Biffy Clyro emerge from Puzzle's rubble

Look left and there's a luxurious hot tub. Look right and there's a carpeted lift so decorative it could be a room in its own right.

Biffy Clyro – the three of them looking tanned and healthy - are sat drinking ("£12 cups of tea," jokes Simon Neil) on a hotel rooftop terrace in central London.

"Swanky eh?," says drummer Ben Johnston raising his eyebrows. "Four-poster bed and we're living in the lap of luxury here."

"We've always got an element of guilt when we stay somewhere nice because we know what it's like to have seven people crammed in a room," laughs lead singer Simon Neil.

"We certainly haven't forgotten what it's like to struggle so we definitely appreciate it as much as we can because it may not last forever."

New chapter

Right now though Biffy Clyro have earned their comfy surroundings.

Their last album, 2007's Puzzle, sold over 250,000 copies and combined with touring, made them one of Britain's biggest rock bands.

It also left them exhausted. Physically, and mentally.

Biffy say their new album "is a bit of a love story"

Neil had spent two years discussing the death of his mother – the theme which lyrically dominated Puzzle – and needed a release.

Pop side project Marmaduke Duke provided that for a while, but Biffy Clyro have now returned with the follow-up.

Only Revolutions, written in their secluded Ayrshire practice room ("there's no one around," smiles Neil) in early 2009 but recorded under the beating sun of Los Angeles, is released in November.

Inspiration for the title comes from a book by American author Mark Z Danielewski.

"His books are basically a love story," says Neil. "The album is a bit of a love story - well, love story - I don't know if it's got a happy ending yet.

"It's about me and my wife so it's kind of a relationship record. Some songs make her cringe a wee bit but that's the curse of her being married to me unfortunately.

"It's about the kind of personal revolutions you have to go through to survive in this world."

The Biffy sat before us today look more energised, more focussed and less bedraggled than before.

"This record is us emerging from the rubble that was Puzzle," explains Neil. "Our emotional and mental situation coming out of Puzzle, it was really quite tender.

"We just felt a bit more hopeful about things and there wasn't this cloud following us around because I'd be quite explicit about what Puzzle was about.

"This time it's important to keep a wee bit more mystery just for my own health."

They've rediscovered the band vibe which saw them relentlessly tour their first three albums, beginning with 2002 debut Blackened Sky.

"We try and keep ourselves in the headspace of being teenage rock fans and being teenagers in the band. I think in rock music it's important to have a youthful mind and a youthful heart," states Neil.

"That's what rock 'n' roll is isn't it? It's about young people and we're vastly outgrowing our years."

'Big deal'

Whilst still sounding young, Only Revolutions is also the band's most accomplished album to date and one embellished with the experienced touch of orchestrator David Campbell (Beck's father) and Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme.

"He came down at midnight having tucked his kids into bed and came by the studio, so it was a real big deal," says Neil.

Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age has been working with Biffy

"What he put on the record was amazing - we love Josh but if it was rubbish it wouldn't have gone on.

"I saw Queens Of The Stone in 1997 in the Glasgow Cathouse and 12 years later Josh is playing on our records - that's a dream come true for us."

They're the second British band Homme has lent his skills to this summer following his work on Arctic Monkeys' Humbug.

Ben Johnston: "He's an intimidating guy - when he walks in the room he commands respect.

"He is very intimidating - purely by the size of him - and the size of his hands when you shake them. You need two hands to shake one of his.

"He's a big sweetheart and a true rock and roller and I'm sure he could out party just about anyone."

Bubbles is the song that makes the cut – but one also didn't.

"There was one song that didn't make the record that he tried something on which didn't quite work out," explains Neil.

That's the band standing firm as they have throughout their 14-year career – they're serious about their music.

"We try and not party too much during an album because that album is with you for the rest of your life," muses Neil.

"You'd be kicking yourself so much if because you were in LA you got completely distracted and took your eye off the ball and suddenly you’re playing an album you're not proud of.

"That'd be a real mistake. You can’t go back."

Indeed, you can’t go back, and right now Biffy Clyro are only looking forward.