seen on tumblr described as;

“Raider II” just kinda reminds me of if King Crimson took too much acid and accidentally locked themselves in a dark room with Porcupine Tree’s The Incident playing on repeat in 5.1 surround sound // in other words it’s amazing

Which I have to agree with, because that song does have many references to King Crimson, particularly their album Lizard and it's opening song "Cirkus". Knowing Wilson's appreciation of Crimson, as well as his work on remastering their catalog for the 40th anniversary editions, this was done intentionally. The influence of Crimson, 70's prog, and jazz is very noticeable on the album, and even more so in live performance.

Now to the final piece of the trilogy, Storm Corrosion, which itself is different from Wilson's and Åkerfeldt's other works. Though going based on what they were discussing about the album before it's release, nothing to really completely shock people with. Overall the whole album is simply a beautiful, solemn, piece of work. The album actually has very little percussion in it, but what it does have is performed by Porcupine Tree's drummer Gavin Harrison.

As mentioned earlier, the cover art for this album is a painting by Swedish artist Hans Arnold. This was not created for the album as it was painted in 1969, but chosen by Åkerfeldt and Wilson to be the cover. I think taking this piece adds to telling how they are paying tribute to the progressive and avant-garde music, most notable of the 1970's.

Storm Corrosion while different in style, really unites Heritage and Grace For Drowning. Throughout the album, you hear partial quotes from different parts of the other two albums. 

"The album title came from reading stories and accounts of people who have had near-death experiences with drowning. They all say the same thing: They got a point where they stopped struggling where they reached a point of calm, of grace. I like Grace for Drowning as a metaphor for my life. I don’t really care anymore if I’m successful or if I’m going to be more successful than I am already. I’d still like to share my music with more people. But I’m not stressed about it. I’m making the best music I’ve ever made now because I feel totally liberated from trying to please anyone." ~ Steven Wilson

This quote more than anything really describes all three albums, being where Wilson (and Åkerfeldt) just go solely with what they want to create. Not having to to stress about how people may react to it, just making the music for themselves. With that sort of approach, you get the artists full heart and soul put into the work. Once you create a piece of art that you put 100% of your emotions and efforts into, typically you are going to end up with something truly beautiful. For me, that is the case with these three albums, each one amazing in their own way. There is also the great experience of just listening through each album, one after the other with no interruptions. Through that you can really notice the similarities between the albums, with quotes and attributes to take note of the others, and really notice more details than you would otherwise.

The complete trilogy.

2nd Law of Muse

Well, since Muse's new album The 2nd Law came out this week, I figured it would be good to review it (as well as do a write up of the two times I got to see them live). Now for the album, before hearing the whole thing I was having very mixed feelings on the whole thing, not sure if I would like it or not. I had heard three songs from the album, "Survival", "Unsustainable", and "Madness", so given that you can't really judge the whole product based off of three parts out of context. But now here we go upon hearing the whole thing..

First off, you can not judge an album based off of three out of context songs. I was honestly not sure if I would like this album or not, because I got such mixed vibes from what I heard. But hearing everything in context with each other, yes this is Muse, and yes they are still sounding fantastic.

You can definitely hear the Queen and U2 influences, but I think it still works to be an enjoyable album. Sure it's no Absolution, but I'm not saying that's a bad thing here as many people are, merely an observation. Matt Bellamy's vocals are really strong on the album, going into his falsetto at times that more resembles how he was singing on Origin of Symmetry. This with, as I'm sure was noticed by many in The Resistance, deeper range really adds a nice quality to the songs. Also from The Resistance now having Muse experiment with orchestral instruments, this continues with the addition of brass (and more than what was heard in "Knights of Cydonia" off of Black Holes & Revelations). Even if you're having doubts after a first listen through give it another shot, since at least for myself the songs really grow on you.

This album gives Chris Wolstenholme the lead vocals on two tracks, "Save Me" and "Liquid State", where he really does a fantastic job with them. On previous albums he's just done the back up vocals to Matt Bellamy, but he really can sing lead well. "Liquid State" reminds me more of their older material, but with the change of different vocals.

The only ssong I'm still not 100% with is "Unsustainable" because I feel like they're trying to do too much at once. If you want to do the dubstep and orchestral elements together, sure, but have it rationed out a bit more. It works much better within the album than just by itself, but I think it would have been better if it wasn't so much of it going on. I do really like how the album ends with "Isolated System", which is a nice blend of the electronic and orchestral elements.

I think if you write off the whole album based on one or two songs you heard on the radio, you'll be missing out. It's a good album with some really solid songs, that really work best in context with each other. It's still Muse, and they can still write new and interesting music while incorporating elements of the vast popular music scene.There are some parts as I mentioned where I think they are trying to do too much at once, but that's only in a few places. The album is a good one, that I would not only have as a "one time listen". Go check it out.

Left: 3/5/10, Right: 10/23/10

Now that the review of their new album is done with, time to get to the two shows. Both of these shows were part of The Resistance Tour, and come April they will be around North America for their The 2nd Law Tour. I really hope I can go to that, but I can't say for certain due to ensemble requirements that semester. Though I would be shocked if they didn't add a ton more dates for the States, or later on more New York shows for that matter. So in the (sad) case I can't see them in April, I would expect to be able to see them in the area at some point on this tour.

Madison Square Garden, March 5, 2010

This show I really like to attribute to really getting me into seeing concerts. I still consider it to be one of the best shows I have seen, since I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

This show was actually an early birthday present from my parents, and I can't thank them enough for it. Tickets for this show and Blackfield are definitely up there for "best birthday presents". Anyway, the seats were way up in the last row of section 419, which at the time was pretty much as high up as you could go for the Garden.

