CREATIVE, inspiring and remarkable in their ability to transition from one style to the next, there’s not many bands that can claim to be as diverse and as true to their own artistic vision than Scotland’s very own Biffy Clyro.
Punk, post-rock, hardcore, pop, folk and metal; these are just a few of the genres which the Kilmarnock trio have bravely flirted with and came out unscathed, seemingly capable of stretching their fanbase’s tolerance to near breaking point before delivering the goods time and time again.
With the band now proclaiming that their first album since 2013’s ambitious double LP Opposites is on its way in the near future, we take a look at what is known about the new record and what it means for the record’s sound and general motifs.
One thing that’s immediately notable is the fact that this will be Biffy’s first album in over three years, the kind of hiatus which they’ve previously undertaken and returned as a band with a new set of influences and ideals at the epicenter of their sound.
Looking at the leaps forward that they took between 2003’s Vertigo Of Bliss and their undefinable 2004 record LP Infinity Land, to think what they could’ve done with a three year absence verges on mind boggling.
The last few times that they’ve went on a self-imposed sabattical saw them return with albums such as Puzzle and Only Revolutions, arguably the crown jewels of their repertoire from a commercial standpoint and records that saw them navigate both the radio-friendly and the subversive with ease.
Another intriguing factor which has came to light in reference to the new record is a change in personnel, with their trusty producer Garth Richardson stepping aside in favour of Grammy Award winning mastermind Rich Costey.
Having previously worked with artists ranging from Sigur Ros and The Mars Volta to Muse and Glasvegas, Costey’s pedigree is unmistakable and his ability to turn his hand to far-flung genres and sounds is sure to enable himself and the band to find a wealth of common ground.
The band have categorically stated that this record will be a very different beast from that of Opposites, an album that saw them embrace the pop based characteristics that begun to develop on Puzzles and Only Revolutions and flesh them out with the addition of lavish strings and stadium-ready choruses.
Assuring interviewers that their new LP will be a free from orchestral flourishes, they’ve been adamant that this album will be much rawer, nastier incarnation of Biffy Clyro; perhaps indicating they’re heading back to the terrain the likes of which hasn’t been prevalent since the more warped moments of Infinity Land and Blackened Sky.
It’s certainly a bold move for a commercially adored band to wish to retreat back to the more divisive alt-rock sound that epitomises tracks such as ’27’, ‘There’s No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake’ and ‘My Recovery Injection’ but it’s definitely commendable that they’re happier to alienate the fair-weather audience rather than those who’ve pledged their allegiance to the band since their early days.
The first (and currently only) excerpt from their new album that we’ve heard at present is the growling ‘On A Bang’, an explosive new track which has far more in common with ‘Justboy’ than it does ‘Black Chandelier.’
Filled with relentless percussion, Simon Neil’s typically playful yet powerful vocals and waves of frantic guitar, its inclusion in their hit-centric Hogmanay set is indicative of the fact that their wilder side looks to be rearing its head once again.
One thing that definitely wasn’t apparent in ‘On A Bang’ was any of the influences which the Simon Neil fronted group have referenced in interviews. Claiming to have drawn from experimental hip-hop group Death Grips and cloud-rap standard bearer A$AP Rocky, the band are perhaps keeping some of the record’s most madcap moments close to their chest ahead of its release.
With Neil openly admitting that he’s unsure how the album will be received due to its disregard for their current career trajectory, it’s sure to be an exciting day when it eventually surfaces in Spring.
