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Biffy Clyro
Infinity Land


3.5
great

Review

by Adam Jones is GOD USER (14 Reviews)
February 16th, 2005 | 52 replies


Release Date: 2004 | Tracklist


Biffy return with their third album, which is always the big one for bands. First establishes them. Second evolves them. The third is to find out what musical direction they will go, and if they have enough left to go there. In the case of Biffy, their first was a pop rock record, the second was a little heavier, and their third could have gone either direction. What direction did they go? Well, it’s still hard to tell, but from reviewing it, it may become clearer.


Glitter And Trauma starts off and…wait a minute, I didn’t just pick up Clubland 2005 by accident did I? No, it’s just a unique Biffy intro, almost comical in its irony. After a minute of the beat and synth driven intro, the common instruments slowly replace their electronic counterparts and lead to an explosive opening into the song. A bouncing bass line for the chorus becoming more layered each time, then into the big ending. Simon’s vocals are consistently good throughout this one.

Strung To Your Ribcage sounds at home straight after, but with more screaming from Simon than normal….and cursing! A more grown up punk feel to this, then audibly pleasing outro vocals brings this to a close.

My Recovery Injection was one Biffy song that was played constantly on music TV, and the video was great. The song itself on the album has an extended jam introduction with a wah effect making its debut. Then the catchiest use of a hammer on/pull off ever kicks in. A softer song, which still contains all the regular song traits for a Biffy track. The increased guitar skill is also evident in the bridge.

Got Wrong is a new sound for the band. It has elements of Smashing Pumpkins in it (at one point I swear I heard Billy’s vocals), but this is an up tempo layered guitar song, which is also quite short, but effective.

Atrocity pulls out the piano, and gives Simon the spotlight. Slight irony in the title for this one, as although it has some good lyrics, this one lacks something. The end section introduces the other instruments, but it never seems to go anywhere.

Some Kind OF Wizard kicks the last track straight out the way and is a quick, happy, funny if you pay attention, track. More guitar skills on show again, another short kicky track.

Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave is made to be an audience participation track. Opening clap rhythm goes on for a few bars, then its time to sit down and shut up as the mess of a distortion section begins. It really shouldn’t go with the vocals, but it fits well. Lots of sections to this, and some general guitar effect messing about at times, before another beautiful outro brings this somewhat progressive track to a close.

Only One Word Springs To Mind, the current Biffy single, and again it has an extended intro, although its just Simon singing over random harmonics. An acoustic-ish song that feels different to the rest of the album. It sounds more like an effort from fellow Scots Travis or Snow patrol, but still remains sounding unique. It could fade out nicely, but it refuses to leave, and after a few bass notes, it goes into the screaming distortion/vocals ending, which gives it an extra kick if anything.

There’s No Such Man As Crasp, im sure is some sort of private joke? It's more of a filler than anything else, with Simon merely chanting random lyrics. I get the feeling that we’re not meant to get it.

There’s No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake on the other hand, is an open invitation to scream your lungs out. It certainly seems to be what Simon is doing, as well as playing bizarre but good sounding guitar riffs. The basic formula of this song is set, then it’s just a case of throwing in random xylophone bits.

Kids From Kibble And The Fist Of Light begins very ordinarily, the distortion section (after the death metal moment of guitar smashing) is plain and samey. It’s when it falls into the calming vocals it gains some creditability, but not enough to lift it from average.

Weapons Are Concealed is the first time I’ve laughed in public at a song intro. It sounds like it should be a cheesy cop show intro. There’s not a lot else to offer in this one, as it does lack anything else of notice.

Pause It And Turn It Up DON’T! Ill explain in a bit. The song in question is a slow burning and vocally lead. Its intensifies more and more over time, progressing along the simple formula. However, it’s not that interesting if you’re expecting what you want from Biffy. We then get something like 23 minutes of dead air, if you still have you CD player on. Then a weird distorted bagpipe, creepy vocal ‘thing’, which scared the hell out of me on first listen. The gimmick of the hidden track was getting repetitive, but this one if just weird, and not to be listened to at high volumes or in the dark.


Pros
Musical talent evident again
Some great songs
Can make you laugh at points without even needing a joke

Cons
A sense of repetitiveness
Tone isn’t always great
Latter half of the album drags.


