Pond “Terrestrials” Review
Written by Beau Croxton
Terrestrials— out everywhere June 19th
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: JUNE
Pond’s exciting new LP Terrestrials finds the band seamlessly adopting new wave, goth and post-punk touches— the result is a highly consistent, cohesive and pumped-up-rock record.
Pond is on a potent run of records– their 2024 album Stung! was a lengthy and fantastic album that touched on a bit of everything that fans love about the group. With their newest record Terrestrials, the band leans harder into harnessing an exciting new energy; they weave moody, spellbinding arpeggiated guitar lines that recall Siouxsie & The Banshees more than the Aussie psych-rock that they usually serve up. The band taps into a “goths at the pub” vibe (citing Sisters of Mercy and Magazine as a few influences) and they never let go, as they ride into the sunset for a glorious and super tight 38 minutes in 10 tracks. The grand Pink Floyd-isms of their “Edge of The World” series and their slower ballad-centric tunes are traded in for something sharp that’s faster and more muscular.
Let's dive in track-by-track for our Album Of The Month: Pond — Terrestrials
“Skyworks” is an epic opener that is a masterclass in displaying the power of dynamics. The verses are shrouded in an intoxicating sense of mystery, until the chorus grabs the song by the neck. The anthemic choruses are a dynamite display of iconic rock n’ roll riffage, dazzling synth leads, and throbbing bass-synth all paired with singer Nick Allbrook’s trademark shrieking vocals. It’s a totally arena-worthy song that will have you playing air guitar right away– but it only truly reveals itself as one of the record’s best songs on consecutive listens.
“Casuarina” is an absolute smash— it’s the record’s biggest bop and it manages to be snazzy, proggy and punky all at the same time. The brilliant synth-solo section feels like an (extra) terrestrial flying saucer invasion. It's a ripsnorter that is emboldened by supremely crispy rock beats, unruly riffs and glammy hooks that will inevitably have frontman Nicholas Albook’s energy shooting through the stratosphere in a live setting.
“Through the Heather” feels like they bottled up some of the electro drama of “Elf Bar Blues” and brought it into a posh, post-punk/goth nightclub in the 80s. The verb-y electronic drums and mood recall Sisters Of Mercy, and it also feels like it could come from Fletcher Shears’ solo project, Puzzle, even more so than it sounds like recent Pond music. Its descending minor-key guitar riff sections are absolutely killer.“Through The Heather” is another ace in a very strong stretch.
“Two Hands” is a major banger that birthed a handshake that changed rock and roll forever. Allbrook’s crooning here is a bit deeper and darker than his usual belting. The delivery of the riff that dominates the second half sounds like a sinister take on Eddie Van Halen’s snappy guitar lick from Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”. This tune makes for a perfect pump-up jam— You can almost imagine a Pond-themed Rocky training sequence (but luckily the amazing music video touches on that around 2:40).
Nick Allbrook told Stereogum “This song is about when mining company Rio Tinto blew up Juukun Gorge in the Hammersley Range in Western Australia. They destroyed sacred rock shelters that were of the highest archaeological, cultural and spiritual significance. The rock shelters contained a cultural sequence spanning 46,000 years that had been taken care of by the local Indigenous communities.”
The bridge section carries a rightful anger, and it's one of Allbrook’s most triumphant performances on the record– what an impassioned, raging crescendo it is.
“Roebuck Plains” pairs brilliant group vocal camaraderie with trailing harmonizing guitar leads and twelve-string guitar. While it feels a bit like The Who, it overall feels close to the Top of the Pops-style classic rock that frequented 2024’s Stung, like “I’m Stung” or “The Last Elvis”.
“The Fatal Shore” provides an excellent vibe switch-up courtesy of production from their comrade Kevin Parker, aka the man behind Tame Impala. The track has a Duran Duran/ Flock of Seagulls-like 80’s swagger and serves as a nice dance break to let the album breathe. It offers something closer to what Pond has gravitated towards in the past, or recent material from Jay Watson’s solo project GUM.
Pond by Olivia Senior
“Tourmaline” revolves around twelve-string guitar motifs and minor-key drama with the tempo dialed up . It has brilliant echoes of 80s David Bowie via Scary Monsters. It’s a moody and quick cut that feels like a frantic run through a house of mirrors, and it proves that even the deeper cuts are totally great on Terrestrials.
The title track and first offering “Terrestrials” plays even better in context of the album, you can almost imagine a crowd clapping on the snare beat of the refrains until the proggy synth lines and crunchy guitars dominate on the rocking chorus. “Personal Hell” plays out like an animated take on Devo and the Talking Heads discovering The Runways– they dial up the distortion and spunk for a punky, paranoid, and frantic-yet-groovy number– it's seriously fun.
On closer “Nashville, I’m Dying”, the band adopts a more traditional Pond approach that leans into catchy, poppy, harmonies and a dash of epicness. Allbrook declares“I still believe in love and work and music babe!” during his fist-in-the-air worthy verses. It gives all that and more, but when it fizzles out on one of the catchiest parts of the record, it leaves you craving more…. In that case– we might as well run the record back from the top, shall we?
Terrestrials is a very strong and consistent Pond record that is among their best, but for entirely different reasons that you might think. It leans less into psych and pop elements that defined Pond’s previous staples— you could say it doesn't rely on the easy and undeniable pop hooks that sink in on your first listen like “America’s Cup”or “Paint Me Silver”, or the hazy psych vibes that their fans usually look for. Terrestrials is largely defined by the urge to move your body and let loose to the music, and once these songs wiggle themselves into your brain, it's clear the album is packed with well-written and consistently thrilling tunes. The way that the band operates as a unit is propulsive, they feel as though they’ve been injected with a significant spark of energy and inspiration. All of the above gives the record a real character which stands out in their discography in a great way.
Terrestrials is a lean and mean rock album with a slick sound for Pond — again, you can only imagine their lead singer Nick Allbrook’s energy significantly dialed-up on stage to a number of these cuts. If you have been lucky to witness his Bowie-Jagger-hybrid stage presence live in concert before, you’ll know that this record is a launching pad for one hell of a live show. It’s exciting to see Pond successfully lock into this kick-ass sound; there is a primal energy that is infectious and the delivery is calculated. Terrestrials is one of the Pond’s tightest records and one of the best rock albums of 2026 so far.
Occult Highlights: Casuarina, Skyworks, Two Hands , Through the Heather, Nashville I’m Dying, Terrestrials, Personal Hell
(…but we recommend you listen to the full record on repeat while perfecting your air guitar)
9.0/10
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