Muse has evolved over the decades they have been together, and that's a brilliant thing. Sometimes they boldly go where fans are initially less than thrilled to follow, but that isn't the point of the band. They want to challenge listeners while also challenging themselves.
One motif of their work, though, has been a space-ageiness that blisters and booms, though the payoff is not always fulfilling. The group is a bit too prog at times, but only in a plastic way. Still, their overall output is better than most bands that have ever created a tune.
The question is whether "Cryogen," the band's third release so far from their upcoming June 26 album, The Wow! Signal, is enough to entice people to want to hear more? Maybe even an entire record's worth.
Muse drop "Cryogen," but is it worth your time?
The band has been banging out the kinks of the tune live, but Muse's studio work is always pristine. We know the songs are going to sound good. "Cryogen" does too.
The band leaves little doubt that what one is going to hear is the current form of the group's sound from the beginning. A guitar shimmers with a well-laid bass, and then there is a build to a chorus that explodes. The tune is reminiscent of the band's early work on 2001's Origin of Symmetry, and that's a great thing.
The track then settles into a bit more of a methodical verse, followed by another verse. The part isn't bad, though it's a bit like a person waiting in a room before they open a door to a dazzling dance hall. The chorus is the true payoff of the song, but the ideas in the verses are a bit more common.
Nearly four minutes into the song, a breakdown occurs, which lasts a few seconds too long, but resolves into something akin to "Knights of Cydonia." "Cryogen" never quite reaches that lofty level, but just the mere attempt makes the track worth a listen. You won't be disappointed.
As far as seeing the band playing the track live, you will have your chances. Below is the summer run of Muse's North American 2026 concerts.
- 7/2 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
- 7/5 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *
- 7/7 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center *
- 7/10 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
- 7/11 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center *
- 7/13 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre *
- 7/15 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre *
- 7/17 – Québec, QC @ Festival d’été de Québec
- 7/18 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center *
- 7/22 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center *
- 7/24 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Albany Med Health System at SPAC *
- 7/25 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater *
- 7/28 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion *
- 7/29 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion *
- 8/10 – Charlotte, NC @ Truliant Amphitheater #
- 8/12 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre #
- 8/14 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion #
- 8/15 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater #
- 8/18 – Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater #
- 8/20 – West Valley City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre #
- 8/22 – Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater #
- 8/23 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre #
- 8/26 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheatre #
- 8/27 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre #
- 8/29 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre #
- 8/31 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl #
* with Bloc Party
# with Portugal. The Man
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