Muse bringing The 2nd Law to Birmingham

While the operatic anthem was fitting for the world's greatest sporting spectacle, you'd have thought the organisers might have twigged that something was amiss when they read the lyrics: "I won't forgive/ The vengeance is mine/ And I won't give in/ Because I choose to thrive."

The song had actually been written when organisers approached Bellamy. "It was definitely a bit more demented than I think they realised," he says.

It's a testimony to Muse's standing among British bands that they were chosen.

The band have sold more than 15 million albums and their 2009 opus, The Resistance, was number one in 19 countries. The indications are that their new album, The 2nd Law, will follow in its footsteps, having reached number one in the UK and number two on the US Billboard 200.

The trio from Teignmouth, Devon, have made their ambitious music a global concern by staying on the road for longer than any of their competitors.

Bellamy says: "On stage it's easy. There's something about the audience and the energy that takes you to this place. I have trouble being like that when I'm not on stage. I tend to be a bit quiet – a touch avoidant, you know?

"I think you do get what you visualise. I never dreamed about being in a limo or being backstage with loads of girls. I only visualised playing very well and enjoying it."

The band formed in 1994 when school friends multi-instrumentalist-cum-singer Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme (bass/guitars) and Dominic Howard (drums) decided to fuse their love of progressive rock.

The 2nd Law encompasses disparate themese, from the global economic crisis, to food security, 19th century taxation and the "stress nexus".

"It's talking about the second law of thermodynamics and how, as a limited ecosystem, we are on the verge of needing an energy revolution in order to sustain the way that we're living.

"This inner strength we have, this desire to evolve and expand and explore, I do love that about humanity. At the same time it's scary what it does on a global scale. I'm very much caught between the two.

"We're all a function of the world. I think for every finger you point out there should be three pointing back at you."

Now the band are looking forward to returning to the LG Arena, a venue which they have graced on previous occasions.

The band, who have won a whole host of music awards throughout their history, including five MTV Europe Music Awards, five Q Awards, eight NME Awards, two Brit Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, four Kerrang! Awards and an American Music Award, will rock the LG on Tuesday.