Muse have released new single Hexagons as the band continue building anticipation for their upcoming album The Wow! Signal.
The track arrived after a weekend-long global fan hunt that saw coded billboards appear in cities including Sydney, New York City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Paris and London.
Each billboard displayed a unique code which unlocked a separate fragment of the song online.
By Sunday 16 May, fans had pieced the sections together themselves before the band officially released the full version.
Hexagons pushes Muse further into dark electronic territory
Built around spiralling synths, distorted percussion and heavily processed vocals from Matt Bellamy, Hexagons continues the darker electronic direction Muse have explored throughout their latest era.
The song follows previous singles Unravelling, Be With You and Cryogen, all of which have gradually introduced the themes surrounding The Wow! Signal.
According to press materials, the album explores:
“themes of cosmic communication, technological anxiety, existential wonder, and humanity’s search for meaning in an increasingly disconnected world.”
The Wow! Signal takes inspiration from real-life space mystery
The album title references the famous Wow! signal, a mysterious radio burst detected by astronomer Jerry R. Ehman in 1977 that has long fascinated scientists and conspiracy theorists alike.
Muse have frequently incorporated dystopian science fiction, political paranoia and space-inspired imagery into their music, making the concept a natural continuation of themes explored across albums such as Absolution, Black Holes and Revelations and Simulation Theory.
Muse launched album announcement into the edge of space
The band first announced The Wow! Signal earlier this year through another large-scale promotional stunt.
Working alongside Sent Into Space, Muse launched a tablet more than 30 kilometres above Earth to reveal the album title and debut the video for Be With You.
The record marks Muse’s first full-length release since 2022’s Will Of The People.
Chris Wolstenholme previously hinted at uncertain future
Earlier this year, bassist Chris Wolstenholme revealed the band had been reconsidering how they approached future releases.
Speaking on The Leona Graham Podcast, Wolstenholme admitted Muse were taking longer between albums and evaluating their label situation.
At the time, he suggested fans might not see new material until 2026, although the band ultimately accelerated their plans and stayed with Warner Records for album number ten.
Muse prepare for North American live return
Muse recently returned to the stage with a one-off performance at O2 Academy Brixton and are scheduled to begin a North American run this summer.
The tour launches on 2 July at Summerfest in Milwaukee before concluding at the Hollywood Bowl on 31 August.
