Black Holes and Revelations - Quiz
  • 1. Which track is described as an attack on an all but unnamed political leader?
A) Exo-Politics
B) Starlight
C) Assassin
D) Take a Bow
  • 2. What lyrical phrase from 'Take a Bow' is mentioned in the text?
A) orchestrated alien invasion
B) black holes and revelations
C) you corrupt / and bring corruption to all that you touch
D) Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
  • 3. Which tracks carry the themes of political attack along with 'Take a Bow'?
A) Starlight and Invincible
B) Soldier's Poem and Starlight
C) Exo-Politics and Assassin
D) Map of the Problematique and Supermassive Black Hole
  • 4. According to Bellamy, what does 'Exo-Politics' describe?
A) An orchestrated alien invasion for increasing military budgets and building space weapons
B) A soldier realizing they are being used
C) A populist revolt against the New World Order
D) A personal revelation of an everyday nature
  • 5. From whose perspective is 'Soldier's Poem' sung?
A) A political leader being attacked
B) An alien invading Earth
C) Someone realising they are being used
D) A knight galloping in Cydonia
  • 6. Which of the following is NOT listed among the album's political or thematic elements?
A) Abusive power
B) Economic inflation and taxation
C) New World Order conspiracy
D) Unjustifiable war
  • 7. What area does Bellamy find stimulating for the imagination?
A) Historical biographies
B) Modern technology
C) Classical literature
D) The unknown in general
  • 8. Which song particularly features rebellious paranoia?
A) Assassin
B) Invincible
C) Soldier's Poem
D) Starlight
  • 9. Which emotional themes are included on the album?
A) Hope, despair, and pride
B) Sadness, greed, and jealousy
C) Joy, apathy, and fear
D) Regret, ambition, and love
  • 10. Where is the title of the album taken from?
A) Knights of Cydonia lyrics
B) Take a Bow lyrics
C) Exo-Politics lyrics
D) Starlight lyrics
  • 11. What do the 'revelations' represent in Bellamy's songwriting for the album?
A) Something personal, genuine, and everyday that people can relate to
B) Conspiracy theories about alien invasions
C) The galloping of the Four Horsemen
D) Songs from unknown regions of the imagination
  • 12. What do the 'black holes' represent in Bellamy's songwriting?
A) Rebellious paranoia tracks
B) Attacks on political leaders
C) Songs from the more unknown regions of the imagination
D) Personal revelations of an everyday nature
  • 13. Where was the album artwork photographed?
A) London, UK
B) Cydonia, Mars
C) Dundee, Scotland
D) Bardenas, Spain
  • 14. Who designed the album artwork?
A) The Four Horsemen
B) Matthew Bellamy
C) Storm Thorgerson
D) BBC Radio 1
  • 15. What inspired the album artwork motif?
A) An orchestrated alien invasion
B) A soldier's poem perspective
C) The UK singles chart success
D) The galloping of 'Knights of Cydonia' and 'Invincible'
  • 16. The motif in the artwork is an allusion to what?
A) The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
B) The New World Order conspiracy
C) A populist revolt
D) Black holes and revelations
  • 17. On what date did Muse perform at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Dundee?
A) August 18
B) July 3
C) May 13
D) June 19
  • 18. Which city hosted BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend where Muse performed on May 13?
A) Dundee, Scotland
B) London, England
C) Bardenas, Spain
D) Tokyo, Japan
  • 19. Which songs did Muse perform at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend?
A) Take a Bow, Exo-Politics and Assassin
B) Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight and Knights of Cydonia
C) Invincible, Map of the Problematique and Soldier's Poem
D) Take a Bow, Starlight and Invincible
  • 20. When was 'Supermassive Black Hole' released as the lead single?
A) June 19, 2006
B) July 3, 2006
C) May 13, 2006
D) August 18, 2009
  • 21. What chart position did 'Supermassive Black Hole' reach on the UK singles chart?
A) Number two
B) Number ten
C) Number nine
D) Number four
  • 22. Which singles followed the release of 'Supermassive Black Hole' in the UK?
A) Starlight, Knights of Cydonia, Invincible and Map of the Problematique
B) Take a Bow, Exo-Politics, Assassin and Soldier's Poem
C) Only Starlight and Knights of Cydonia
D) Assassin, Starlight and Invincible
  • 23. How many weeks did the album stay at number one on the UK Albums Chart?
