Karnivool - Asymmetry

No let down here. Tool fans that need a fix, here you go.

It´s too weird. I miss the sound of the past 2 albums.

Loved it. Much more progressive than Sound Awake, and heavier too! A.M. War is such an awesome song!

Written by Mariocalin on 19.07.2013 at 10:17

It´s too weird. I miss the sound of the past 2 albums.

Really? Sound Awake was quite weird in places too. listen to the second half of the album. It's much similar to Sound Awake.

Sounding very progressive indeed.
I can already tell, given time and a few more listens, I'm going to love this album.

There are some really great moments on this album, but it gets very withdrawn at points, especially in the first half.

One of the best Australian bands on the planet. Much more progressive than Sound Awake, and far more consistent. Really loved Sky Machine, Eidolon, Aeons, We Are, and The Refusal.

" Tool, The Mars Volta, and even Dredg "? SOLD

Written by Mechaniacal on 11.08.2013 at 20:02

One of the best Australian bands on the planet.

Wouldn't saying one of the best Australian bands suffice

I actually like this a little bit better than Sound Awake. The longer tracks are more riveting and incorporate excellent vocal modulations, something that I think wasn't done on Sound Awake very effectively. On Sound Awake, I loved all of the shorter tracks, but the longer tracks were hit or miss. This album is surprisingly consistent, although it took a few listens to really feel comfortable with it for some reason.

Definitely in my running for album of the year thusfar. Gave it my first listen for the first time since my initial dozen about a month ago, and it's still just as stirring as when I first heard it. The best (probably glaringly inaccurate) way I could describe it is one great, proggy amalgam of Tool, recent Cynic, later day Katatonia, Anathema, and Converge. There a few bits that aren't quite up to snuff with the rest, but the rest closes in on perfection, so I don't really mind much.

Written by BloodJuNkie on 15.08.2013 at 16:23

Absolute shit!

Yep, no merit to this album whatsoever.

Got interested when you mentioned Tool and The Mars Volta ,, will check them out

I just didn't like it much. Nothing special about it.

Written by BloodJuNkie on 16.08.2013 at 07:10

Written by Diverge on 16.08.2013 at 03:02

Written by BloodJuNkie on 15.08.2013 at 16:23

Absolute shit!

Yep, no merit to this album whatsoever.

Seriously, worst album i have listened to in 2013!

Are you going to explain or why?

Finally got my CD copy recently but I was disappointed it didn't have the lyrics in it. I find that the lyrics are a strong suit in this band and that is refreshing. Still glad to own the album though.

I think the production doesn't really favor the music on this one, but it's a very good album

I'm really surprised more people aren't talking about this album on Metal Storm. It seemed to get a muted reception just about everywhere, though...

Written by Diverge on 07.11.2013 at 05:49

I'm really surprised more people aren't talking about this album on Metal Storm. It seemed to get a muted reception just about everywhere, though...

It is an awesome album, I liked it quite a bit. I like Sound Awake a tad bit more, but I like some of the elements that they have incorporated in the new one.

Anyway, it's MS, you shouldn't be too surprised

Man, i really need to stop rushing when i'm judging on an album and give it enough time...

Written by BloodJuNkie on 10.06.2014 at 14:38

Man, i really need to stop rushing when i'm judging on an album and give it enough time...

If it makes you feel any better, I did the exact same thing to Karnivool for every single album they've ever made.

Written by Diverge on 10.06.2014 at 15:05

Written by BloodJuNkie on 10.06.2014 at 14:38

Man, i really need to stop rushing when i'm judging on an album and give it enough time...

If it makes you feel any better, I did the exact same thing to Karnivool for every single album they've ever made.

Actually their music is that kind that needs more than one listen to fully judge on it!

Still can't get into most of the album (don't think I'll ever be sold on the likes of Aeons and The Refusal), but my word We Are is a really great song; right up there amongst their best songs (although not quite up with the two epics from Sound Awake)

Written by musclassia on 24.01.2016 at 12:41

Still can't get into most of the album (don't think I'll ever be sold on the likes of Aeons and The Refusal), but my word We Are is a really great song; right up there amongst their best songs (although not quite up with the two epics from Sound Awake)

While I'm in the small camp that thinks Asymmetry is the best Karnivool album, I know a lot of people that would agree with your assessment. The Refusal is indeed a bit of a strange one, but I think I only have difficulties with the track AM War on this record.

My opinions about this album were also bolstered by the amazing Ghost City sessions of some tracks, like Aeons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z_alJd8Oyc So many of the tracks on this album really grew on me with the live performances, particularly Alpha Omega.

Written by Diverge on 24.01.2016 at 20:08

While I'm in the small camp that thinks Asymmetry is the best Karnivool album, I know a lot of people that would agree with your assessment. The Refusal is indeed a bit of a strange one, but I think I only have difficulties with the track AM War on this record.

My opinions about this album were also bolstered by the amazing Ghost City sessions of some tracks, like Aeons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z_alJd8Oyc So many of the tracks on this album really grew on me with the live performances, particularly Alpha Omega.

Ha, I think we might've had a similar discussion on the SA review I did. Yeah, I can see why people might like Asymmetry, I think for me it just feels like an album that's trying to be overly different and unconventional, perhaps in a way to forge their own distinct sound or something, but it always sounds a bit awkward. Themata was a pretty straightforward and overtly hooky album, and SA, even with all the progginess added to it, was still fairly similar in the kind of 'directness' or whatever (not quite sure how to describe it) of their sound. There's parts on Asymmetry that remind me of the main problem I have/had with a lot of the new prog/djent bands, which always had vocalists singing super-passionately but singing vocal lines with no satisfying direction or hooks to it, and it always left me feeling cold and unfulfilled. "We Are" works so well because alongside some really cool instrumentation and interesting song structuring it has some very hooky and emotive vocals. Listening to that Ghost City session of Aeons, there's parts of it that I do like, but there's still parts that don't work nearly as well for me as pretty much all of SA does. Plus, my real bugbear about that song came with the whole "chemical fires" (anti)-climax; seeing them play a really good career-spanning setlist live, and them closing on this mediocre build-up that just fizzles out and then they're finished was just such a flat note to end on. Alpha Omega on the other hand, stretches out the beginning and particularly the end, but is pretty good when it gets going.

Overall, I don't dislike Asymmetry, I just remember when I was relistening to their albums preparing to see them around this time last year, Themata was the rough but promising debut, SA was where the promise was realised in full glory, and Asymmetry was the one where they went weirder, with both good and bad things coming from it.

This was such a fantastic release. Its heavier than Tool and more complex and progressive than the self-proclaimed Tool wannabes Soen and much more metal than The Mars Volta etc.. Its almost perfect for me. Hoping to see a new album soon from these guys and will be replaying this a lot now.