Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro have dropped a track from their upcoming album The Myth of the Happily Ever After. On September 3rd, the band shared “Unknown Male 01,” which is the first single from the project. In addition to the single, the band also shared some details about their ninth studio album coming out October 22nd.

Lead guitarist and singer Simon Neil calls the upcoming album “a reaction” to the band’s 2020’s A Celebration Of Endings. Neil describes the recording process as “journey,” and mentions that this latest project will evoke all the thoughts and emotions that the group has felt since the pandemic started.

“There was a real fortitude in A Celebration but in this record we’re embracing the vulnerabilities of being a band and being a human in this twisted era of our lives.”

Neil mentions that it is by no accident that title of The Myth of the Happily Ever After is the antithesis of their prior album’s title. Neil wonders if the uncertainty of the future has society creating reassuring yet false narratives.

“Even the title is the polar opposite. It’s asking, do we create these narratives in our own minds to give us some security when none of us know what’s waiting for us at the end of the day?”

“Unknown Male 01” is a slow building track that explores themes of loss. The six-minute track starts with a central focus on Neil’s vocals and simple yet emotional instrumentation. A somber mood is conveyed as the singer’s soft vocals are paired with a church-like organ. Though a clean guitar riff is sometimes introduced into the mix, the track remains mostly subdued for the first couple of minutes. The song then proceeds to turn into a riff-laden rock explosion.

Gone is the restrain of the opening minutes and in its place is raw energy. Neil croons with a sense of desperation in his voice. The song makes use of hard rock and math rock tendencies. The emotion that Neil previously described is certainly present throughout this track. Fans will be hoping this track previews the wide variety of production techniques that will be utilized in the upcoming album.

Neil mentions that the song is meant to convey the hopelessness and darkness felt when we lose someone we love. The singer claims that the accompanying dark thoughts never truly go away. As his lyrics state, “The devil never leaves.”

Biffy Clyro originally formed in 1995. The trio consists of Neil, bassist James Johnston and drummer Ben Johnston. Their most recent album, A Celebration Of Endings, is an upbeat and gnarly project with a variety of music genres and moods. The band’s “Holier Than Thou” rendition is featured on the upcoming Metallica tribute project due to drop this month. In May, it was announced that the trio will be headlining the Download Festival in 2022, which is set to feature Kiss, Iron Maiden and many other rock titans.

The Myth of the Happily Ever After Tracklist:

1. DumDum
2. A Hunger in Your Haunt
3. Denier
4. Separate Missions
5. Witch’s Cup
6. Holy Water
7. Errors in the History of God
8. Haru Urara
9. Unknown Male 01
10. Existed
11. Slurpy Slurpy Sleep Sleep

Photo Credit: Marv Watson