Today we’re celebrating the release of Will of the People, the ninth studio album by English rock band Muse. Muse’s forays into alternative and progressive rock mean that they have never been far from themes of fantasy and technology, and they are no strangers to the concept of the Metaverse. In fact, their eighth and previous album Simulation Theory was influenced by virtual reality and the simulation hypothesis that reality is an illusion and, in fact, we exist inside a computer simulation.
So, what might a Muse-inspired Metaworld look like? Here at themetabite.com we imagine a small, dark planetoid trapped in the embrace of, and orbiting, the remnants of a supermassive black hole. Borrowing from dystopian themes, the surface of this Metaworld will include a number of zones where visitors can socialize with like-minded fans, interact with the band, explore areas inspired by the band’s music, compete in competitions, and buy exclusive band merchandise and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Muse are proud of their heritage. This is evident in the release of 2019’s Origin of Muse, which comprised remastered editions of Muse’s first two albums, Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry alongside b-sides, demos and live performances from their early career. So it makes sense to include a zone where fans can enjoy a retrospective of the bands career. This would include virtual replicas of early gigs including their 1994 battle of the bands performance as Rocket Baby Dolls, as well as their first gigs as Muse, supporting Skunk Anansie in London and Manchester.
Another zone would host virtual recreations of studios that the band have recorded in over the years. As well as exploring London’s RAK Studios, Cornwall’s Sawmills Studio, Surrey’s Ridge Farm Studio, Wiltshire’s Real World Studios, and David Gilmour's Astoria houseboat studio on the Thames, fans can discover the instruments that make up Muse’s studio sound, from guitars and drums, to church organs, Mellotrons and even animal bones.
Other zones to be included in any Muse-inspired Metaworld would also include areas that reflect on the themes of the band’s back catalogue. A zone based on theological and apocalyptic concepts (fight your way through a zombie horde to 2003’s Absolution), one that looks at political corruption, alien invasion, revolution and New World Order conspiracies (engage in a cold war strategy game with 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations as your soundtrack), a zone themed around societal collapse and totalitarianism (escape a world where the government controls almost all aspects of the public and private life to 2012’s The 2nd Law), and one that explores the dehumanization of modern warfare (Call of Duty-esque first person shooting while listening to 2015’s Drones).
The full album track listing for Will of the People is:
1. Will of the People
2. Compliance
3. Liberation
4. Won’t Stand Down
5. Ghosts (How Can I Move On)
6. You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween
7. Kill or Be Killed
8. Verona
9. Euphoria
10. We Are Fucking Fucked
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