Biffy Clyro releases new album A Celebration of Endings. It follows the band’s previous two studio albums – Ellipsis (2016) and Opposites (2013) – both of which went straight to number 1. The band’s approach to opus eight was simple. Keep things fresh and maintain the wide-eyed wonder of what they do. Surprise themselves and each other. Push things to their furthest extremes. Their first building block in embracing the new was to turn to an old friend. In came Rich Costey, producer of Ellipsis.

Sonically, Biffy Clyro playfully push the outer reaches of their sound to the extreme – often in the case of the same song. Opening track North of No South hits hard before finding the space for the Johnston brothers to unleash some soaring Queen-style vocal harmonies, before The Champ throws piano, cinematic strings (conducted by Bruce Springsteen collaborator Rob Mathes at Abbey Road) and Biffy’s prototyped jagged rhythms into the mix without ever losing any of its sleekness.