Nearly two decades after the release of their debut album, Blackened Sky, Biffy Clyro are proving yet again why they are hailed as one of the U.K.’s biggest rock bands. Their latest release, A Celebration of Endings finds the trio reinventing the wheel yet again for easily one of their most dynamic releases to date, which will likely come as no surprise to fans. Carried by anthemic choruses, blistering guitar work, stunning string arrangements and powerful lyrical content, A Celebration of Endings is an album that celebrates change in every sense of the word – both within the band itself and the world as a whole.
Opening the album is the punishing “North Of No South,” which serves as the perfect introduction to the songs that follow, complete with spectacular vocal harmonies, a massive chorus and guitar work that perfectly showcases the band’s range. The first song already serves as a massive start to the album, but as if in an attempt to one-up themselves, the following track, “The Champ” finds the band enlisting a thirty-piece orchestra which sits perfectly alongside gritty guitar work and lyrical content that encourages listeners to enact a change in the world around them.
As the album progresses, it becomes clear that the band has taken great care in creating the track list, as well. The flow between each song is flawless and just when the huge, guitar driven choruses begin to feel a bit overwhelming, songs like the emotional, heartfelt ballad, “Soft” or the acoustic “Opaque” come in to create some balance. The strong bass line and catchy guitar hooks on “Weird Leisure” are complimented perfectly by the bright and sing-along worthy, “Tiny Indoor Fireworks” while “The Worst Type of Best Possible” shines in memorable lyrics like, “You can move to dreamland / but I’m holding out for a change”.
The high point on A Celebration of Endings easily comes on the massive anthem, “Instant History,” but that’s not to say that the songs that follow fall by the wayside. In fact, the final three tracks (the energetic “The Pink Limit”, bittersweet “Opaque” and explosive “Cop Syrup”) make for an epic ending, perfectly showcasing the band’s diversity and proving that they’re still capable of change and growth, even with eight full-length albums under their belts. A Celebration of Endings is exactly what the title suggests – an ending of one chapter for Biffy Clyro and an explosive celebration of what’s to come.
LISTEN TO: “Instant History”, “Tiny Indoor Fireworks” or “The Champ”
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