Adding a pinch of Sun Ra attitude and a splash of Deep Purple-flavoured keyboards to the trio's signature gumbo of Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix and Iron Monkey, 'Ancient Astronauts' is a quantum leap on from debut mini-album Earth Measures, a six-track manifesto recorded in just 17 hours. Though constructed on similar principles - overdub-free rhythm tracks, "feel" taking priority over technique, wholehearted surrender to The Riff - 'Ancient Astronauts' is more expansive in outlook, its scope multiplied hundredfold.

The role played by sought-after co-pilot Paul Savage (Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand, RM Hubbert et al) - who recorded and produced Ancient Astronauts - suffuses the album's eight cuts, whether the Roland Space Chorus through which Andy McGlone's textural vocals are fed or the aural nirvana that is the monolithic slowdown three-quarters of the way through Star Kings. Perhaps his greatest achievement, though, is building a launchpad from which Holy Mountain can embark on their most ambitious mission yet.

SEAN GUTHRIE