Karnivool - Sound Awake

YOURZ

If it weren't for a very late contender, Karnivool's Sound Awake would have been number one on my Top Ten list for 2009.  I won't tell what was  my number one choice just in case the pointy stick lands on it (I can only hope although Mine probably won't be happy).

Their previous album, Themata, could be considered a classic (in my mind it is anyway, so fuck it - it is).  Anything that followed was always going to be compared to it.  Karnivool could have choked and released something less than their debut but thankfully, Sound Awake is every bit as good and is a perfect follow-up, albeit with a few more radio-friendly tunes (as radio friendly as a band like this can be, anyway).

I'm not a big fan of prog rock or metal but for me, Karnivool, like Deftones, are so much more.  This is a band of incredible musicians working at the top of their game, be it the driving attack of Set Fire To The Hive, the melodic All I Know or the epic Deadman (at 12 minutes plus -  some of this is prog, remember).  It's dark, intelligent and, in parts, fucking brutal and is exactly what I need to motivate me, particularly on my early morning excursions to the gym.

While I know I won't get sick of listening to Sound Awake, I hope there isn't another four year wait for their next album. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Ech, more  boy music.  I warned you there was a bunch of it this month.  And this is a really good example of the genre.  No, I mean as in a GOOD example.  I hate to say it, but it's well put together.  (YourZ sez: the production is world class, without a doubt)  Still mixes the instruments up too high compared to the vocals for my liking, but here's another singer who sings, not yells.  I can see what YourZ sees in it.

But fear not, readers, I'm not so suffused with testosterone I'd actually play this by choice.  You gotta be wary of an album that includes a song that runs 12 minutes 4 seconds.  Although that's not a bad song, as it happens.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.karnivool.com.au/

In our collection we also have Themata