There are many conflicting opinions about this, Muse's latest album. I have found sifting through them confusing, as I wondered why so many fans had so many varying opinions on this album. So, after listening to this album about a dozen times (at least half of that in the last two days), I believe I have discovered the reason: this is probably Muse's most complex album to date. The reason is that, while remaining true to the style of their more popular albums, this album manages to delve deeper into its theme while taking us on a roller-coaster ride of sound that ultimately demonstrates their range as a contemporary progressive rock band. The result is a musically varied but strikingly bold concept album that I believe some fans will probably not be able to understand in its entirety. Of course, by "understand," I do not mean they cannot comprehend the message of the album (that is stated plainly enough), but rather it may cause some to question their own feelings in terms of how a standard progressive rock album should flow and whether or not Muse truly follows this path. Certainly, for me, this album has invoked many emotional responses ranging from shock and initial rejection, to elation at hearing Muse the way I prefer to hear them.First, in comparing this work to Muse's previous albums, I found it to be more akin to their style as represented in "Origin of Symmetry" through "Black Holes and Revelations". This is a departure from the more experimental styles represented in "Uprising" and "2nd Law". In particular, the failings of these latter albums is in the coherence of the entire album. The first half of Uprising is brilliant, giving us such diverse and beautiful songs as "Uprising" and "United States of Eurasia" (arguably the strongest track on the album, and their most ambitious song to date). Unfortunately, the album falls apart about half-way through and, for me, is unable to maintain my interest. "2nd Law" was an interesting experiment in sound and style but ultimately leaves the listener wondering where their favorite band went. This intentionally pop-sounding album gave us at least one truly memorable tune in "Madness" but the rest is unfulfilling. "Drones," on the other hand, is a solid, entirely consistent album. Not only does the theme of the album resonate in each track but the band's musical style never deviates (until the out-of-the-blue hymn-style final track). So while fans may not vibe with every single track, it is hard to argue that the band is off the rails here. While my interest slightly waned during tracks 5-8 on my initial listens, I found them satisfying upon repeated listens. I have seen several people complain that the dialogue tracks are superfluous, but I while I find "Drill Sergeant" a bit redundant when juxtaposed to "Psycho" I find these tracks functional, almost as a quick expositional monologue in a film gets the plot rolling. Ultimately, I found them to be akin to the bits of dialogue scattered throughout Pink Floyd's "The Wall" as a way of illustrating the points being made in accompanying songs.The album starts out strong with "Dead Inside" which may be my favorite Muse song since "Knights of Cydonia." It has a solid beat and the change-ups keep the song from getting stale. The lyrics are excellent, giving us the overture to the album as well as a great song about emotionally abusive relationships. The song only gets stronger as it progresses, which was what made "Madness" so catchy. It builds up in intensity as the lyrics become angrier and the protagonist increasingly self-critical. Next, both "Psycho" and "Mercy" elaborate, in their own ways, the gamut this album will run in terms of heaviness and melody. I find myself looking forward to these first three songs more than any others, simply because they are each so unique while still functioning side-by-side.The next few songs are probably the kind that appeal to some people and not others. They are good, but not nearly as memorable as the latter three. They serve to drive the "plot" of the album through its second act as the character develops a critical, rebellious attitude. Noteworthy here is the unique beat in "Revolt," which changes in interesting ways and keeps listeners on their toes. I was initially unimpressed by these songs, even jolted by how hard and abrasive they can be, but after focusing on the lyrics and couching them in terms of the album's concept, I found them satisfying, if still not my favorite songs on the album.I've seen several complaints about the final tracks on this album. To my mind, they are some of the strongest work Muse has done in a while. Not only are they functional for creating a dynamic and dramatic final act to the album, but they incorporate many of the musical elements that have proven so popular among Muse fans. To begin, "Aftermath" is as beautiful a ballad as I've heard from them since "Blackout" and will no doubt serve them well in live performances. It's rich and sing-along-inspiring chorus is a welcome respite from the dark and harsh previous tracks. Next, "The Globalist" is an extensive (it is long) attempt to show the self-destructive ends wrought by someone who alienates others through emotional back-lash and manipulation. In particular, an adaptation of their now-familiar "The Whistling Man" from their live shows invokes an Ennio Morricone-esque sound and style that calls to mind the final showdown of an old spaghetti western film. This opening serves the song well, complimented by the lyrics at the end describing the two protagonists as "survivors" in search of memories. Finally, "Drones" seems to put many people off in its pre-classical religious style, but being a fan of this kind of music, I found it enthralling. Even if I wasn't a fan of this style, Muse has a long history of using political and religious imagery to further their musical themes, so a hymn about Drones and destruction seems utterly fitting for this band.Finally, I want to address the thematic quality of this album. Most of Muse's work contains some form of socio-political commentary. This album is no different, but its theme of emotional detachment and blind obedience in the frame of personal relationships is perhaps more boldly stated than any other theme Muse has ever had. Not one track deviates from the concept of the album. While some fans believe that Muse has always produced light concept albums (in particular, "2nd Law"), I believe this is truly their first success. I personally enjoy the theme of this album. I always find their quasi-political commentary to be entertaining, the way it worked so well for bands like Marilyn Manson and Black Sabbath. However, just like Manson's "Mechanical Animals" and "Holywood," "Drones" is a pure success in creating an album-long concept with boldly articulated statements. For some fans, this album lacks subtlety, particularly in its occasional use of dialogue tracks. But keep in mind, folks, that Muse has never been great on subtlety. The themes of such songs as "Stockholm Syndrome" and "United States..." are impossible to misinterpret. Perhaps some fans won't enjoy the stretching of this approach across an entire album but I enjoyed it immensely. Muse, for all their artistry, are not ready to rise to the artistic levels of progressive/thematic bands like Pink Floyd or David Bowie and won't until they learn to uncouple their commentary from metaphorical discussions of romance. Sure, it works great on a pop level, but drowning your lyrics in micro-cosmic metaphor is what keeps a band from realizing the true potential of a concept album. I hope they manage that someday, but in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the heck out of this album.Overall, this album might not appeal to everyone and it might not entirely appeal to anyone, but it makes me very happy and has made me think a great deal about the construction of a concept album and the progression of this band. That much thought provocation deserves massive accolades, in my opinion. Not many albums can achieve this level of inspiration. So please, give it an open-minded chance. It might surprise you.