A method to Muse's 'Madness'

Following the no-holds-barred bombast of their Olympics theme "Survival," Muse has morphed again. "Madness" (Warner Bros.) is sleek, subtle and super-catchy, oddly combining '80s Queen with "Achtung Baby"-era U2 and a smattering of dubstep to build something new, yet familiar. Matt Bellamy barely sounds like himself -- containing his well-known yowl till the very end, replacing it with George Michael soul and Freddie Mercury stacked, synthesized harmonies. It's a risk to go so far afield, but this "Madness" will pay off big for Muse.