The phrase ‘eagerly anticipated’ is bandied about with little restraint in the world of music reviews. Unfortunately for purposes of variety, in the case of Midnight Juggernauts most recent LP no other expression comes close to sufficing. Following on from 2007s ardently-received Dystopia, the instantly striking thing about the Melbourne trio’s latest record is its polished immediacy; this is not a release that takes multiple listens to warm to.  

From the sublime drama of instrumental opener Induco, which manages to sound both buoyant and sepulchral, to up-tempo prog freakout Lara Versus the Savage Pack, where menace and levity share an uneasy coexistence, The Crystal Axis is as accomplished, compelling and dynamic a follow-up as could be hoped for.  

The only real breathing space comes with Lemuria, a minute-long melting pot of carnival rhythms and Faustian distemper that serves to intro closer Fade to Red, itself a dreamy aural wasteland of scorched synthesisers and slow-motion melodies featuring the modal refrain “This is our final goodbye.” Let’s hope they don’t really mean it.