Black Holes and Revelations is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band Muse

Muse (band)

Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...

, released on 3 July 2006. Recording was split between New York and France, and it was the first time Muse had taken a more active role in the album's production. The album was a change in style from Muse's previous albums, and the band cited influences that included Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...

, Millionaire

Millionaire (band)

Millionaire is a Belgian indie rock band led by Tim Vanhamel, drawing on influences from stoner rock, indie and industrial rock music.-History:Millionaire was formed in 1999 by former Evil Superstars and dEUS guitarist Tim Vanhamel...

, Lightning Bolt, Sly and the Family Stone, and music from southern Italy.

Black Holes and Revelations was placed at #34 in a public vote conducted by Q Magazine for "The Best British Albums of all time" in February 2008.

Like their previous two albums, Black Holes & Revelations has political and science-fiction undertones, with the lyrics covering topics as varied as political corruption, alien invasion, revolution, New World Order conspiracies as well as more conventional love songs.
Muse's previous album, Absolution, was released in 2003 to critical acclaim.