Thirteen years! Thirteen years since Australian progressive metal legends Karnivool released Asymmetry (2013) and seemingly went into hibernation. Now, I’m not the same person I was in 2013, or the same person I was when I first heard Sound Awake (2009) or Themata (2005), so it’s only fair that we can’t expect Karnivool to be the same people they were when they recorded both albums. But rest assured that much like any Karnivool album preceding it, In Verses (get it? IV?) features plenty of gargantuan riffs, gorgeous clean passages, rhythm section wizardry, and heart-wrenching vocal parts. But where Asymmetry found a mixed reception (I would argue somewhat unfairly) for its raw and experimental nature, In Verses feels like a much more balanced release, smoother around the edges somehow.
We open with “Ghost”, which is an absolute punch to the throat and I would argue immediately one of the best Karnivool cuts ever. “Ghost” could easily fit on Sound Awake, with its pounding bass lines—lurching from one massive section to another—that signature bitterness in Ian Kenny’s incredible vocal performance. It genuinely feels like no time has passed at all since their last release listening to it. I just cannot overstate how good this song is and how it’s already in the running for my favourite track of the year. While “Ghost” was somehow not released as a single, the next three tracks were over the course of 2025. “Drone”, “Aozora”, and “Animation” smoothly keep the momentum going with some of the best chorus sections one could find in a Karnivool song. “Animation” in particular is a fascinating case study to zero in on, because it feels on paper like a song that would easily belong on the back half of Asymmetry.— but there’s something about the gradual buildup to its massive midsection and eventual climax that makes it feel like a much more refined take on that album’s sound.
This is also a natural point to call out the album’s stellar production, which once again features Sound Awake’s Forrester Savell back at the reins, who eschews Asymmetry’s raw mix for the same butter-smooth sound on the band’s masterful sophomore album. The thundering rhythm section of bassist Jon Stockman and drummer Steve Judd sounds crisp as ever, while Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking’s guitar parts intertwine beautifully with Kenny’s phenomenal vocals across the board. It’s almost hard to believe it’s been as long as it has since the five-piece was in the studio together.
Despite the strong opening, the album slows down a bit upon hitting “Conversations” and “Reanimation”, both of which are perfectly enjoyable tracks on their own but which don’t land the way the preceding songs do. “Reanimation” in particular largely builds around a recurring lyrical motif—maybe one too many repetitions of "feeling alone in a crowded place”—that doesn’t really land like I hoped it would. Fusion legend Guthrie Govan features on this track, with a melodic solo that leaves his lightning-fast chops at the door in favour of a much more reserved take that matches the song’s overall energy. That’s about it though. These tracks also encapsulate In Verses’ occasional dabbling into melancholic introspection, which is not new to Karnivool’s sound, but lacks the edge it had on previous records (recall “We Are” or “Umbra”). This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a noticeable change-up, and another sign that this is not exactly the same Karnivool we were last acquainted with in 2013.
Speaking of gradually losing one’s edge over time, it’s fitting that the earliest released track from this album is the one that has the most of it. We’ve had “All It Takes” out in the world for half a decade now, and it hits just as hard here as it did in 2021—sitting comfortably alongside “Ghost” as the heaviest tracks on the album. But it’s paired with probably the biggest surprise on the album in “Remote Self Control”, whose swirling percussive nature coupled with light vocoder effects on Kenny’s performance almost brings to mind Ascension Codes-era Cynic, or maybe even Genghis Tron’s “Dream Weapon”. I did say earlier that this album feels much safer than Asymmetry overall, but it’s a lot of fun to see Karnivool branch their sound out further on this track.
We approach the ending with final single “Opal”, which is another quieter cut that eventually builds to a colossal climax of low-end riffs and a massive vocal refrain. It’s almost reminiscent of some of Leprous’s more recent work in its song structure and vocal-driven nature, but for my money remains an odd choice for a single, let alone a fifth one on a ten-track album. Finally, “Salva” closes the album on perhaps its most emotional note, as opposed to a massive suite a la “Deadman/Change”. This is the track I’ve changed my tune on most over time. I found myself underwhelmed on first listen, expecting it to explode like “Deadman” or “Change” did, but it hits just right now, taking its time building to a huge, cathartic instrumental outro that encapsulates a very deserved sense of triumph on the part of the band.
Look, there was no way In Verses was going to be Sound Awake again. We’ve been over this: you’re not the same person you were when you first it in 2009, and you can’t expect the band to somehow go back to that sound over fifteen years later. But In Verses is a fantastic, well-rounded album in its own right that’s only grown on me with every listen. For every nitpick I might be able to muster, I am still so overjoyed to be in the timeline where Karnivool are making phenomenal and heart-rending progressive metal again. I’ve had trouble listening to much besides In Verses since I first gave it a spin, and given that I'm still finding new things to love in its sprawling tracks I don't expect that to change for a good while. Welcome back, Karnivool, we’re glad to have you.