Karnivool is an alternative hard rock band that hails from Perth Australia. I had never heard this band until I received a copy of their new album “Sound Awake” and quite frankly it hasn’t left my player since I first played it. There are undoubtedly similarities in sounds with the likes of Porcupine Tree, Sense Field and Tool but don’t take these similarities to mean that they are knock off’s of these bands either. Karnivool does have a sound of its own which is unique, catchy and obscure (in a good way).
With intricate arrangements and multilayered facets “Sound Awake” is strangely complex yet simple and straightforward. Beginning with the opening song “Simple Boy” the CD kicks into high gear and is a heavy bass driven, multifaceted song. From the opening to closing tracks this CD takes the listener on a roller coaster ride of sounds that span the progressive/alternative hard rock spectrum. It is hard to determine the highlights to this CD since the whole CD in itself is great from opening to close. However some of the most inspiring moments for me are in the songs “Goliath”, “All I Know” and their first single “Set Fire To The Hive”.
In my honest opinion I can't find a single flaw in Karnivool’s newest masterpiece “Sound Awake”. Since it was released in Australia and the UK in 2009 but officially released in the U.S. under SonyMusic Independent Network in 2010 I will be placing this CD in my top 10 CDs of 2010. The bottom line is “Sound Awake” is a MUST for fans of Tool, Porcupine Tree and the late great Sense Field. It is also a must for anyone who is even remotely an alternative/progressive hard rock music fan.
