'' Austral Alien '' is the fifth full-length studio album by the Australian progressive metal band , Alchemist . It was recorded and mixed in only ten days . It was released in 2003 by Chatterbox Records in Australia and worldwide by Relapse Records . '' Austral Alien '' is semi-conceptual with a lyrical focus inspired by the Australian environment and the impact of man on the ecology . Promotional music videos for the songs " First Contact " , " Solarburn " and " Alpha Capella Nova Vega " were released , with the video for " Solarburn " expressing the album 's concept , using imagery from the 2003 Canberra bushfires . The cover art is influenced by Surrealism . '' Austral Alien '' featured more keyboards and a mellowing of their previous death metal guitar sound , with even shorter songs than '' Organasm '' . Allmusic suggested that " '' Austral Alien '' is for Alchemist what , say , '' Permanent Waves '' was to Rush ( see the increased use of synthesizers ) : a work of unquestionable merit and maturity that may nevertheless leave older fans yearning just a little for the excesses — both successful and not — of albums past " and noted that this was the band 's most commercially accessible release , while still praising Alchemist for their " inspired brand of sci-fi metal "
2003 Canberra bushfires
2003 Canberra bushfires
Austral Alien