It seems like a long time since Biffy Clyro shook the airwaves with their debut studio album in 2002. Seven years and four more albums on, the hairy Scots still manage to conjure up excitement with their heavy melodic rock. With Garth Robinson at their side, the same producer who worked on Puzzle, Biffy Clyro have made Only Revolutions another album that will wow listeners as well as pushing the boundaries to progress their sound further.Three singles have already been released from the album, two of which, ‘Mountains’ and ‘That Golden Rule’, sat proudly in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. A further single, album opener ‘The Captain’, made it into the top 20, which further proves the band’s popularity. Some might slap the term “sell out” onto Biffy Clyro for achieving such status, but that would be more than unfair; unlike some rock bands who break through the barrier of anonymity, Biffy Clyro have managed to hold back from commerciality and opted for accessible songs while maintaining their integrity.The addictive ‘That Golden Rule’ and fiery ‘Booooom, Blast And Ruin’ are spitty, aggressive attacks of full throttle heavy rock, energized with cymbals crashing left and right over a gargling bass line. Revealing a more experimental side to their efforts, ‘Mountains’ features alluringly precious piano interludes that cast warmth onto the decelerated raw guitars.It seems like the entire album sets out to prove that there is more to Biffy Clyro than straightforward rock. ‘Born On A Horse’ has a funky strut reminiscent to the upbeat, keyboard cheeriness of Simon Neil’s side project, Marmaduke Duke. On the other side of the heaviness spectrum, ‘Shock Shock’ and ‘Bubbles’ have rapid guitar riffs that sound like something Funeral for a Friend would shred out. One unexpected element is the level of self reflection apparent in the lyrics. With “she’ll wash away your sins” ending the chorus of ‘Bubbles’ and the honest line “I talk to God as much as I talk to Satan” at the start of ‘God & Satan’, it is clear that even the lyrics are more than pithy hooks to fit typical rhythms.Not one of the tracks sounds like it is filling empty space on the disc; each and every one can stand its ground as a pinnacle of anthemic melodic rock. Only Revolutions is a short, exhilarating album with hits running into each other. Even with the slower, more ballad-like sections that feature in ‘God & Satan’ and the orchestral ‘Many Of Horror’, the album gives such a rush that it could leave you gasping for breath. It’s safe to say that the fans will definitely be chanting that cringey phrase louder than ever after hearing Only Revolutions. No doubt plenty of new listeners will join them: ‘MON THE BIFFY!

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