Album Review: Twelve Foot Ninja - Outlier

Melbourne genre-benders Twelve Foot Ninja finally come good with their second album after 2012's debut Silent Machine.

The wait is no surprise; constant touring aside, the five-piece have upped the ante on the complexity and diversity of their previous release. There's a lot that's familiar in the Mike Patton-esque vocals, the djent style, the crunchy chugs and snappy changes, but Outlier is such a rule-breaker that it's still unpredictable and rewarding. Bossa nova and piano tinkles in One Hand Killing, commanding directives from lead man Kin Etik in Sick and Indian flavours and a catchy chorus in Monsoon are the offbeat highlights.