BIFFY Clyro star Simon Neil's new band is in the running for Scottish Album of the Year.

And there's still time left to vote for the Ayrshire singer and guitarist, with the online poll to decide the final shortlist closing at midnight tonight  (Wednesday, October 2).

Empire State Bastard is an extreme metal duo composed of Neil and ex-Oceansize frontman Mike Vennart.

Born in Irvine and raised in Ayr, where he still resides, Simon formed Biffy with Kilmarnock twins Ben and James Johnston in 1995.

They picked up a big underground following before hitting the charts with singles such as Mountains and Many of Horror in 2008/2009. That led to Brit Award nominations and headlining the Reading and Leeds Festival.

While The Biff remain a going concern, with their last album released three years ago, Simon has also appeared in bands such as Marmaduke Duke - and his latest release is courtesy of the gloriously titled Empire State Bastard.

They released their debut single Harvest in March 2023, with their debut album Rivers of Heresy released a year ago.

And the album made the 20-strong long list for the 2024 Scottish Album of the Year.

The finalists will be announced shortly after the poll is tallied.

The free vote will be open until just before midnight at www.sayaward.com.