Biffy Clyro: Ellipsis - World's First Play Liveblog

We're bringing you Biffy Clyro's new album before you can hear it anywhere else in the world.

Join BBC Radio 1 for a very special listening party with Annie Mac, Phil Taggart and Sam Coare, including in-depth interviews with Biffy themselves.

We'll be recording all the reaction, gossip and lowdown here.

Annie made 'Howl' her Hottest Record of the day and had a quick pre-party chat with the boys.

Biffy described 'Howl' as "one of the poppiest records off the album" and said it made perfect sense to be the next single.

They stayed tight-lipped about the video, however, apart from it was "a lot of fun" to make.

Talking to the boys, Annie asked them how they felt about the #BiffyListeningParty - they just can't wait to get the record out.

Now's the time!

Biffy Clyro are one of the UK's current longest-running rock bands, having started performing in 1996. They've played every single stage at Reading Festival, from early beginnings to headlining the main.

With so much history, will our special guest rock critics be able to keep up?

"I've been following them since they were playing to 20 people in a bar" -Sam Coare, Kerrang! magazine's features editor, gets straight in with some serious Biff credentials.

"I really wanted to have a go at one-upmanship with Sam and say I've seen them before him!" - Phil's a johnny-come-lately fan, with a mere eleven years of Biffy following.

That's a yes, then.

We know it, we love it, if you don't recognise the chorus you must've been living in a soundproofed bunker for the past six months.

An ode to the band's teamwork, 'Wolves of Winter' is a what can only be described as 'an absolute belter' of an album opener.

Track two is a more controlled, threatening affair. 'Friends and Enemies' brings the energy of 'Wolves of Winter' to a new emotional intensity.

Current single 'Animal Style' comes in at track 3;if your heart isn't pumping a bit faster at Simon snarling it's visceral you might want to check your pulse!

Three songs in, Annie, Philly and Sam had a quick chat - they all agree it's an amazing record but Philly isn't sure it's not 'safe.'

Does it sound too much like 'normal' Biffy? They changed producer to deliberately get out of their comfort zone on 'Ellipsis' - is it possible to do that while still sounding like yourself?

Annie said we were in for something completely different with track four and she's not wrong - 'Re-arrange' is a true love song, a tender ballad with key lyrics like "I would never break your heart/I would only re-arrange all the other working parts" and "listen to me when I say/darling, you're my everything"

Is it enough of a departure to break out of the safety Philly was dismissive of them leaving?

'Herex' brings a bit of the pace back, although it's by no means as frenetic as the opening tracks.

Another break-up-or-make-up song, it sees Simon begging someone not to walk out the door; we can think of a few people who'd find that fairly persuasive.

Annie asked Philly and Sam what they thought of 'Re-arrange' and 'Herex' -

"Do you reckon that Biffy, when they were making their first album and it was all prog and metal ... do you think that seven albums in, they'd think they'd be making this lyrically dark but melodically sweet track?" - Philly Taggart

"I think those last two tracks really show a different side of them and hopefully a sign of what's coming on the rest of the record" - Sam Coare

"We just had to pull over and have a bit of a moment" - tractor driver Jay (and fiancee Phoebe, who'd joined him at work to hear the record together) were a bit overcome by 'Re-arrange' and had to have a cuddle.

Medicine is another lyrically dark love song - Simon singing that he's 'got a problem' and questioning whether the situation can be saved.

Who doesn't love a good pop-rock, singalong, feel-good round of "never gonna sleep again"?

Biffy come back to the anthemic rock, here but keep it lyrically intense. No wonder this is the next single!

Annie got Philly and Sam to spill some more thoughts

"That track 'Medicine' sounded more like an album than a half-way through track. It's about the most pop Biffy can get without going full Bieber" - Philly Taggart

"I think they really showcase Simon as a songwriter, I think those last two really did help showcase him at his best" - Sam Coare

Sam and Philly both spoke about the unpredictable nature of Biffy's dual relationship with rock and pop;

"There's a really tug of war in the heart of this, are we gonna go heavy or let the songs speak for themselves?" - Sam

"It's interesting to me because I don't know what's coming in the next track" - Philly

But maybe listener Carine summed it up best? "Equal parts brutal and beautiful, like being beaten about the head with a cuddly puppy"

Ok, well, this has definitely answered the question of whether they were going to go heavy, next.

'On A Bang' is seriously loud and intense, pretty much a constant scream - packed with downtuned guitars and howling.

Uhm. What? They've gone bluegrass. We're getting genre-based whiplash!

The song tells us to 'don't believe the lamb, believe the wolf' - we're not turning the volume on our earphones back up without hearing the first few bars of the next track, mind...

Who doesn't love a good pop-rock, singalong, feel-good round of "never gonna sleep again"?

Biffy come back to the anthemic rock, here but keep it lyrically intense. No wonder this is the next single!

Annie and Philly agree 'On A Bang' might well be their favourite song off 'Ellipsis'; "just a bag of wrath" as Philly puts it!

"It's kind of fearless, a big statement to just put a country record on there" - Annie applauds the variation of 'Small Wishes'

"They need to leave that Nashville sound at home" - Philly's not so keen, "They're not at the point where they need to get a rocking chair and start whittling out the front porch"

"I guess where do they go after the six albums they've done before, including a double album - how many different directions can you go in before you make a track like that?" Sam thinks it's good experimentation.

"The band work in albums of three," Sam explained that 'Ellipsis' is not just a new Biffy Clyro record but the start of a trilogy. Is it going to be "full country" by album three?

"This is like the Christopher Nolan trilogy, coming in now" says Phil!

Well at least this is less of a rollercoaster; 'People' is very much classic Biffy, expect to be belting it out at a festival soon.

"You don't, you won't, you can't and you never will" - Biffy aren't mincing their words on this, a track from the deluxe edition of 'Ellipsis' that's definitely not quiet.

Sam said that the only criticism he'd level at 'Ellipsis' would be to slightly rearrange the songs, making the transitions between the extremely varied styles on the record a bit softer to take.

"It sounds like they've had a good time doing it," Philly praised Biffy's drummer, Ben Johnston, saying he has the most fun job in the band and always sounds like he's enjoying it.

Sob! It's the last track. We're not ready. Our laptop's overheating and we're having a bit of a cry.

In The Name Of The Wee Man brings back hooky, harsh guitars - the second bonus track of the deluxe edition, it's a real treat if you're into the classic Biffy sound, with some glorious pop touches worked in. Love a bit of rock harmony, us.

"How did that track not make it onto the main album" - Philly's not sure if it's brilliant marketing for the deluxe version or sheer foolishness.

Sam said he can't wait to find out how amazing their B-Sides are, if the best track on the album's saved for the deluxe edition.

We're done - but Biffy are back now with their Playlist. Phew!