Karnivool: In Verses
Karnivool’s return to releasing music has been long anticipated — it has been 12 years, after all. They haven’t completely disappeared, though, keeping busy on tour, including a monumental performance at Arctangent Festival in the UK last summer. ‘In Verses’ explores themes of frustration and rediscovery of identity, taking listeners on a journey of a band finding themselves again in an ever-changing industry after a long absence. As a relatively new fan in the grand scheme of things, it is an absolute privilege to witness this return, let alone get an early listen to the masterpiece that is ‘In Verses’ .
Rather than an immediate impact to start the record, ‘Ghost’ takes its time slowly building in a way that feels reflective of the long 12 year gap. However, once they get started it’s a hell of an entrance and feels like they never left!
Everything about this record feels huge, the crushing guitars, the sharp, precise drums, there’s so much going on in the best way! Yet through it all, Ian Kenny’s raw vocal talent continues to stand out. Every aspect of each track is meticulously thought out and Forrester Savell has once again worked his magic with the production to further enhance everything at once.
Lead singles ‘Drone’ and ‘Aozora’ follow, doubling down on the intensity. It only takes one listen to understand why these were what they wanted people to hear first from the record. These tracks alone showcase the vision of the album, but each in a different way. ‘Drone’ is an absolute earworm, and encapsulates the essence of Karnivool in just five minutes. ‘Aozora’ on the other hand, focuses more on the meaning and themes explored lyrically. The title itself means ‘Blue Sky’ in Japanese and the track explores the idea of escape and yearning for freedom. Ian Kenny described it as “Trying to find freedom amongst the complications of just being human”. This isn’t to say it falls short sonically, Karnivool never miss in that department, I just found myself reading between the lines a lot more with this one.
‘Conversations’ is the longest of the album’s 10 tracks, with a run time of eight minutes. Most would consider that long, but from a prog perspective, and even a Karnivool perspective, it’s actually pretty common. Its positioning at the record’s midpoint feels deliberate, as if it is the heart of the record. Steve Judd’s drums steal the show for me on this one, it’s impossible to listen without nodding your head or tapping your foot to the beat all the way through until it fades out. This track, along with many on the record, serve as a breath of fresh air in a time where songs are getting shorter and shorter to appease everyone’s shrinking attention spans. It shows that Karnivool continue to make music with passion and artistic intent, rather than trying to appeal to the masses. ‘Reanimation’ follows with yet another long running time, and also takes the title of ‘Best Guitar Solo’ on this record.
‘All It Takes’ is yet another signature Karnivool track right from the get-go. It’s one of the heavier tracks of the record, but still keeps that Karnivool groove. Despite not being a single, it made its live debut a decade ago and has been a setlist staple ever since. This is one that they’ve kept the fans waiting for, and it is more than worth the long wait. It is my personal favourite of the album, it’s got me fully hooked, and I know I won’t be the only one once it is released to the world.
After an intense run, the final two tracks of the album slow it down. The harmonies in ‘Opal’ gave me genuine goosebumps, particularly at the start. This is where Ian’s vocals really get to shine as the focal point of the track. The stunning extended outro makes me feel that ‘Opal’ alone would’ve been a perfect closer, but just when you think it’s over ‘Salva’ begins to fade in. A full on power ballad, but with a Karnivool twist. The bagpipes towards the end is proof that you never know Karnivool’s next move. ‘Salva’ as a whole makes for a triumphant, yet bittersweet end to the rollercoaster of emotions that is ‘In Verses’.
The fact that Karnivool can go 12 years without a release, and return stronger than ever with ‘In Verses’ is exactly why they remain one of the most influential names in prog-rock music, not only in Australia but in the world. In an age where bands are churning out albums every year, and fighting the dreaded algorithm to avoid fading into obscurity, Karnivool are proving that once you make a lasting impact on your fans, they’ll gladly wait. It’s refreshing to see a band take their time between releases, you can’t rush perfection after all! There’s nobody doing it quite like them right now and I’m eagerly awaiting their return to the UK in May to hear these tracks live. It may only be February but I’ll even go as far as saying this is a huge contender for album of the year.