So it seems they took the hard rock road, and threw in some new elements. It’s clear that the band have again grown up and increased in skill, but seem to be falling short of some ideas in places. This effort has some of their best tracks on, but then some of their worst are here too. It’s a tough listen, and some songs take work to appreciate, but there is probably something here for most people. Its still an impressive feat though, that this is their third album in 3 years.

Recommended Tracks
Glitter And Trauma
My Recovery Injection
Strung To Your Ribcage



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Comments:Add a Comment 
SquierStrat3k1
July 31st 2005


20 Comments


Yeah , you know what, i find this album quite boring, but Glitter and Trauma, and Recovery Injection are brilliant songs.

3rdplanet
August 9th 2005


46 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Absolutley fantastic album.



There's no such thing as a man called crasp kinda gets in the way, but I like it being there though.



There are probably around four songs I would rate less than 5/5 (3 if you're not counting 'TNSTAAMCC').



Best album Biffy have released.

antievilninja
January 22nd 2006


5 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Nice Review. Dont think you give enough props to

Kids From Kibble And The Fist Of Light, but hey, thats ok dude : )

Biffy Clyro seem really unknown to me. I wonder what there fan base is like. Anyone have a clue?

iname
January 23rd 2006


3 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This band just keep producing albums after albums and each one better, and different. this album is definatly the most adventerious out of the 3 and you will either like it or not.

tim_g_w
April 13th 2006


3 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

i might be biased but i cant see how anybody can criticise this album...especially with all the shit thats out there!

vicky
September 14th 2006


3 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I think this is a great album. The review is very well written, but I disagree that the second half of the album drags a bit, I always thought that from wave upon wave onwards is some of the finest material Biffy have written, and I also disagree that There's No Such Man... gets in the way, i always found it rather amusing.

Hooray for biffy

The_Boul
November 6th 2006


10 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

i never thought crasp got in the way, and i was delighted when i saw them live and they did it as the intro to jaggy snake, its works so well. anyway, i love this album, its brilliant, although not guite classic

king sandbox
April 17th 2007


26 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This is a fantastic album and crasp is just hilarious....genius.



'MON THE BIFFY!!!

jrowa001
November 20th 2008


8752 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

love me some Biffy Clyro. this is a very good album. my second fav to Vertigo of Bliss. then just above Puzzle

BurlySlayerFan
November 20th 2008


51 Comments


I have this album but not listened to it properly yet. Blackened Sky though is awesome, and Puzzle is pretty decent.

I'm gonna go listen to this now...

bodiesinflight57
January 29th 2009


870 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

In response to antievilninja:



As a follower of the Biffy for a long time now, I can tell you that their core fanbase is quite small but very dedicated, regularly travelling for hours on end to see them play.



They've broken into the UK mainstream rock scene recently with 'Puzzle' which hit #2 and recent single 'Mountains' got to #5



They're also three of the nicest people I've ever met



MON THE BIFF!

gaslightanthem
January 29th 2009


5208 Comments


yeah biffy rule

gimp fest
August 19th 2009


56 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

you are such a shit reviewer, seriously. you get biffy really wrong.

Titan50
August 19th 2009


4588 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

lulwut

gimp fest
September 11th 2009


56 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

you really do, you have no idea! it's comical.

DaveyBoy
Emeritus
May 16th 2010


22503 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

The Scottish trio's 3rd LP is a further trip into unpredictably quirky experiments with an emphasis on quiet/loud dynamics. It makes 'Infinity Land' initially inaccessible to some degree, but one which grows more cohesive & satisfying with each listen. The band's main strength however, is whether it be a piano ballad ('The Atrocity') or a track that includes near indecipherable screams ('... Jaggy Snake'), Biffy Clyro infuse each track with an underlying sense of melody. Recommended Tracks: Glitter and Trauma, Only One Word Comes To Mind, There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake & Some Kind Of Wizard.

McConkey
June 13th 2010


7 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

There most out going and smartest album yet

Esky
August 12th 2011


175 Comments


Can't get into this one. Love the first two and parts of Puzzle/OR - after the first few tracks this just seems like a mess though.

porcupinetheater
December 3rd 2016


11054 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I've been jamming this album regularly for 5 years, and somehow it still manages to grow. Probably just as good as Vertigo

Flugmorph
April 6th 2019


34905 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

still rawks the socks



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