Perth progressive heavyweights unveil another chapter from In Verses ahead of long awaited album release and intimate national launch shows
by Paul Cashmere
After more than a decade of anticipation, Karnivool are entering the final stretch toward the release of their fourth studio album In Verses. With the record due out next week, the Perth band have revealed a new single, Animation, while also announcing a rare series of acoustic launch parties to mark the album’s arrival.
Animation arrives as one of the defining moments on In Verses, both musically and thematically. The track was among the first pieces to take shape during the album sessions and emerged while the band were developing All It Takes. Built on expansive verses that gradually tighten into dense, fuzz edged choruses, the song leans heavily into rhythmic tension and groove, elements that have long underpinned Karnivool’s sound.
The band describe the track as capturing the emotional core of the album, reflecting frustration, renewal and an ongoing search for clarity.
The single follows Drone, which Noise11 highlighted in June 2025 and marked the band’s first new music in four years. That release signalled a renewed creative momentum for Karnivool, setting the tone for what would become In Verses. Taken together, Drone and Animation present a band refining their identity while continuing to push into new sonic territory.
The road to In Verses has been anything but straightforward. Developed through years of experimentation in their Perth studio with longtime collaborator Forrester Savell, the album reflects a long gestation period shaped by personal and collective experiences.
Across its ten tracks, In Verses traces themes of tension, catharsis and rediscovery, delivering a body of work that feels both meticulously constructed and emotionally immediate. For longtime fans, the album represents a significant re entry point, while new listeners are offered a clear gateway into the band’s expansive catalogue.
Since forming in the late 1990s, Karnivool have established themselves as one of Australia’s most influential heavy and progressive bands. Their debut album Themata in 2005 introduced a distinctive approach to rhythm and melody that quickly set them apart. That reputation was cemented with Sound Awake in 2009, a record that has since become a cornerstone of Australian progressive music, and further reinforced by Asymmetry in 2013, which debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and took home an ARIA Award.
Internationally, Karnivool’s reputation has continued to grow. Over the past two decades they have toured extensively, playing to audiences across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Highlights have included a sold out show at London’s Roundhouse, festival appearances at Download and Hellfest, and tours that have taken them from Melbourne to Moscow and from Pune to Perth.
To celebrate the release of In Verses, Karnivool will host a run of intimate acoustic launch parties in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth during release week. The shows will feature short acoustic sets drawing from the new album alongside older material, with the band also taking time to speak with fans and sign records and exclusive merchandise. It marks a rare format for the group in Australia, with their last acoustic performances taking place 14 years ago in Mumbai. Tickets go on sale January 28, with demand expected to be high.
In Verses will be released on February 6 via Cymatic Records and Sony Music.
KARNIVOOL
ACOUSTIC LAUNCH PARTY
Monday February 9
Sydney, Crowbar
Tuesday February 10
Brisbane, Crowbar
Wednesday February 11
Melbourne, The Espy Gershwin Room
Monday February 16
Perth, Rosemount Hotel
KARNIVOOL – IN VERSES
Ghost
Drone
Aozora
Animation
Conversations
Reanimation
All It Takes
Remote Self Control
Opal
Salva
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