Wednesday 24/01/07 Biffy Clyro, The Bronx @ Carling Academy, Liverpool

The wind in Liverpool tonight is so cold it is sending radiators into over drive and making this hack wish he was in bed with a hot water bottle. It’s freezing. As The Bronx begin their set our shirt begins to wave and a draught is apparent, “Surely it can’t be windy inside?” we think. It isn’t. It is actually just the raw power of The Bronx’s tunes that are causing the floor to vibrate and with it our clothes, feet and minds. Clichés such as feral, rip-roaring and visceral don’t really do The Bronx justice as the sheer power that emanates from their amps is unnerving and awe inspiring. Lead singer Matt Caughthran is limping around a bit as he dislocated his knee earlier on the tour but that is not deterring him from a healthy dose of crowd interaction, jumping into the crowd on numerous occasions.

Tracks such as ‘Shitty Future, ‘History’s Stranglers’ and ‘Rape Zombie’ rip a hole through the Academy enthralling the crowd in the process. What sets The Bronx apart from other current metal acts is the way they embrace traditional rock music and combine it with a sense of rhythm. Set highlight ‘They Will Kill Us All Without Mercy’ shows this and sees Caughthran singing the entire song in the middle of the crowd only to be pulled back, deep sea diver like, by his microphone lead. The Bronx, like tonight’s gale force winds, are a force to be reckoned with.

Biffy Clyro seem almost tame in comparison, that is for the one second they are on stage before tearing into new track ‘Semi- Mental’ a song both barbaric in its ferocity yet laden with hooks, riffs and crossover potential. Simon Neil, clad in red trousers looks like a man emerging from a dogs jaws- all hair, sweat and anger. With his long Jesus like hair covering his whole face parts of the set look like they are being delivered by a man half way through an ‘Exorcist’ style head spin. Among the other new tracks from the forthcoming ‘Puzzles’ album the crowd are treated to ‘Get ****ed Stud’, 'Now I’m Everyone’ and forthcoming single ‘Saturday Superhouse’.

The songs all look like the Biffy of yore but with a major label feel to them, i.e. a bit cleaner and less of the prog tendencies that blighted previous album ‘Infinity Land’ and sections of tonight’s gig. Not every band can be the Kaiser Chiefs (Luckily) but sometimes its feels as though Biffy’s perfect rock songs are ruined by a tendency to venture into experimental directions. Numerous songs are dragged out to insufferable length with a feel of ‘Look at what we can do’ to them. That’s not to say this isn’t a master class in fan devotion though, every song is sung back at a volume that would shame Alex Turner, the most noticeable is on ‘All The Way Down’, a truly beautiful song and emotional moment of tonight’s show.

Not playing ‘Questions and Answers’ or ‘Eradicate The Doubt’ irritates a little but fan favourites such as ‘57’, ‘Blackened Skies’ and ‘Glitter & Trauma’ are wheeled out in spectacular fashion. However, tonight is all about the new Biffy Clyro, a band that could depart 2007 as one of Britains biggest and best Alt. Rock bands.