With equally-sized tips of the hat to Queen and cartoon theme songs of the 1980s, Toe Hider explores territory often decried as dated by trendy music critics, but drags it into the modern age with the deft touch of Coheed and Cambria.

If you're a sucker for prog rock done old school (from 70s King Crimson to 90s Dream Theater), Toe Hider is certainly for you. And if you're like me and have moved on from your days as a Dream Theater fanboy, Toe Hider is definitely for you too. It'll make you remember why you fell in love with prog in the first place.

The five-track EP combines Mills' twisted lyrics and melodic sensibility with everything great about pompous, overblown theatrical rock into an eccentric, esoteric whole. It is a frighteningly vivid journey into the mindset of a child, exploring dreams, the boogey man and triumphantly conquering one's fears. For a one-man effort it is astoundingly ambitious and technically complex, with a depth of production that rewards multiple listens.

A majestic, choral instrumental number announces the EP's arrival, and it's about the only track on the EP that made any sense to me. I honestly have no idea what the hell the lyrics in the four tracks with vocals are supposed to mean, but if you've ever watched and enjoyed the film Donnie Darko you'll recognise the feeling you get when you try to decipher the story of Toe Hider. Template's lyrics were esoteric enough, but Toe Hider is just ridiculous.

The title track is, as far as I can tell, a tale of some kind of Wonka-esque being of fantasy who goes about nicking peoples' toes. I don't really want to venture into it further than that, lest it haunt my dreams for ever more.

The same can be said about the final two tracks as well, they being "You're Not The Girl You Said You Were" and "The Moon Was A Kite". I would love to analyse them, but I don't want to resurrect the spirit of Quetzalcoatl, so I think they're left well enough alone.

"Jesuitmont" is the odd track out, an interpretation of a traditional Celtic ballad, and though it is based on source material Mills' arrangement turns a mild flute-and-fiddle number into a slightly heavy prog anthem.

As with a lot of the best theatrical rock, you've really got to attempt to get inside the story, feel the atmosphere and place yourself into the narrative. Mills makes this quite an easy task with the evocative, cinematic quality of his music shining through.

The entire EP can be streamed from MySpace, Facebook and Last.fm for a limited time, but if you want to support Australian music in a way that directly benefits the artist, consider buying the Toe Hider EP online for $9.95. Included in the package alongside a high-quality MP3 version of the record is a beautifully designed fold-at-home origami CD case and lyrics displayable on your iPod.