Blackened Sky

Biffy Clyro

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 20, 2002)
• Original Release Date: March 11, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Beggars UK - Ada
• ASIN: B00005UMPB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #195,121 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like many debut albums, Blackened Sky functions as a sort of table of contents of its creators' record collections. In the case of this promising young Scottish trio, led by singer-songwriter Simon Neil, it's a safe bet that those collections would be assembled largely of American alternative rock of the late 1980s and early '90s, with particular emphasis on Nirvana, Fugazi, and the Pixies. These influences can--and often do--result in supremely dreary records, less grunge than sludge, but Biffy Clyro are too clever to fall into the usual trap. They have an admirable knack for building songs on unorthodox time signatures without ever sounding fussy, and they're able to shift from delicately drifting melodies to full-throttle rock & roll without an audible grinding of gears. --Andrew Mueller

Product Description

Debut Album from this Young Scottish Rock/Emo Band. They've Been Called 'one of the UK'S Few Bona Fide Amazing Live Bands. They've Toured with the Likes of Cooper Temple Clause, Tetra Splendour, Sunna and the Llama Farmers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still criminally underrated,, February 3, 2004

By	"pauly_faye" (Preston) - See all my reviews

Containing one of Britain's anthems of the last few years in '57' Blackened Sky is a demonstraton that this kind of music doesn't neccessarily have to sound the same as everyone else, a la takingbackfromautumntofinch.

Biffy Clyro are one of the tightest bands around and can pull off a great live show, which should really be exposed to a bigger audience, instead of the constant support slots for 'hyped' bands.

I'd recommend this to all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars {I dont believe in anything is the message in your eyes}, March 23, 2003

By	-Andy- (Portsmouth, Hants, UK) - See all my reviews

:: Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky ::

Being a personal favorite and with their follow up to the well received debut l.p `Blacked Sky' being released later this year, exciting times are destined for the Glasgow based progressive rock three piece Biffy Clyro.

`Blackened Sky' takes the "won't be rushed" pretentious attitudes of recent Tool and multiplies it with the minimalist but effective raw dynamics of the Deftones, before adding catchy emotive melodies with gentle lyrics and guitar lines along the way. Tracks such as opener `Joy.Discovery.Invention' [a sing along favorite live] captivate the listener by gently serenading until 1 minute 46 seconds [exactly] into the song when the song crushes your false pretenses with the defensive aggression of a cornered animal. However it is my favorite song from the album `Kill the old, torture their young" that captivate what Biffy Clyro is all about with the falsetto vocals, fantastic harmonies [all three sing live] and the subtle guitar changes that send contradicting emotions flooding through your head.

As a result is it very hard not to get caught up by this band and if their [possible career making] second album is anything near as good as the standards they have set themselves then Biffy are indeed destined big things...

-Andy-

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent God Damn It!, November 11, 2004

By	The Notorious GHT (Surrey) - See all my reviews

Unbelievable! I haven't so much enjoyed a debut since Placebo. However, I don't think a review of this band should be confined to normal cliche comparrisons, as the band, and indeed this album excel to the top of my stack on a regular interval. My question is - why did it take me til 2004 to discover them??!!?!

Its been a revelation in my music listening life to have Biffy Clyro's first two albums in my collection. The extroadinary riffs, vocal parts, lyrics and compassion all create a warmth and atmosphere that makes you want to invite your mates around and share. There hasn't been a dissapointed listener to those who have heard these songs.

The mechanics of the songs vary, however, the intensity and drive remains consistent - each song with its own bag of tricks and multitude of hooks that will have you rewinding frequently. The music remains complex yet accessible and although catchy many parts will seem unique well into your 50th visit. Tiresome, these albums are not!

So what makes them so different? I don't really know - I suppose its the use of legion styles of rock and indie techniques, congealed into an easily digested audio onslaught with a compulsion to stay popular without sounding common. Sometimes its the lyrics you think of, other times a riff you can't shake. Whichever it is, Biffy Clyro will not be filed in the back of any cupboard nor abandoned without comment. Blackened sky and Vertigo of Bliss should be a double album in my book, and then labelled perhaps the best rock/alternative album of the 2000s!