With Survival confirmed as the official Olympics anthem, Muse have staked their place as the UK's foremost band, able to stand tall on the global stage.
And for this track they've channelled that other great British rock export - Queen - with the song's grand scale and operatic introduction reminiscent of Bohemian Rhapsody or (appropriately) We Are The Champions.
Simultaneously, this is Muse through and through. 2009's 'The Resistance' had a clear classical influence, especially in final triptych Exogenesis: Symphony parts 1-3, orchestral strings added to the blazing guitars and Matt Bellamy's trademark falsetto vocal. On that album it bordered on pretension, but on Survival it creates a suitably expansive introduction. As it progresses, the music erupts into a volcanic guitar solo, Bellamy screaming "I'm gonna win!" with unparalleled determination. Performed live this will set Danny Boyle's meadow ablaze.
This really is a track of Olympic proportions, even if it does sh*t on the mantra 'it's the taking part that counts'. But that's always been a moot point. Muse have won, producing an anthem the UK can be proud of.
4/5
Listen: Survival is available now. The band's forthcoming album, 'The 2nd Law', will be released in September.
