Matt Bellamy Shares The Metal Bands That Influenced Muse’s Sound

Gather round; apparently, Muse had a few ‘muses’ that shaped their sound when they were figuring out their place in the industry. Not many people might be familiar with their interest in the ’80s metal scene, which has crept its way to their latest album. Frontman Matt Bellamy shared with Classic Rock that several metal bands were all they listened to and took inspiration from when they were testing the waters for their unique sound.

“When we were growing up, we listened to bands like Iron Maiden,” shared the vocalist of their initial interest in metal. “And though we connected more through Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, and the Smashing Pumpkins, we always had this love for ’80s metal. Metallica was also a big one for us, but Iron Maiden was the British band and felt a bit more punk rock.”

Bellamy revealed that Iron Maiden was always a top muse for them as they had a different approach to metal that wasn’t overly classic. “The ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ song from Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut album 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 is a band we’ve always looked up to.”

He added, “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 lived 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.”

Although Muse preferred to walk through the rock route, they still share similar approaches to their arrangements. More than ever, Muse has brought back their initial interest in metal to their latest album ‘Will Of The People’ which has a much heavier sound than they have ever explored. Their latest work will give you a taste of their ‘muses’ which they didn’t shy away from incorporating into their 2022 UK chart-topper.