Muse's new album is a ''modern metaphor'' for ''lost empathy''.

The 'Plug in Baby' group will release 'Drones' - the follow-up to 2012's 'The 2nd Law' - in June and frontman Matt Bellamy has explained the record is inspired by the ''horrific'' actions of warfare that technology has enabled.

He said: ''[The record is] a modern metaphor for what it is to lose empathy.

''I think that through modern technology, and obviously through drone warfare in particular, it's possible to actually do quite horrific things by remote control, at a great distance, without actually feeling any of the consequences, or even feeling responsible in some way.

''The next step in drones is gonna be autonomous drones, which actually make 'kill' decisions themselves, where no humans are involved.''

During their recent brief intimate UK tour, Matt found the crowds responded particularly well to new track 'Psycho' and he thinks that is because it is based around a ''cheap riff''.

Speaking to BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, he said: ''It's just one of those cheap house riffs. Ours sounds like a cross between a donkey and a mule, whatever it is.

''It's just one of those cheap riffs that everybody gets straight away and it's really cool.''