SOUTHEND electro-rockers the Horrors are back in business as their fifth studio album, V, jumping straight into the top ten of the UK album charts.

The Echo spoke with Rhys Webb, the band’s bassist, about the new release and their plans now the long wait to release the new album is finally over.

He said: “We are feeling great right now and also quite relieved because it has been a long time coming for us to release this album.

“It was a long process with lots of ups and downs and it is just great the album is out and the prospect of touring is back.

“The reviews have been really positive and it seems people who have liked our other albums are also fans of V.”

The five-piece includes two former students of Westcliff High School for Boys in Kenilworth Gardens, guitarist, Josh Hayward and Rhys.

The new album, released on Friday September 22, ended its first week at number eight in the charts.

The 34-year-old feels that the process writing the album was a breath of fresh air after their 2013 release, Luminous.

Instead of working in their own home studio in Hackney, the band sought a new direction, bringing in Grammy winning producer, Paul Epworth, known for producing Adele’s number one album, 21.

Rhys said that the process of making the album had a very different dynamic to years gone by.

Rhys said: “We had a discussion as a group, one thing that was important was to have a darker sound at times.

“It was something we really wanted to explore.

“We had not worked with a producer or anyone creatively outside the band in our studio for years.

“We wanted to work with someone new outside our normal environment.”

He felt that one of the most important elements of the album was having the chance to give the instrumentation “space”.

Among the tracks that Rhys holds dearest to him is the third track, Machine.

Rhys said: “It was presented by Tom (Furse) as this really well treated loop.

“Tom was very interested in that sort of mechanical sound and the first thing we put on there was this heavy guitar.

“Of course there is quite a strong atmosphere to the music on the album, that is something we enjoy.”

Although the album has its harder moments, it mixes well with slower and softer songs such as the band’s latest single, Something to Remember Me By.

Rhys said that the band never set out to write the album to a specific genre which through their 12 year career they have tried to do before.

He said: “We were quite aware that the songs had quite different sounds, many different moments happen throughout.

“We felt we should not stop that if it was right. It was nice to have a bit of movement with what we were doing.

“Albums are great when they can take you up and down and show you different sides of an artist’s sound, I think.”

Rhys said that Ghost and Weighed Down are his favourites on the album for that reason.

He added: “For me, Weighed Down is great because of the heavy atmosphere.

“When we wrote that track, it was the first we did with Paul and it came together very quickly, almost like we were not thinking about it, just taking the music where it wanted us.”

The band faced a difficult first week for the release of V.

They had stiff competition from stadium fillers, the Killers and American rock legends, Foo Fighters.

With the way music has changed even between their last album and now, Rhys said he noticed it a lot during the band’s first week.

He said: “Everything has completely changed, now it is a case of getting our heads around doing things again.

“We started in a world where people were buying records and when people were not able to just spend £10 a month to have all the music you want. Personally, I like to have the actual artefact, I would not use streaming myself.”

The Horrors are now among the best in a new era of music.

Their new album remains in the top ten of the UK album chart and they hope the release is a sign of even greater things to come.