I feel like there has been a theme the past couple of years, where a number of metal bands have exceptionally long breaks between releases. I have reviewed several already this year, including progressive metal band Textures releasing their first full length in 10 years. Well, add 3 years to that and enter Australian prog rock/metal band Karnivool, who last released full length, “Asymmetry,” way back in 2013. With exception of a standalone single in 2021 (which does make an appearance on the new album in freshly remastered form), Karnivool had nothing to show from a release standpoint until the flurry of singles leading to highly anticipated 4th full length “In Verses.” Like many of the other bands that took their time between releases, the wait was worth it.

Karnivool is hard to put in a box. One could argue that they are just as much a blend of modern and prog rock as they are prog metal, but the world of prog does a great job blurring the lines. To my ears, they bring the mainstream appeal of a band like Tool, particularly in the accessibility of the vocals and melodies, while melding the polyrhythmic and djenty metallic melodies of bands like Wheel and Vulkan. I also get serious late 90’s / early 2000’s modern/indie rock vibes with a lot of the vocal lines, and there are times I swear I am getting a feel for what Jon Bunch led Further Seems Forever (“Hide Nothing” era) would have sounded like with polymeter and wall of sound mechanics. I love the vocals on that album, featuring fabulous melodies via heartfelt croons, a corollary I find throughout “In Verses.” The album is full of powerful hooks and rich harmonies, with choruses that regularly enter earworm category . The guitars and bass range from modern rock, to grunge, to the more crushing djent and polyrhythmic riffs and leads of progressive metal, but they are never super flashy. The drums, on the other hand, steal the show regularly, delivering plenty of off balance technicality in polymetric fashion that is driving and attention grabbing. The band utilizes dynamics as their oxygen supply, with sharp shifts, swells, and longer builds critical life support for their song structures. They aren’t afraid to take their time painting the musical picture they want you to experience, and the time invested is well worth it.

“Ghost” opens in ethereal fashion, spacey atmosphere eventually joined by a simple drum beat and guitar melody with an off kilter feel. A swell of distortion opens things up into the verse, becoming more subdued with a backing wall of crushing sound. The polymeter and djent are in force early, whether via the delicate guitar melodies or the heavier riffs. The vocals are impassioned, fabulous melodies crooning over a variety of textures. Remember the proggy “Hide Nothing” idea I mentioned earlier? It is in full force here, and it works amazingly well. The middle section pivots quickly from a hefty prog-emo vibe to a laid back indie rock feel injected with Middle Eastern flavors, slowly building until an explosion of distorted guitars leads to a controlled chaos wall of sound. The final verse amps the emotion and delivers killer harmonies supporting the infectious melodies, the drums and guitars a polyrhythmic constant as it drives to the finish. The variation in dynamic control is used to great effect, a consistent theme on the album. 

“Drone” has a jazzy funk cadence as it starts, drums driving underneath a headbanging guitar rhythm.  The chorus is massive, killer melodies and harmonies joining hands to form an earworm chorus that gets stopped in its tracks by a nifty djenty progression. The verse strips things back again, reprising the opening mechanic while layering in riffing that acts as a nice build to the same choral refrain. The jazzy funk formalizes a bit more, the bass getting an opportunity to shine as it slaps some grooves, allowing a simple guitar solo to add more texture before a final refrain of the chorus and a more emboldened jazzy djent finish.

“Aozora” very much embodies that Tool meets Wheel vibe, the opening salvo’s polymetric drumming and soaring vocals punctuated by rock sensibility. Polyrhythmic guitars and drums underlay heartfelt vocals, the soundscape alternating between drum and bass-driven passages utilizing guitar lead flourishes and a more all-in approach with extra heft and power. The midsection dials up the atmosphere and turns down the volume, allowing the vocals to drive the song forward while giving a sense of mystery and suspense. This section ends with a nice technical drum solo, its surroundings dripping in atmosphere, continuing as the vocals layer back in, emotionally charged and emphatic. As the song transitions to the final chorus, the imploring thematic question of the song is even stronger, asking “If I held your face to a mirror, would you smile?”

“Animation” starts mysterious in its own way, soft and airy, then transitions into a moody bass-driven vehicle that bleeds a bit of 90’s grunge. There is a clear dichotomy between the verses and choruses, with the verses more subdued and the choruses thick and grungy while bringing in those fabulous melodies Karnivool is so good at. The irregular cadence of the drums gives the song a pervasive progginess without losing the more mainstream rock appeal.

“Conversations” is the album’s longest by about 10 seconds, just surpassing the 8 minutes mark. It has a bit of a Vulkan or lighter Wheel feel mixed with that early 2000’s indie rock vibe, with layered melodies driving the song forward as heartfelt vocals soar over top. It is one of the softer songs on the album, relying more on minor dynamic shifts and subdued guitar leads over a driving bass guitar to mold the texture, shying away from the crushing wall of sound riffing. The post rock atmosphere is pervasive and serves as connective tissue as the song progresses, allowing the vocals to float effortlessly over the top of the instruments. The band doubles down on this in the final two minutes, creating urgency amidst the atmosphere as the song slowly decrescendos to its finale.

“Reanimation” continues this softer approach, starting out with Wheel-like bass-driven rhythms under light guitar flourishes, but is quicker to build and have sharper dynamic shifts. Guest guitarist Guthrie Govan gives a really nice guitar solo two thirds of the way in, a break from their more typical approach of relying on guitar lead melodies without standalone guitar solos, but still without being too flashy. The vocals are big with fabulous harmonies, oozing with emotion and passion. With about a minute left, everything drops out, allowing a light guitar melody and airy vocals in the background to drive the fade to the end.

“All It Takes” was originally released as a standalone single by the band in 2021 but was included as part of this release with a fresh remaster. The song is built on a percussive and bassy framework, driving and almost tribal in nature, utilizing djenty rhythms to keep you feeling off balance as the emphatic vocals soar atop. The song has an overarching atmospheric feel channeled by the great use of dynamics and ethereal elements.

The drumming is on full display during “Remote Self Control,” regularly pummeling but pretty much never taking a break as it navigates myriad polyrhythmic fills and passages, giving the song a sense of urgency. I love the more atmospheric section starting around the 3:15 mark, which has a bit of a controlled chaos feel as it builds and layers to the final chorus, the drums maintaining their intensity amidst the chaos. The vocals range from airy to a bold modern rock attack, a nice foil to the progressive underpinnings.

“Opal” slows things way down, firmly back in emo/indie rock territory, emotive vocals supported by piano, light guitars and drums, with backing strings adding nice texture. A slow dynamic build commences, bringing a Vulkan-like prog vibe at the halfway point that hits hard with crushing riffs, under the same impassioned infectious hooks. The strings become more pronounced as do the guitars, hitting a climax that yields to a somber piano under a drone of synthy feedback for the final minute. This song is fantastic and truly displays so many of the elements that Karnivool does well all melded together.

Closer “Salva” is the second longest track, ten seconds shy of eight minutes. It starts slow and atmospheric, with a feather like Explosions in the Sky vibe. It builds a bit more, maintaining the same dreamy guitar feel while adding a driving off balance drumming cadence. The song navigates dynamic swells amidst the airy atmosphere, with emphatic crescendos and drop offs. The final third is powerful, impassioned vocals making way for some killer bagpipes which add an unexpected texture, making the ending feel grandiose as the album comes to a close.

Thirteen years is a long time between albums, but Karnivool has delivered a fabulous album full of great melodies, heavy riffs, and powerful hooks. You should definitely give “them “In Verses” a listen and get lost in the infectious melodies and groove!