Biffy Clyro have spent longer in the indie ghetto than most. They released 3 full albums of progressively tinged, hardcore indebted aggro-pop before they saw the golden, gleaming spotlight and became essentially a British version of The Foo Fighters (...only good). Last year's monumentally successful 'Mountains' single has put the band in good stead for a shot at the super mega big time and 'That Golden Rule' (while not quite reaching the soaring, melodic heights of 'Mountains') will certainly serve as another step towards the big leagues.

The infectious riffs and clear, crisp production blend into the mix well and the vocals (though buried beneath the guitars and drums) really kick into gear at the chorus with a towering melody. There are hooks here to spare and although the band might have lost some of the edge they used to cling to, they have more than made up for it with improved song-craft. Of course 'the bif' have not entirely abandoned their old ways, and for this I (for one) am grateful, special mention has to go to the instrumental outro section which almost sounds like something Tool would pull off if they had any interest in being played on radio. The string section adds to the drama two-fold without coming across as crass or cheesy and the sludgy riffs build effortlessly into an engaging climax. It will sound incredible live.

In fact the great thing about Biffy Clyro is that all their songs seem to have been engineered to have the most impact when played live and loud. Having seen the band last November I agree that the band (or at least the band Biffy Clyro have become) certainly come across as a more enticing live prospect than they do on record. Their first 3 albums contained moments of introspection and experimentation that warranted heavy home listening, however now the band have embraced their inner pop stars the immediacy of their song-writing really shines through. If one band deserve to be massive this time next year it's Biffy Clyro.