Releasing Powers, their first album in more than nine years, The Futureheads are back with a very loud bang.

“It’s been a while since we wrote, well, anything together” says frontman Barry Hyde. “The most important thing for a songwriter is that they actually want to pick up their chosen instruments and want to play.

“After Rant!, we didn’t really know what to do, putting the guitars back on felt strange after releasing an a capella record.

“ I’m happy to say that the album contains some of most developed and finest compositions. It’s really great to be playing together again”.

The band are at the beginnings of a UK December tour, including a date at the QMU on Friday, December 14, where they will celebrate 15 years of The Futureheads. Revisiting their self-titled debut album, which has been heralded as iconic, Barry says this time has been fundamental to reflection.

“Some of those songs have been played at every single gig we have done” he says.

“It’ll be nice to dust off some of the more obscure tracks, like Man Ray and He Knows. They are quite tricky.

“It’s mad to think the album is 15 years old, it certainly doesn’t feel like that long ago.

“We are just happy to be able to come back to a dedicated fan base after quite a long break from the band.

“We are enjoying hanging out and playing powerfully.”

For those Futurehead mega-fans that are going to be heading down to the QMU, Barry says that they should expect a “very loud and very fast show”.

In fact, this show has been keeping him on top in many ways –including even keeping in shape.

“Touring has been good way of trimming down and losing weight – it’s quite the workout, very sweaty” he adds.

“Managing to commit ourselves to making a new record, despite our very different lives...was like chipping away at a massive sculpture gradually over 40 sporadic sessions… not an easy task. We’re just happy to come back to a dedicated fan base.”