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Karnivool - Themata review



Reviewer:
7.0

86 users:
8.35
Band: Karnivool
Album: Themata
Release date: February 2005


01. C.O.T.E.
02. Themata
03. Shutter Speed
04. Fear Of The Sky
05. Roquefort
06. L1fel1ke
07. Scarabs
08. Sewn & Silent
09. Mauseum
10. Synops
11. Omitted For Clarity
12. Change (Part 1)

Even if I write the review of "Themata" this year, the first album of the Australian Alternative combo Karnivool was released in 2005 in the land of kangaroos. But as you probably know it's not always really easy for a band to cross the oceans and even if it seems that Karnivool is extremely famous and trendy in Australia, they're totally unknown in Europe. Let's see if their first album will have the luck to encounter the same success in the old continent?

If you really want that answer to this question, I will have to say NO. Not that the music of Karnivool is bad, the band plays a kind of Alternative Metal mixed with Nu Metal and even Progressive music. Between Tool (for the general ambiances) and Incubus "Themata" is not a displeasing album. The guys are good and they wrote twelve good songs of Nu Metal even if I regret a bit the tune of the voice of Ian Kenny which is (on some track only) a bit too much "nice" "commercial" and "trendy". But all in all a song like "Themata" or the really dark "Synops" are not bad at! For Nu Metal, I have to say that it's better than the majority of the releases that we find on the market nowadays.

But what's the problem of this release then? Despite some good points, its originality is not so amazing and I think that the trend of Nu Metal bands is dying. Karnivool had some good ideas when they had electronic sounds and wrote songs with really dark atmospheres but well, we had a lot of bands who played a music a bit similar and I think that people in Europe prefer now some bands like COB or In Flames and in comparison, I'm afraid that Karnivool will not find the same success. Don't misunderstand me, "Themata" is not a bad album in the style, at the opposite, it's a good one no doubt but I think that it will be something for the fans of the style only. A basic Metalhead will not find anything for him here.

What can I add? Well, nothing except maybe that Karnivool will have to add something more to their compositions if they want to find a real success here. On the other hand, if you wanna find a good album of Nu Metal, be sure that "Themata" will be a good album for you.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 7
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 6
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 14.04.2007




Comments

Comments: 2   Visited by: 83 users
18.04.2007 - 05:09
Manhelm
Account deleted
I completely agree, as an australian and dealing with karnivool getting way too much attention its such a breath of fresh air knowing that there are countries out there that wouldn't put up with this stuff.
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14.09.2009 - 10:19
Death Pickle

Interesting review. I really enjoy this album, but more for reasons outside of metal.
I agree with you, it is much better than a lot of nu metal releases out there. As an
Aussie i recommend this album to you if you're more inclined towards alternative/progressive
rock.
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