13 years is a long time to wait for a record. ‘In Verses,’ the fourth studio album from Australian prog-metal quintet Karnivool, arrives now via Cymatic Records/The Orchard, and it carries the full weight of everything that decade-plus of life experience, relentless experimentation, and creative reckoning produced. 10 tracks that journey through collective frustration, catharsis, and a rediscovery of identity, meticulously crafted in their Perth studio with longtime collaborator Forrester Savell.
Focus track “Reanimation” features a solo from UK guitar legend Guthrie Govan, arriving as the slower, darker counterpart to the sprawling “Animation.” Warm, rich tones wrap around lyrics that speak to isolation and dissonance, and Govan’s contribution elevates the track into something genuinely special. The album’s rollout has been deliberate and considered, opening with “Drone” last summer, followed by “Aozora” alongside the album announcement, and the epic “Opal” in December, each single revealing another dimension of where Karnivool had arrived creatively.
Over 20 years, Karnivool have built one of the most respected catalogs in Australian hard rock. 3 platinum-certified records, ‘Themata’ (2005), the groundbreaking ‘Sound Awake’ (2009), and the ARIA Award-winning number 1 album ‘Asymmetry’ (2013), have cemented their status as one of the most vital forces in progressive music globally. Sold-out shows at London’s Roundhouse, festival appearances at Download and Hellfest, and dates across South Africa, India, Dubai, and beyond have built a fanbase that spans continents and generations.
‘In Verses’ doesn’t attempt to pick up where ‘Asymmetry’ left off. It responds to the jarring personal and social shifts of the intervening years with something sharper, more focused, and more alive than a simple continuation could ever be. Each member brings an invaluable signature to the combined sound, and the result is Karnivool in their healthiest creative space to date.
Australian acoustic launch shows are coming, followed by a European and UK spring tour, with a US tour announcement to follow soon. ‘In Verses’ is out now, and it was worth every one of those 13 years.