After the mostly-ridiculed Queen-inspired bombast of their Summer Olympics anthem “Survival,” Muse return with the video for the new single “Madness.”
The song is much more mellow than the group’s biggest arena-sized hits, and the ambitious video is suitably subdued — even when the riot cops break out the fire hoses. The video sets a fractured romance against the backdrop of some sort of uprising against a totalitarian authority in a futuristic urban landscape. In other words its’ typical Muse madness.
“Madness” highlights the U.K. band’s much ballyhooed new dubstep sound and features some more Queen-like harmonies, and an icy synth groove reminiscent of Depeche Mode.
The video was directed by Anthony Mandler, who’s mostly known for working with hip-hop stars such as Jay-Z and Drake, but also helmed Muse’s 2010 clip for “Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever).”
“Madness” is the second single from their upcoming album “The 2nd Law,” following “Survival.”
“The 2nd Law”will be released October 1.
What do you think of the song and video?