The opening act was Silversun Pickups, and due to the stage set up and out seats I could not really see them. That being said, they sounded great. Their set was the following:
01. Growing Old Is Getting Old | 02. Well Thought Out Twinkles | 03. There's No Secrets This Year | 04. The Royal We | 05. Future Foe Scenarios | 06. Substitution | 07. Panic Switch | 08. Lazy Eye

Before Muse gets on stage they have projections of falling bodies over the massive towers, in the style of the Absolution cover, going as the "We Are the Universe" opening is playing. It still looked like the seats would have a blocked view, but once they got on stage, the curtains surrounding the towers dropped to have Matt, Dom, and Chris in the middle of each of the three towers. So what looked like it could have been the worst seats turned out to be some of the best with a fantastic view.

One of my favorite parts of that night was when they played "MK Ultra", which has to also be one of my favorite sons off of The Resistance (along with "Exogenesis: Symphony").

Their set was really extensive, not to mention long, including songs from all of their albums except Showbiz. I would have loved to hear some songs off of that album, but their set was amazing none the less. Being my first time seeing Muse, and first time at Madison Square Garden, I was just thrilled beyond belief to get to see one of my favorite bands. So sixteen year-old me sang along to every song, to the point of my voice getting really sore afterwords. That experience was really just incredible for me, and whenever I go to shows where it's appropriate to sing along with the crowd and band, I think of it.

Another really cool aspect of this show was the "Helsinki Jam" between Dom and Chris. Having not heard that before this concert, it was a real treat. Just those two playing, with Chris standing in front of Dom's set as it gradually turned to that at some point they got to face all parts of the audience.

For "Knights of Cydonia", it began with a harmonica introduction done by Chris, "Man with a Harmonica" which was a very suitable was to introduce their closing song. At the end, Chris even tossed the harmonica out to the audience, so who ever got that is very lucky in my opinion.

The amount of energy they had at this show just makes me want to see them again, especially at the Garden. I loved their show at Nassau Coliseum which I shall talk about shortly, but this show being earlier in the tour and with the venue, they really gave it their all.

The set for that night was:
01. Uprising | 02. Resistance | 03. New Born | 04. Map of the Problematique | 05. Supermassive Black Hole | 06. Guiding Light | 07. Interlude + Hysteria | 08. Nishe | 09. United States of Eurasia | 10. Feeling Good | 11. Helsinki Jam | 12. Undisclosed Desires | 13. MK ULTRA | 14. Starlight | 15. Plug In Baby | 16. Time Is Running Out | 17. Unnatural Selection
Encore: 18. Exogenesis: Symphony Part I (Overture) | 19. Stockholm Syndrome | 20. “Man with a Harmonica” intro + Knights of Cydonia

Nassau Coliseum, October 23, 2010

Now while this show wasn't the same as the MSG one, it was still fantastic. This was towards the end of their tour, so granted they are going to be a bit tired from touring, but they can still put on a great show. The stage set up was the same for this show as the previous one, but this time I was sitting more across from the stage in section 303. It was nice having a different view, even if it was further away.

The opening act was the Canadian indie band Metric, who put on a pretty good opening set. It was the following:
01. Black Sheep | 02. Satellite Mind | 03. Dead Disco | 04. Gimme Sympathy | 05. Gold Guns Girls | 06. Sick Muse | 07. Help I'm Alive

One notable aspect of this show, was in the middle of solo in "New Born" the venue's PA went out. So you could see them playing, but barely hear them at all since they weren't being miked. This resulted in them taking a 5-10 minute break to solve the problem, picking up at the beginning of the solo. But they kept on strong after that, their music and performance was just too good the PA couldn't take it.

Anyway, another really neat part of this show was having a "House of the Rising Sun" introduction before playing "Time is Running Out". So what they did was play the instruments, as the whole pit (and some of the seated section) sings along. It was just a great way to lead into that following song.

This set consisted of:
01. Uprising | 02. Map of the Problematique | 03. New Born (+ Microphone Fiend riff) | 04. Supermassive Black Hole | 05. Resistance | 06. Hysteria (“Star-Spangled Banner” + “Interlude” intro) | 07. Guiding Light | 08. Nishe | 09. United States Of Eurasia | 10. Feeling Good | 11. Helsinki Jam | 12. Undisclosed Desires | 13. Time Is Running Out (“House of the Rising Sun” intro) | 14. Starlight | 15. Plug In Baby
Encore: 16. Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1: Overture | 17. Stockholm Syndrome | 18. Knights of Cydonia (“Man with a Harmonica” intro)

Between the two, the MSG performance was the better of the two by far, but that doesn't mean that they weren't both amazing. I just want to stress, I'm not putting down the Coliseum performance at all. It's just that the one at the Garden was just completely perfect to me. Now I'm sure I'm leaving out various detail here and there about the two nights, but with concerts you really just have to be there to fully enjoy the experience. Even though I post videos that other people recorded and posted on YouTube, it's no where near the same as being in the audience with the crowd all singing around you. I really loved them both, and hope that I get to see them again come April. If not, then at a later date in the tour. Based on my two experiences, they will always put on an absolutely fantastic show.

"Muse: Glorious"

 Now going back to my whole "Lets draw something special for the various concerts I see!", we have what I did back in 2010 for the Madison Square Garden show. This took a lot of time, since first I drew and inked it on paper, then colored it in photoshop. Even though it was done over two years ago, I'm still really happy with how this came out. Muse is still one of my favorite bands, so this is my tribute to them. If you're on deviantART and are interested, I have it up there as well.