Biffy Clyro reached the big time with 2007’s, 250,000 selling, Puzzle. Now with new album Only Revolutions, they want to stay there.

Considering that nearly a quarter of the album, was released in advance (in the form of an EP and singles), Biffy’s marketing machine has gone into overdrive to make people want this album before it hits the shops. The songs released in advance are possibly some of the band’s finest music. “Mountains” finds singer Simon Johnston in a wistful voice. “That Golden Rule” is possibly the album’s best song. It is fast, frenetic and everything one comes to expect from Biffy. It mixes the band’s previous tendencies of noise and melody, with their newer approach of grandness and pomposity, hence the orchestra playing in tandem with the band. Opener, “The Captain” is the only pre-released song that runs out of steam. Its Muse-esque leanings and pop-sensibilities are at odds with the Biffy “sound”

When they first came onto the music scene, their “sound” was rough, raw and edgy. The Scottish threesome were classed with other noizeniks like Hell Is For Heroes and Hundred Reasons. Soon, they would leave these bands in the dust. Their original “sound” can be found on the Blackened Sky and Infinity Land albums. The mashing of hard rock tendencies, fast riffs and strained vocals with unexpected tempo changes and beautiful harmonies worked well.

With Puzzle and Only Revolutions the band has become more refined and more ambitious. This is not a bad thing, but for fans of early Biffy Clyro it may be unexpected.

The rest of Only Revolutions is exquisite. The band have improved on their previous efforts in everyway possible. Queens of the Stone Age front man, Josh Homme, and his helping hand can be found on another album standout “Bubbles”. It motors along delightfully with a fantastic sing-along chorus. Elsewhere, “Many Of Horror” is soon to become a gig staple. It is a lighter-in-the-air song in waiting. “Born On A Horse” finds the trademark Biffy quirkiness surviving, ‘I’ve never had a lover that was my sister or brother before’, being a particularly memorable lyric. The only disappointment comes in “Know Your Quarry”. It is slow, plodding and quite dull. It lacks the energy and passion found elsewhere on the album.

VERDICT:

Overall, Only Revolutions improves and builds upon everything that made Puzzle such a fine album. It is a truly majestic album which older Biffy Clyro fans will love and will doubtlessly attract newer ones too.

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