After completing the album mostly on fan donations and support, the band stated on their Facebook that the long-awaited album would be released first in Australia, with the majority of fans who donated towards the album receiving special packages ahead of the official release date. An exclusive signed pre-order for the album was made available through music chain JB Hi-Fi and a nationwide Australian tour kicked off on 8 June 2013. Release dates for the rest of the world were set for 1 October 2013. By August, the band's 'You're Not One Of Them' had featured 4 weeks in the Top 10 most requested tracks at Australian community radio, whilst also hitting #42 on the FNBQ sub-modern charts in the US and spending 3 weeks in the German college radio Top 100. 'Wasps' was picked up on several US stations, including 87.7 Cleveland, KFMA in Tucson, Arizona, WARQ in Columbia and more. By November, 'Wasps' hit #91 on the Alternative radio chart in the US, becoming the most requested track at KFMA and also hitting Top 10 phones at WARQ in Columbia. Kerrang Radio and 6 Towns Radio in the UK also added the track to rotation, as well as American Airlines and Air New Zealand reporting adds to their in-flight rock radio stations. In January, US Active Rock radio station WIIL added 'Wasps', whilst in the UK, Kerrang Radio added album track 'Streets Fell Into My Window' ahead of the band's tour. In February, feature videos on The Red Paintings began screening in over 850 Journeys stores around North America.
Critical reception
The first review of the album was published on 23 May 2013, with popular Australian magazine Zoo Weekly rating the album 10 out of 10 stars, saying the album "sounds like a soundtrack to the apocalypse". Music site Tone Deaf also rated the album 10 out of 10 stars, saying "There is nothing to fault in this extraordinary and long awaited long player debut and it will no doubt bring further international acclaim to the Australian band. Taking elements from the full rainbow of rock from the 60s to the future and beyond, you'll find The Beatles sitting alongside Karnivool, and Radioheadin a world where Seattle grunge, punk, Neo-classical, prog, and many more genres live harmoniously." Rolling Stone awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that it sounds like "...A roller coaster ride down a rabbit hole", also stating that "its grandiose absinth-soaked delirium never wavers."
