The sound of countless fans breathing in a sigh of relief could be heard far and wide this week as English prog-rock darlings Muse released details on their long-awaited 5^th studio album.

Fans were left concerned for the future of the band last year when Matthew Bellamy announced that he wanted to take a break from Muse to concentrate on a classically-based project involving an Orchestra.

However it would seem that Bellamy’s dreams of becoming a new-age Mozart have been put on hold for now; the new Muse record, which will be titled The Resistance is slated for world-wide release on September 14 2009.

“A symphonic album has turned up here,” says Bellamy, “like a full collaboration with an orchestra. There’s definitely a few things on the album which are segueing into each other and it’s all very orchestral, but that could take over the album, so it could actually be kind of classical act basically, and move away from rock all together.”

So it would seem his dreams haven’t been lost after all.

“We’ll be knocking on Classic FM’s door, you know?” He joked.

It’s unsurprising that there’s been such a long wait in-between records – the band have got a lot to live up to. Black Holes and Revelations served as Muse’s most successful album to date, bringing them their first real taste of international fame. Shifting two million copies worldwide, mega-smash Starlight became Muse’s first song to make it into the top 10 of the US Modern Rock Charts, peaking at #2 while the epic tune Knights of Cydonia topped the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2007.

A single is expected to hit the airwaves in coming weeks but as the band is remaining tight-lipped on specific details of the record’s content, only time will tell whether it will be a catchy, heartfelt new-wave infused rock tune or a classical array of strings, operatic vocals and complicated piano solos. My guess? It will probably be both.

- Katherine Allan