WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
It was a trip to Manchester Academy and a walk down memory lane for myself on Wednesday night, I was there to check out Perth, Western Australia’s purveyors of Prog/Nu Metal, Karnivool, having lived in that part of the world for over 20 years and worked in the music scene for at least half that time I was familiar with the band even counting a member or two as friends, so excited much? Yes, I was.
Karnivool was formed in 1997. The group currently consists of Ian Kenny on vocals, Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking on guitar, Jon Stockman on bass, and Steve Judd on drums.
I always thought that Karnivool are very unique in the fact they play metal, but still managed to incorporate big sing-along choruses all wrapped up in driving guitar riffs, thumping bass lines and all made to feel a little off-kilter with odd timings, but when it’s all mixed together it sounds brilliant, throw in the superb vocal styling of Ian Kenny and it’s another level of metal
The first thing that struck me when I entered Academy 2, was it was packed, that alone is impressive for a metal band from the most isolated city in the world with a small profile in the UK a country built on Indie and dance.
So as the band took the stage and the lights stayed low, very low, the venue erupted, “hello Manchester” and we are off.
KARNIVOOL ripped into a set of almost 2 hours, hard, loud tight as fuck. Taking tracks from their 3 albums, playing through fan favourites such as ‘New Day’ and ‘Themata”’, I think Karnivool are so good at what they do, I put them in the same league as bands such as “Tool” German metalists “Sieges Even”, “Dream Theatre” and a glimpse of “The Mars Volta”
Now I don’t confess to being massively into this genre of music, but a great band is a great band, great songs are great songs, and a brilliant live show is a brilliant live show and Karnivool ticks all those boxes,
SETLIST
1/ C.O.T.E
2/ ALL IT TAKES
3/ SHUTTERSPEED
4/ GOLIATH
5/ SIMPLE BOY
6/ UMBRA
7/ ALL I KNOW
8/ DEADMAN
9/ THEMATA
10/CHANGE
ENCORE
11/ ALPHA OMEGA
12/ NEW DAY
FOLLOW KARNIVOOL
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
