Album Review: Midnight Juggernauts The Crystal Axis

The sophomore release from this hypnotic synth-rock trio from Melbourne could be the one that sends them straight to the stadiums. Photo / Supplied

Rating: 4/5
Verdict: It's hard to stay exclusive when everyone likes your songs

The sophomore release from this hypnotic synth-rock trio from Melbourne could be the one that sends them straight to the stadiums.

Fans slapped the band with an indie-dance label when they emerged with debut album Dystopia in 2007. But it's clear from this album that they have spilled out of the category and are heading to a broad-appeal sound that plays on audiences emotions.

After exploring the world through their tour of some of the biggest festivals, Andrew Szekeres, Vincent Vendetta and Daniel Stricker locked themselves away with their technology in a house on a remote stretch of New South Wales coastline and pumped out some new sounds.

The wild, horizonless ocean that would have surrounded them over that period makes its way on to the album with roaring, stirring numbers that seem to know no boundaries. Opening with the ominous, spacey Induco, the album bursts through five epic songs including Vital Signs, with electro squawking and rattling percussion, yet mellow, melodic potency. The hypnotic undercurrent of the songs grab listeners before a wave of danceable pop washes over the top.

The pace slows and the mood darkens at The Great Beyond. As this continues it becomes a little droning and repetitive. This is an act you want to see live, and soon, before ticket prices burst through the roof.

-TimeOut