Phaedo’s first album Beyond Divisions is an excellent introduction to their brand of psych-heavy rock. Hailing from Geelong, they’ve been bouncing around the local scene for the past few years, but today’s release seems set to open their music up to a wider and appreciative audience.

It’s a lyrically intriguing record, with focus on psychedelic experiences and philosophical discussion. Perhaps this isn’t surprising given where the band take their name from - Phaedo was one of the philosopher Plato’s dialogues, taking place in the final hours of Socrates’ life, and concerns the immortality of the soul. Suitably, album highlight ‘Beyond Divisions’ even contains the lyric “I need a place beyond what this world’s become”.

Beyond Divisions’ atmosphere routinely alternates between sinister and melodic, showcasing Phaedo’s fluid songwriting ability. ‘Morals’ is a frenetic opener, a heavy fuzz rock number, whereas songs like ‘The Throne’ and A Crack You Call A Window’ are slower, leaning towards prog rock. The marks of their forebears are significant, like the psychedelia of their fellow Australians Pond, but also the harder rock influence of older bands like King Crimson and Led Zeppelin. Indeed, songs like ‘Devil Again’ and ‘Dreaming Screaming’ share the latter’s interest in the devil and the psyche.

Phaedo’s more melodic side comes out on ‘Ain’t No Use’, with its catchy titular chorus. For such a youthful band, they have a distinct idea of what their identity is, or should be, both sonically and lyrically. The mixture of psychedelic songs with heavier prog rock creations shows wonderful versatility, and their keen personal songwriting is aggressively thoughtful and intelligent.

It’s an impressive debut release from the five-piece that suggests big things are to come - but for us watching on, we'll just be fascinated to follow where their sound travels to next.