THEY'VE gone global. But there's no place like home.

Over the course of three well received albums, Southampton's Band of Skulls have established a reputation as one of the UK's best guitar bands.

They're in demand worldwide, have successfully conquered America and had their music used for everything from Hollywood movies like The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Hangover Part II to top video games including Guitar Hero and Gran Turismo 5, via the popular TV shows Gossip Girl and Britain's Next Top Model.

They've appeared on Later...with Jools Holland and were the subject of a Channel 4 documentary showcasing their journey from jamming in Southampton bars to global tours.

This summer Band of Skulls - Russell Marsden (vocals and guitar), vocalist and bassist Emma Richardson and drummer Matt Hayward - have a slot at Glastonbury and support Stereophonics at Cardiff City Stadium sandwiched in between a string of UK headline dates in support of their latest album By Default, due for release on Friday.

Taking a step back from their relentless worldwide touring schedule, which meant the trio had never spent more than a month off the road in more than two years, there was only one place where they wanted to work on their new material.

"It's a pure Southampton record" says Matt as he breaks away from reading an interview with Iggy Pop in that day's Daily Echo.

"It was quite a cleansing process. Since we released the first record (Baby Darling Doll Face Honey) in 2009, we haven't stopped. Tours and then when we came off the road it would be straight into the studio and then as soon as we finish tour it again. That cycle has been going on for a long time and we just decided to do something different and see this is as a new beginning.

"You know you can draw from this city, I think it's a really big inspiration to us for a lot of our material.

"When we wanted to start writing this record, we rented a church in Southampton. We're always trying to find interesting places to surround ourselves in.

"The sound of the church was great for that process. It carries the voice like a dream and it just sounds amazing. We could just hear the sound of the record as soon as we got there.

"When we came to record it (at Rockfield Studios in Wales) our producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Patti Smith) was trying to recreate those church sounds. We used a lot of the reverbs of the room on the record."

The church became an important part of the record and, although the band are keeping the identity of their city centre discovery a closely guarded secret, eagle eyed fans may be able to identify the location from the interior photograph which acts as the album artwork on By Default.

"It just really worked. It was so much better than being in a standard London rehearsal space. We've done that before and The Specials are next door and you spend the whole time thinking God I hope they're not listening to this!

"We loved that we were completely anonymous."

The album, the follow up to 2012's Sweet Sour and Himalayan in 2014, will be officially launched at an in store appearance at HMV in Above Bar Street on Friday at 5.15pm. Hundreds of fans are expected to turn out to see the band perform live and sign copies.

And the headline UK tour that follows, where the threesome are joined by another Southampton star, touring member Milo Fitzpatrick of Portico Quartet, will end with a triumphant homecoming gig at The Engine Rooms on November 17.

It means a lot to perform in the city, continues Matt, who grew up in Bassett.

"Playing the place where you grew up is really special to all of us.

"Common People last year was just a magical moment. To walk over there and play was a really big thing for me.

"It's special but nerve-racking. You know a lot of people, which is an added pressure. It's an interesting feeling, but it's always brilliant. We turn it into a real celebration."

Matt has nothing but praise for Southampton's impressive live music scene.

"When we're making music we're meant to be on shut down. You shouldn't be influenced by other music around you.

"Saying that I am really liking John Grant and Steve Mason," he laughs. Both played Southampton in February.

"I love getting around to local gigs, especially at The Joiners. I like checking out what's going on.

"They've been fleeting visits in recent years, but Southampton has always been the centre point of it all."

Band of Skulls By Default LP is released on Friday.

Catch them in store at HMV at 5.15pm on the day of release.

Tickets for their Engine Rooms date on Thursday November 17 are available now at engineroomssouthampton.com