Matt Bellamy has revealed that MUSE not only shares a great love of Iron Maiden but he believes the bands share many similarities.
Speaking to Classic Rock magazine about the musical inspiration behind the modern prog superstars' 2022 release Will Of The People, Bellamy reflected on the impact Iron Maiden had on the track Kill Or Be Killed and on the band's sound more generally.
"When we were growing up we were listening to bands like Iron Maiden. And though we connected more through Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and the Smashing Pumpkins, we always had this love for eighties metal. Metallica were also a big one for us, but Iron Maiden were the British band and also felt a bit more punk rock in ways."
"The song Phantom Of The Opera [from Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut album, 1980] doesn’t feel as bloated or overtly classical as other metal songs. There’s still something quite angry and scary about it. That’s why Maiden are a band we’ve always looked up to. That usage of the harmonic minor scale and the progressive approach to arrangements is something that we share, even if we never sounded like them and live in a different genre. We have a lot of respect for them as musicians, especially Steve Harris, who is one of the best bass players around."
Bellamy also credits the likes of Deftones, Rage Against the Machine and Yngwie Malmsteen as influences on his playing and songwriting styles in the interview.
Grammy Award and Brit Award winners Muse released Will Of The People last year.
The album emerged to widespread critical acclaim for its audacious ambition and reflection of a world in flux. Entirely self-produced by Muse, the 10-track Will of the People album features Won’t Stand Down, Compliance, Will Of The People and the aforementioned Kill Or Be Killed.
Prior to its release, Bellamy shared some insight into the artistic intention that drove Will Of The People into existence.
'''Will Of The People' was created in Los Angeles and London and is influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world. A pandemic, new wars in Europe, massive protests & riots, an attempted insurrection, Western democracy wavering, rising authoritarianism, wildfires and natural disasters and the destabilization of the global order all informed 'Will Of The People'. It has been a worrying and scary time for all of us as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long are genuinely threatened. This album is a personal navigation through those fears and preparation for what comes next.”
Matching the excellence and versatility of these already-released songs, Liberation echoes glam rock in the age of disinformation. At the same time, there is innocence and purity to the nostalgic electronic textures of Verona. Aside from the haunting piano ballad Ghosts (How Can I Move On), the band’s frenetic energy is palpable with the lightning-bolt rush of Euphoria, while We Are Fucking Fucked brings the curtain down with loud/quiet/loud dynamics and a final burst of insanity.
Will Of The People is now available to purchase HERE in a variety of innovative formats.
Listen to Will Of The People
Iron Maiden were recently honoured by the Royal Mail with a collection of 12 official postage stamps. Featuring eight live shots of the East London metal icons, as well as four variations of their iconic mascot Eddie, the stamps will go on sale on January 12th via the 507-year-old mail service, with orders being taken now via the official Royal Mail website.
The photos featured in the stamp collection were snapped between 1983 and 2018, while the four Eddies featured are their 1980 self-titled debut album cover art, The Trooper single artwork, the Aces High single artwork, while the final Eddie is a unique depiction of the Samurai warrior Senjutsu Eddie.
Iron Maiden released their 17th studio album Senjutsu in 2021. On the day of Senjutsu's release, we were granted an audience with a man whose fingerprints are all over that signature Iron Maiden sound, the living legend of metal, guitarist Dave Murray.
Buy Iron Maiden's new album Senjutsu now!
Last year, the band celebrated the 40th anniversary of their iconic third full-length, The Number of the Beast, releasing special anniversary editions on vinyl and cassette.
The Number Of The Beast plus Beast Over Hammersmith is available to purchase now via Maniacs.
