Karnivool - Themata (2005)^{Release ID: 2089}

Ever since joining The Gateway, my tolerance for alt-metal has been revived and is currently expanding with a target of being wider than it was 10 years ago. With that said, I think this band is the right boost...

Karnivool is now currently known as an Australian avant-prog rock band, but two decades before this review, they were known as an alt/nu metal outfit that released a couple EPs and received numerous awards nationwide. Wanting to take on the rest of the world, they recorded an album with the sound as the EPs but in a more progressive turn. Themata was released in 2005 in their homeland before releasing it in the US and UK two years later. Get ready for some noisy greatness from down under!

The atmospheric opening track "C.O.T.E." packs some polished punches with riff crunch and frontman Ian Kenny's subdued vocals. Ethereal melodic streams flow with edgy guitar. The band is mature enough to handle the tight production and go complex without having to go high in speed. The title track follows up from that warmup to kick things up a notch. There's more complexity in a quicker pace, as intrinsic melodies level up the multilayered majesty. Already you're hearing the band's hints of prog-rock. The strong twists keep turning in "Shutterspeed", punching you in the gut with heavy guitar force. The spine-chilling pace is suitable for the outstanding guitar work. "Fear of the Sky" adds odd time signatures for the heavy guitar in the same vein as late 90s Incubus and A Perfect Circle at that time. These guys never f*** up this sound, unlike other such albums that end up being a blur. Karnivool have their multi-flavor identity to keep your attention span high.

"Roquefort" shows how confident the band to try a funky approach and expand boundaries without going beyond anyone's comfort zone. "L1FEL1KE" was recorded a few years earlier, probably during the Persona EP sessions, as you can hear from Linkin Park-like nu metal approach. The blistering progressive instrumental "Scarabs" flows right out of that previous track, though it makes an obvious difference. "Sewn and Silent" is a light acoustic ballad that allows you take a breath without any weak filler.

The heaviness builds up again with the slower highlight "Mauseum". I found that song and someone's orchestral version a few years ago. "Synops" continues that heaviness once again. The 20-second "Omitted for Clarity" is just a silent joke. "Change (Part 1)" ends the album on a cliffhanger to be resolved at the end of the next album.

I'm glad to have finally given this album a listen, and I have a feeling that each subsequent listen will be better than the last. With an amazing sound like that, no wonder they picked up so many awards in Australia and had many prominent live sets before they even thought of making a full album. Themata has a huge rock/metal combo of guitars and melodies in multiple layers. Get this album from a more magical land than Oz!

Favorites: "Themata", "Shutterspeed", "Fear of the Sky", "L1FEL1KE", "Mauseum", "Synops"