Review Summary: Things we got before GTA VI
So… thirteen years. That’s how long it’s been since
Asymmetry, and for a lot of people,
In Verses is basically prog-metal Half-Life 3: long rumoured, occasionally hinted at, likely rewritten seventeen times, and probably painful to make. I think it would be safe to assume the making and releasing of this album was a difficult process. Many of these songs or ideas have existed in some form for years.
'All It Takes' was first released in 2021. Several songs have been performed live for ages. Early versions of riffs have floated around in demos, jam sessions, and probably on hard drives labelled "FINAL FINAL FINAL (Version 6)". This could have easily resulted in an album that felt like a disjointed collage of half-finished ideas, but despite this,
In Verses is remarkably cohesive. The clarity of production, the shared themes across songs, and the band’s chemistry tie everything together. It genuinely feels like Karnivool took a big messy box of riffs, emotions, and existential dread, picked out the best parts, and over the span of 5–10 years sculpted it into something that actually works as a unified experience.
The first thing to say is this album sounds massive. Every instrument has weight—the bass is muscular and girthy, the guitars are thick and chewy, the drums snap, and Ian Kenny’s vocals sit beautifully in the centre of it all. The production is sharp, polished, and heavy without being overbearing or noisy. It’s also a very riff-driven record. Karnivool haven’t sounded this chunky and groove-focused since
Sound Awake, and it feels damn good to hear them lean into those fat, satisfying guitar moments again. Tonally the album swings between moody introspection and uplifting energy, often inside the same song. Lyrically it leans into standard themes of disillusionment, escapism, and feeling stuck in a world that’s going to *** around us.
The opener
'Ghost' sets the tone perfectly. It fuses the weight of the heavier
Sound Awake tracks with the intricate playing of
Asmmetry during its quieter sections. It’s atmospheric, heavy, punchy, and immediately reassuring.
'Aozora' is one of the best tracks here—a multi-section, unpredictable, uplifting journey about the human experience and desire to escape. It's time signature and dynamic switches give strong 'small P prog' energy without divulging into excess or wankery.
'Opal' is the surprise slow-burn highlight. A piano-led ballad from Karnivool sounds outside their strengths at first, but it grows into a cathartic, crushing climax with one of the best riffs on the album. Ian Kenny shines here—his vocals are given space, the build is gorgeous, and when that stanky riff drops… chef's kiss.
'All It Takes' might be the album’s purest adrenaline shot. Killer riffs, a great vocal melody, and a sense of anxiety and urgency through Ian’s delivery - it’s exactly what you want from modern Karnivool.
'Drone' also slaps, driven by deep, thundering bass and a tension-building bridge. And yes, the quiet/loud format is predictable—but the execution is nailed on.
'Salva' also ticks the box as an appropriately cinematic closer which concludes the album on an emotional highpoint.
That said, there are a few moments the album stumbles. The 2 longer tracks in the middle -
'Conversations' and
'Reanimation' don't fully earn their longer runtimes. Both tracks meander and don't quite hit the emotional heights you expect from such a slow-burn epics. Having them back to back also halts some of the albums momentum. A couple minutes trimmed off both would have resulted in tighter songs.
'Remote Self Control' also sticks out like a sore thumb and feels tonally disconnected from the rest of the record. Ian’s softer, higher-pitched singing doesn’t blend naturally with the heavier instrumentation. Not a bad song on its own, but it's the one track that doesn't feel cohesive with the rest of the tracks. Still—these dips don’t break the album, they just stop it from hitting S-tier territory.
After 13 long years,
In Verses is worth the wait. It’s cohesive despite its long and messy creation period, the production is phenomenal, the riffs hit like a truck, and Karnivool strike a great balance between heaviness, introspection, and cinematic moments. Not everything fully lands, but as a whole this is a rich, emotionally satisfying, well crafted album from a band that clearly took their time (and then some) to get this right.
