Review by Drew Fulton
After a 13 year wait and 7 years in the studio, Aussie prog icons Karnivool are finally back with their 4th studio album In Verses. The burning question on the tip of everyone’s tongue – was it worth the wait?
Opening track Ghost begins with unsettling ambience and subdued drumming, before kicking into an absolutely thunderous riff. Karnivool have always been masters of unpredictable riffs and shifting time signatures and In Verses is no different. Second single Drone features catchy grooves but still manages to subvert expectations, which continues throughout the album.
Aozora is a track that has been in the wild in some shape for over 10 years at this point, and finally hearing the definitive version after hearing it live over 10 years ago solidifies it as certified banger.
Clocking in at over 8 minutes, Conversations is a track that would not sound out of place on 2009’s Sound Awake, yet still sounds fresh in 2026. Reanimation is the first track to my knowledge featuring a cameo, surprisingly enough from British guitar wizard Guthrie Govan, who lays down an incredibly soulful solo.
First single All It Takes is here in it’s final form, and guitarists Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking, along with Jon Stockman on the bass deliver some of the heaviest riffs on the album. Drummer Steve Judd effortlessly moves between rapid fire fills and mellow grooves throughout the whole album, whilst frontman Ian Kenny sounds better than ever.
One of the biggest surprises on In Verses is the closing track, Salva. The track begins almost mournful, with the line “There ain’t no place I’d rather be – But i’ve gotta go” signalling the album is coming to end – but by the end the vibe is celebratory, with an instrumental choice that took me off guard at first.
So, to answer the question – was it worth it?
The answer is a resounding yes! In Verses is a more than worthy entry to Karnivool’s catalogue, and I’m sure the tracks will go off live for years to come. Here’s to hoping we don’t have another 13 year wait on our hands before album 5!
Rating:
9/10
Standout Tracks:
- Ghost
- Aozora
- All It Takes
Tracklist:
1. Ghost
2. Drone
3. Aozora
4. Animation
5. Conversations
6. Reanimation
7. All It Takes
8. Remote Self Control
9. Opal
10. Salva
