After receiving the album and giving it a few plays through to give them all a good shot, I actually quite like it. Their best album since Blackholes anyway.
There is still some standard Muse album filler in there (Revolt, Aftermath), but the rest are actually quite good. Some aren't really able to just be tossed on whenever (Globalist, Defector), but a couple more (Reaper, The Handler) are really very good.
Mercy is a pretty weak song. Don't know why its being pushed as a single. Its not bad as such but nothing special. Definitely find myself skipping it.
As for Dead Inside, I've done a complete 180 on that song. I hated it when it was first released, but then after a few more listens I've found it to be a great song while driving along. Its in my running playlist as well as it keeps a good rhythm.
I would say anyone giving this album a listen, do yourself a favour and do it right. Get comfy on the couch, have some of whatever your favourite vice is next to you, toss on some high quality headphones if you have them and listen to it the whole way through without interruption. The album kicks ass in that setting.
If you just listen to some tracks here and there shuffled in with other music, it makes a lot of the songs sound out of place. Especially the filler songs
and thats all I need!
