THERE is a simple motto lurking behind Glasgow duo Honeyblood’s new album.

“Nothing is ever safe!” laughs the twosome’s singer, Stina Tweeddale.

“All the songs on Babes Never Die had a point where we weren’t sure whether it would go on the album or not, as we wanted 10 songs and there was more than that recorded. You have to be ruthless with what you create, because it’s not just me playing some songs in a bedroom for myself, they’re songs that will get performed every night and be on the radio.”

If Honeyblood’s 2014 served as a fizzy introduction to the band, then Babes Never Die injects extra adrenaline into proceedings. After the first record’s arrival, drummer Shona McVicar departed, replaced by Cat Myers, and the new line-up embarked on a couple of years of heavy touring.

The last time the Evening Times spoke to the duo they were supporting the Foo Fighters at their massive Murrayfield show last year, and Stina mentioned wanting a “less sugary” second album. They’ve delivered on that, with a hard-hitting album that takes inspiration from anything from Stina’s own observations growing up (Gangs) to classic horror (Love Is A Disease).

There’s a horror theme running through the whole album, including the creepy video for single Ready For The Magic, an atmosphere conjured up by the group spending a few days in Dumfriesshire to work on new tracks.

“We did a couple of writing sessions in this old mill and it was like the set of a horror film,” explains Stina.

“I think it set the pace for the album as well because we wrote three songs there, and probably the all the spooky ones came from it! I have quite an imagination, so I probably made it worse in my head than it actually was, but it definitely worked to our advantage for the album.

“I really love horror. My favourite horror film is May by Lucky McKee – it’s a bit like Hammer horror but mixed with a teen film like She’s All That, and my favourite novel of all time is Dracula, which can inspire the writing. I’m really into vampires, although I’m quite old school – I’m not into anything like Twilight and I like them to have capes!”

It’s not just horror that influences Stina. While there are heavily personal tracks like Cruel on the album, she often likes to take ideas or influences from elsewhere, and then weave them into her own life.

“A lot of them are like folk tales or things from history,” she adds.

“I studied history at university so I’m a big geek on that and am constantly reading, so when something captures my imagination I wind it into something that means something to me. A song like Sea Hearts was loosely based on Anne Bonny and Mary Reed , who were two pirates, and the story has been elaborated very extravagantly over the years so it’s not really a truth and more a folk tale.

“But they were supposed to be real people, and that was the main inspiration for Sea Hearts, but with me and my friend as these two people, not as pirates directly, but as two girls who are out causing havoc. I think my pal is OK with it…”

After a tiny show at the Hug and Pint to preview the album, more havoc can be expected tomorrow when Honeyblood roll into St Luke’s to wrap up their current tour.

“I’m excited to play there, it looks like a good one to come home to,” says Stina.

“All our friends and family are coming as well so it’s always a nice way to end the tour like that.”

Given that the group’s first record was a well-received hit, there might have been extra pressure on Honeyblood now. But for Stina the only focus is on creating songs she and Cat are happy with, and then seeing where that takes them.

“The music business is so fickle, so I don’t think about how an album will do,” says Stina.

“The only thing I do put a lot of planning into is the music, and whatever happens when we release the record, happens. You can’t plan how successful your music is going to be. You just have to know that you’re making something that you want to make and what direction you want to go in musically, and that’s what we did.”

Honeyblood, St Luke’s, tomorrow, £10, 7pm