Album Review: Karnivool - Asymmetry

When Karnivool's debut Themata was released way back in 2005, it was a truly formative music experience for me; my friends and I consequently burnt out our respective copies over a year-long period, and the tracks are still permanently embedded in the place in my brain where math should be. Then came the more mainstream (ugh) Birds Of Tokyo and Karnivool's 2009 release, Sound Awake, which effectively dashed hopes of something as epic and groundbreaking as Themata. Well, I've been giddy for a few days now, because Asymmetry is as profound as when this group first made their power and stance known.

Flowering out of atmospheric intro Aum, the powerful interplay of driving bass and drum lines, shrieking guitars and Ian Kenny's indomitable voice, the strength of this release is felt immediately. What follows is both a win in musicality and production: guitarist and main songwriter Drew Goddard has managed to lock down some incredibly loud and dense layers which would stand out on their own, and has created an enveloping sense drive. Lead single We Are delivers quiet-loud dynamics and proggy time-changes with ease, and it's surrounded by tracks that do much the same, but in different and wildly dynamic avenues. Then comes the fitting juxtaposition of the title track Asymmetry, a weird little grinding aside that forcefully separates the album into two halves. What follows is a round of much more contemplative songs: here, Kenny has a chance to let his words speak more succinctly as Eidolon rides on a soft rock groove and Sky Machine unleashes Karnivool's prog side with vigor.

Not to say that Sound Awake wasn't a good album, but it definitely didn't capture the purpose that made Themata so loved. Asymmetry is different. While it could be criticised for being a little to deliberate (the bookending of Aum and Om seem a little redundant), this is an exceptionally-crafted album from a band that, once again, aren't afraid to take the road less travelled.