BIFFY Clyro's eagerly awaited seventh studio album Ellipsis hits all the right notes.

I can't claim to be an avid fan of the Scottish rock band but I've certainly enjoyed listening to some of their hits in the past, including Many Of Horror.

So at the weekend I sat back and listened to their new record with an open mind and on the whole it was solid and well-crafted. It features some guitar-rich anthems, and being passionate about rock music, I enjoyed the more rousing and lively tracks including Wolves Of Winter, Animal Style and Howl. These are among the more edgy songs, which is what I was expecting to hear.

However, there are a few softer tracks too. I particular enjoyed the acoustic number Medicine, which gives Ellipsis another dimension and slows the pace down. Re-arrange has a similar effect, and I think they work well. I wouldn't have appreciated Ellipsis as much if it was just anthemic and energetic music throughout.

Most of the songs have a quite a fast tempo but that is what you expect from Biffy Clyro. Although there are a few edgy and lively tracks, I was hoping a few more songs would include more heavy bass and pounding drums. Friends And Enemies and Herex fall under the category of pop-rock and they are just too weak for my liking. They sound like they are written to appeal to a mainstream audience, rather than Biffy Clyro creating music that makes them unique.

Overall it's a strong album that I believe many rock music lovers will enjoy the more they listen to it, and I'm sure fans of the band will be playing it over and over again ahead of Biffy Clyro headlining the first night of Leeds Festival at Bramham Park on August 26.

Having had a taste of what a Biffy Clyro album consists of, I'm now keen to listen to more of their older material. The Kilmarnock rockers are probably one of the more distinctive bands around at the moment.

Dan Willers