A) One week
B) Four weeks
C) Two weeks
D) Ten weeks
  • 24. When was the first US single, 'Knights of Cydonia', released?
A) 18 August 2009
B) 13 June 2006
C) 3 July 2006
D) 19 June 2006
  • 25. What chart position did 'Knights of Cydonia' reach on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart?
A) Number nine
B) Number 10
C) Number four
D) Number two
  • 26. Which singles followed 'Knights of Cydonia' in the US?
A) Invincible and Map of the Problematique
B) Starlight and Supermassive Black Hole
C) Assassin and Soldier's Poem
D) Take a Bow and Exo-Politics
  • 27. What was Muse's most popular single in the US at that point?
A) Starlight
B) Supermassive Black Hole
C) Invincible
D) Knights of Cydonia
  • 28. What chart position did 'Starlight' reach on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart?
A) Number 10
B) Number nine
C) Number four
D) Number two
  • 29. At what position did the album debut on the Billboard 200?
A) Number 10
B) Number two
C) Number nine
D) Number four
  • 30. When was 'Black Holes and Revelations' released in the UK?
A) 13 June 2006
B) 18 August 2009
C) 3 July 2006
D) 19 June 2006
  • 31. In which countries was the album released following its UK release?
A) China, India, South Korea and Singapore
B) Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina
C) Spain, France, Germany and Italy
D) US, Australia, Taiwan and Japan
  • 32. What content was featured on the limited edition CD/DVD combination?
A) Videos and live renditions of Supermassive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia and Starlight
B) Live performances from BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in its entirety
C) Documentaries about Bardenas, Spain and Storm Thorgerson
D) Studio outtakes of Take a Bow and Exo-Politics
  • 33. When was the album re-released in the US on vinyl LP?
A) 13 June 2006
B) 22 March 2024
C) 3 July 2006
D) 18 August 2009
  • 34. When was the album certified quadruple platinum in the UK?
A) 3 July 2006
B) 18 August 2009
C) 22 March 2024
D) June 19, 2006
  • 35. How many copies did the album sell in its first week in the UK?
A) 250,000 copies
B) 115,144 copies
C) 1,000,000 copies
D) 50,000 copies
  • 36. By what organization was the album certified quadruple platinum?
A) Billboard
B) BBC
C) Q Magazine
D) BPI
  • 37. How many copies had the album sold in the UK as of 2018?
A) 500,000 copies
B) Ten million copies
C) More than one million copies
D) 115,144 copies
  • 38. What effect did 'Black Holes and Revelations' have in the US?
A) It caused a populist revolt
B) It popularised Muse in the US
C) It started an alien invasion
D) It banned vinyl LPs
  • 39. Which publication did Bellamy tell about the album's title derivation?
A) BBC Radio 1
B) Billboard
C) Q
D) BPI
  • 40. Which song titles are explicitly mentioned as alluding to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse through their galloping motif?
A) Take a Bow and Exo-Politics
B) Assassin and Soldier's Poem
C) Supermassive Black Hole and Starlight
D) Knights of Cydonia and Invincible
  • 41. What number studio album is Black Holes and Revelations for Muse?
A) Second
B) First
C) Fourth
D) Third
  • 42. Who produced Black Holes and Revelations?
A) Chris Wolstenholme
B) Matt Bellamy
C) Rich Costey
D) Tom Tom
  • 43. Which musical artist influenced the style of the album?
A) Radiohead
B) Led Zeppelin
C) The Beatles
D) Depeche Mode
  • 44. Which band was listed as an influence alongside Depeche Mode?
A) U2
B) Metallica
C) Nirvana
D) Lightning Bolt
  • 45. Which conspiracy type is mentioned in the album's lyrics?
A) Secret society financial conspiracies
B) Ancient alien architect theories
C) New World Order conspiracies
D) Moon landing hoaxes
  • 46. In how many countries did the album enter the charts at number one?
A) Three
B) One
C) Five
D) Ten
  • 47. What certification did the album receive in the UK?
A) Platinum
B) Gold
C) Double platinum
D) Quadruple platinum
  • 48. What certification did the album receive in the US?
A) Triple platinum
B) Gold
C) Platinum
D) Quadruple platinum
  • 49. Which prestigious award was the album nominated for?
