Listeners are inevitably going to find themselves nodding along.

With a sound just as bold and striking as their name, Tropical Fuck Storm just entered a new era with their first full length in four years, Fairyland Codex. Bandmates Gareth Liddiard, Fiano Kitschin, Lauren Hammel and Erica Dun are true to their bands’ known form with this noisy, art punk, experimental rock concoction. The Australian rock band has woven a dense web of clever symbolism and sage illusions into this album, nodding to politics, nuances in relationships, greed, anger and fated societal tensions.

The album starts with “Irukandji Syndrome.” Liddiard’s accented vocals ring through the grim and grungy indie rock instrumentals. An unnerving undertone is set that is validated further with dark lyrics, “The voice at 3am is always dangerous, the voice at 3am is always a game,” feeding imagery of a twisted witching hour. This sentiment carries into “Goon Show,” with, once again, more hard core, edgy guitar riffs clashing. Whether or not this kind of eclectic rock is someone’s forte, listeners are inevitably going to find themselves nodding along with these headbanging openers.

The third track has such a drastic vibe switch it almost feels like it might be proper to sit down – as if classroom chaos gets interrupted by a teacher or in this case, an emo jam session is interrupted by sad realizations. While all the tracks on Fairyland Codex explore nuanced feelings, this song in particular strikes contrast with soft vulnerability. “Stepping on a Rake” expresses the difficulties of being in a one-sided relationship and the complicated feelings of being deeper in love or obsession with someone else than they are with you. The lyrics allude to this becoming somewhat of an obsession, concerned with what the other person is doing at any given moment, remembering every little detail while the other party doesn’t even seem to recall the first thing about their partner. Although the narrator is in a relationship, they reveal that physical closeness paired with emotional distance can bear an even greater sense of loneliness.

Next, in “Teeth Marché,” we hear more female vocals, which is just another way that Tropical Fuck Storm offers a vast array of variety in their music. The track is a standout on the album, another genre bending piece blending their indie, folk and alternative rock aura into one. The lyrics illustrate another complex facet of society – greed, moral decay and pride. Allusions to Atlantis along with stirring verses convey a lesson of the dangers of neglecting moral compasses when society is corrupted in excess and vanity.  “You got gold fillings flashing from the place where credit’s due / And those diamonds in your back pocket will all catch up with you.” The narrator urges to remain watchful of the human tendency to destroy paradise.

Following these slightly more mellow tracks, there is an intense instrumental build in the title track. ‘Fairyland Codex” seems almost contrary in theme with dark, damning verses as the album takes another eerie turn. To add another distinctive focus, the album ends on a mysterious note with “Moscovium,” which evokes a theme of secret and corrupt military research.

Overall, Fairyland Codex is a feast for the mind and the senses while keeping intellectually thrilling, musically dynamic and immersive.