Biffy Clyro
Ellipsis

Biffy Clyro delivers the decisive blow and, with this seventh album called “Ellipsis,” firmly positions themselves among the heavyweight British rock bands.

Produced by Rich Costey (Muse, Sigur Ros, Frank Turner), the new work comes close to the prototype of the perfect rock album. Crisp, incisive, and perfectly focused, it varies and explores atmospheres of every kind without losing for a second an enviable underlying identity. Biffy thus sidesteps a couple of obstacles that have proven insurmountable for many bands: confidently confirming an ever-growing success, and uniting a fanbase that has witnessed them progressively shift from the spontaneity and rawness of their beginnings to a maturity that has brought them more accomplished and focused episodes.

It is no coincidence that to preview the album, Simon Neil and company chose two singles diametrically opposed in sound and intent: if the lead “Wolves Of Winter” (absolutely perfect) encapsulates all the best qualities of the band's work (with sharp and direct guitars, unpredictable yet incredibly well-timed tempo changes, Neill’s voice shifting from aggressive to sweet without losing the narrative thread), the second single “Animal Style” (co-written by Blink-182's producer John Feldmann) demonstrates the band's incredible ability to nail the perfect melody and build an inviting yet never banal sound framework around it.

The rest of the work is a stunning rollercoaster of ever-inviting atmospheres, with not a single filler track in sight. It ranges from “Friends And Enemies,” an incredible number that seems to have emerged from a hyper-aggressive version of the late '90s U2, moving on to the characteristic semi-acoustic numbers that contributed to the Scottish band's fame, see entries like “Re-Arrange” and “Medicine.”

There are also other electric outbursts like “On A Bang,” an aggressive track already showcased live a year ago that will undoubtedly satisfy the most die-hard early fans. “Flammable” is a britrock piece reminiscent of the most recent Feeder works, while “Howl,” written together with Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, is truly the potential perfect single, a heavenly, perfectly calibrated power pop track. “Small Wishes” even ventures into country territory, and “People” is a perfect britpop-scented closing.

Ultimately, Biffy Clyro reaffirms themselves, aiming definitively (if there were still any doubt) at the big target and demonstrating that, with a little common sense, everything is possible, even maintaining a certain coherence in a journey that allows for growth and maturation of their proposal.

Best track: “Howl”