A) The Brit Award for Best Album
B) The Pulitzer Prize
C) The Grammy Award for Album of the Year
D) The Mercury Prize
  • 50. What was the title of the 2008 live album that featured recordings from the tour?
A) HAARP
B) Absolution Live
C) Live at Rome
D) Hullabaloo
  • 51. What was Muse's third album, which brought them mainstream exposure in the US?
A) Origin of Symmetry
B) Absolution
C) Showbiz
D) The Resistance
  • 52. In what year was Absolution released?
A) 2001
B) 2005
C) 2003
D) 2006
  • 53. Where did Muse spend about two weeks writing and rehearsing for their fourth album?
A) Townhouse Studios
B) Studio Miraval
C) Electric Lady Studios
D) Avatar Studios
  • 54. Who is the songwriter and guitarist of Muse?
A) Matt Bellamy
B) Dominic Howard
C) Rich Costey
D) Chris Wolstenholme
  • 55. Who is the bassist of Muse?
A) Rich Costey
B) Matt Bellamy
C) Chris Wolstenholme
D) Tom Tom
  • 56. Why was writing and recording more relaxed for this album compared to previous ones according to Chris Wolstenholme?
A) The producer did all the work
B) They only had to record three songs
C) The band had no deadline
D) They had a huge budget
  • 57. What city did the group move to when progress was slow and they had difficulty deciding on songs?
A) Milan
B) London
C) New York City
D) Paris
  • 58. What new skill did Matt Bellamy learn while spending time in New York clubs?
A) Classical piano
B) Synthesizer programming
C) DJing
D) Sound engineering
  • 59. Which guitar amplifier model did Bellamy use?
A) Marshall JCM800
B) Orange Rockerverb
C) Vox AC30
D) Fender Twin Reverb
  • 60. What other guitar amplifier model did Bellamy use?
A) Vox AC15
B) Ampeg V4
C) Roland Jazz Chorus
D) Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
  • 61. What old synthesizers did the band purchase to change their working style?
A) Sequential Circuits Prophet-5
B) Buchla 200e
C) Roland Jupiter-8
D) Moog Minimoog
  • 62. What did Matt Bellamy spend several weeks recording in Italy?
A) Guitar solos
B) Synthesizer tracks
C) Bass lines
D) Vocals
  • 63. Where was the album mixed?
A) Studio Miraval, France
B) Townhouse Studios, London
C) Electric Lady Studios, New York
D) Avatar Studios, New York
  • 64. Whose music inspired the string arpeggios that open "Take a Bow"?
A) Philip Glass
B) Elvis Presley
C) Prince
D) George Bellamy
  • 65. What backs the opening string arpeggios on "Take a Bow"?
A) A mariachi trumpet
B) A Moog synthesiser
C) A flamenco guitar
D) A prepared piano
  • 66. On what instrument was the "Map of the Problematique" riff originally written?
A) Guitar
B) Synthesiser
C) Drums
D) Keyboard
  • 67. What did "Assassin" begin as before the band trimmed it?
A) An acoustic ballad inspired by Elvis Presley
B) A surf rock single with mariachi trumpets
C) A short dance track with club beats
D) A long progressive rock song with a huge piano break
  • 68. Which artist did critics liken "Supermassive Black Hole" to?
A) Elvis Presley
B) Prince
C) Philip Glass
D) George Bellamy
  • 69. Who is the drummer of Muse mentioned in the text?
A) Costey
B) George Bellamy
C) Dominic Howard
D) Matt Bellamy
  • 70. What kind of recording approach had Muse initially planned for "Soldier's Poem"?
A) Noise rock jam
B) Massive, epic approach
C) Small studio with vintage equipment
D) Acoustic club session
  • 71. What specific trumpet style is featured in "Knights of Cydonia"?
A) Blues trumpet
B) Classical trumpet
C) Mariachi trumpet
D) Jazz trumpet
  • 72. How does "Knights of Cydonia" end?
A) With string arpeggios
B) With a guitar solo
C) With a mariachi trumpet fanfare
D) With a massive piano break
  • 73. Why were some US dates in support of My Chemical Romance cancelled?
A) Food poisoning
B) Bad weather
C) Poor ticket sales
D) Band injuries
  • 74. Which US festival featured a headlining slot for Muse during the tour?
A) Coachella
B) Bonnaroo
C) Glastonbury
D) Lollapalooza
  • 75. At the 2007 Big Day Out Festival, which band headlined above Muse?
