Devonshire trio Muse unveil Cryogen, a new single from upcoming album The Wow! Signal, signalling a return to their early space rock aesthetic ahead of the June release
by Paul Cashmere
Muse have released the new single Cryogen, the third track to emerge from their forthcoming tenth studio album The Wow! Signal, due out on 26 June 2026. The song follows earlier releases Unravelling and Be With You, and arrives after its live debut at London’s O2 Academy Brixton earlier this month.
The release of Cryogen marks a key moment in the rollout of the new album from Muse, offering a clearer indication of the sonic direction of the record. The band first introduced the track in an intimate setting at Brixton, a venue they had not played since 2001, prior to the release of Origin Of Symmetry, anchoring the new material within a broader historical arc of their catalogue.
At its core, Cryogen leans into the band’s established fusion of alternative rock and sci-fi themes. The track opens with a high-register guitar line reminiscent of earlier work, drawing parallels to the tone and structure that defined Plug In Baby. The arrangement builds through layered instrumentation into a dense, rhythm-driven breakdown, shaped in part by production from touring member Dan Lancaster, alongside Aleks von Korff. The track runs just over five minutes, aligning with the band’s preference for extended, dynamically shifting compositions.
Lyrically, frontman Matt Bellamy situates personal emotion within a cosmic framework. References to isolation and environmental extremes are framed through imagery of frozen landscapes and distant planetary bodies, consistent with the album’s conceptual foundation. Lines such as “Cryogen, I can never cry again” reinforce a narrative of emotional stasis, mapped onto a broader science fiction context.
The album The Wow! Signal takes its title from the unexplained 1977 radio signal detected from the direction of the Sagittarius constellation. The phenomenon, widely discussed in both scientific and cultural circles, has become a reference point for speculation about extraterrestrial intelligence. According to the band’s release notes, the album explores themes of “cosmic mystery, existential hope, and the possibility of contact with something greater”, continuing Muse’s long-standing engagement with futurism and existential narratives.
From an industry perspective, this release positions The Wow! Signal as a continuation of the band’s evolution following 2022’s Will Of The People. That album leaned into political commentary and arena-scale production, while early indications suggest the new record revisits the more intricate, progressive elements of earlier works such as Origin Of Symmetry and Black Holes & Revelations. The return to a more guitar-driven sound, combined with expansive thematic content, reflects a broader trend among legacy rock acts revisiting foundational styles while maintaining contemporary production values.
Recording for the album took place across multiple studios, including Abbey Road in London and locations in Los Angeles, with a total runtime of 46 minutes and 45 seconds. The tracklisting includes ten songs, with Cryogen positioned as the fourth track, following The Dark Forest, Nightshift Superstar and Shimmering Scars. The sequencing suggests a deliberate pacing, placing one of the album’s more structurally complex tracks early in the record.
Muse’s recent live activity has reinforced the direction of the new material. The Brixton performance, announced earlier this year following the release of Be With You, provided a controlled environment to test audience response. The reception to Cryogen at that show was notably strong, with extended audience engagement indicating familiarity with the band’s established sonic language.
There is limited external critique available at this stage, given the recency of the release. However, the decision to foreground Cryogen as a single signals confidence in its role within the album’s framework. The track’s stylistic callbacks may appeal to long-time listeners, though it also raises questions about how far the band is pushing beyond established formulas.
Looking ahead, Muse are preparing for a North American tour commencing in July 2026, supported by Bloc Party, The Temper Trap and Portugal. The Man. Additional UK and European dates are expected to be announced, with Bellamy indicating a return to those markets later in the year.
With Cryogen, Muse have provided the most detailed preview yet of The Wow! Signal. The single situates the album within both the band’s past and its ongoing trajectory, setting expectations for a record that balances legacy influences with continued thematic ambition.
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