A) My Chemical Romance
B) Radiohead
C) Green Day
D) Tool
  • 76. In which month did Muse tour Eastern Europe?
A) November
B) October
C) July
D) June
  • 77. What event marked the end of the November arena tour of Australia?
A) Lollapalooza 2007
B) Benicàssim Festival
C) Big Day Out Festival
D) KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas
  • 78. What was the average score of Black Holes and Revelations on Metacritic?
A) 75
B) 90
C) 85
D) 65
  • 79. Based on its Metacritic score, what kind of reviews did the album receive?
A) Mixed or average reviews
B) Generally unfavourable reviews
C) Generally favourable reviews
D) Universal acclaim
  • 80. How many reviews were used to calculate the Metacritic score?
A) 50
B) 32
C) 15
D) 100
  • 81. Who wrote in Rolling Stone that the album was 'one of the year's most overblown records'?
A) Will Hermes
B) Barry Schwartz
C) Christian Hoard
D) Andrew Perry
  • 82. Who described the album in Entertainment Weekly as 'corny and bombastic'?
A) Noel Murray
B) Christian Hoard
C) Will Hermes
D) Anthony Thorton
  • 83. According to Will Hermes in Entertainment Weekly, if prog is the new punk, what band are Muse?
A) Radiohead
B) Queen
C) Green Day
D) The Darkness
  • 84. Who wrote in Observer Music Monthly that the record was 'Entertaining and rabble-rousing, daft and deadly serious'?
A) Brian Raferty
B) Andrew Perry
C) Noel Murray
D) Barry Schwartz
  • 85. Who wrote in Stylus Magazine that Muse bring loud, excessive, and proggy elements?
A) Christian Hoard
B) Will Hermes
C) Barry Schwartz
D) Anthony Thorton
  • 86. Which publication compared Muse's elaborate and gaudy hard rock to the Darkness's debut?
A) Pitchfork
B) E! Online
C) The Guardian
D) NME
  • 87. Who wrote in NME that Muse made a 'ridiculous, overblown, ambitious and utterly brilliant album'?
A) Christian Hoard
B) Noel Murray
C) Anthony Thorton
D) Brian Raferty
  • 88. Which publication wrote that the album's electronic elements shouldn't work, but Bellamy's mania makes it succeed?
A) The Guardian
B) The Los Angeles Times
C) The A.V. Club
D) Pitchfork
  • 89. Which publication found the combination of electronic elements and rock 'jarring' and 'slightly half-baked'?
A) E! Online
B) The Guardian
C) Stylus Magazine
D) The Los Angeles Times
  • 90. What grade did Noel Murray of The A.V. Club give to Black Holes and Revelations?
A) B+
B) A
C) C-
D) D+
  • 91. Who wrote in Spin that the album was 'admirable and terrible'?
A) Christian Hoard
B) Noel Murray
C) Brian Raferty
D) Andrew Perry
  • 92. What did Brian Raferty criticize the lyrics on the album for being?
A) Corny and bombastic
B) Mumbo jumbo about persecution
C) Too serious and authentic
D) Jarring and half-baked
  • 93. Which publication called the album 'the band's most autopiloted effort yet'?
A) Pitchfork
B) Spin
C) Rolling Stone
D) NME
  • 94. In what year was the updated edition of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die published, which included Black Holes and Revelations?
A) 2011
B) 2009
C) 2006
D) 2008
  • 95. Which publication named Black Holes and Revelations the third-best album of the year?
A) NME
B) Rhapsody
C) Classic Rock
D) Q
  • 96. Classic Rock named Black Holes and Revelations one of the ten essential progressive rock albums of which time period?
A) The year
B) The century
C) All time
D) The decade
  • 97. What position was Black Holes and Revelations voted as the best album of all time by readers of Q in 2006?
A) 34th
B) 44th
C) 74th
D) 18th
  • 98. On 26 January 2008, 'Knights of Cydonia' was announced as the number-one song on which Australian chart?
A) Q Magazine Top 100
B) Rhapsody Top 100 Tracks
C) Triple J Hottest 100
D) Mercury Prize Countdown
  • 99. Which year's Triple J Hottest 100 featured 'Knights of Cydonia' as the number-one song?
A) 2009
B) 2008
C) 2006
D) 2007
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