Karnivool

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Karnivool
Karnivool-AnnieHarvey.jpg
Background information
OriginPerth, WA
GenresProgressive metal, nu-metal
Years active1997 - present
LabelsSic Squared, Faultline, Cymatic
Associated actsBirds of Toyko, FLOATINGME, Iconoklast
Websitehttp://www.karnivool.com.au
MembersDrew Goddard, Mark Hosking, Steve Judd, Ian Kenny, Jon Stockman
Past membersAndrew Brown, Ray Hawking, Brett McKenzie

Band members

  • Current line-up
    • Drew Goddard (guitar)
    • Mark Hosking (guitar)
    • Steve Judd (drums)
    • Ian Kenny (vocals)
    • Jon Stockman (bass)
  • Former members
    • Andrew Brown (bass) 1998 - 2000
    • Ray Hawking (drums) 2000 - 2004
    • Brett McKenzie (drums) 1998 - 2000

Band information

Karnivool is a progressive metal band that is currently one of Australia's most popular touring and recording bands, having scored a national #2 album, had several songs included on Triple J's annual Hottest Top 100 survey and appeared at all the large summer festivals as well as several in the US and Europe. Vocalist Ian Kenny formed the band in 1997 as an alternative metal unit from the remains of what was essentially a band playing popular metal and grunge songs at parties. By 1998 he had recruited Andrew Brown, Drew Goddard and Brett McKenzie into the band's first real stable line-up. The next year Karnivool released a self-titled EP and shortly afterwards Brown and McKenzie were replaced by Jon Stockman and Ray Hawking.

This configuration of the band released the EP Persona in 2001 that would eventually win them a WAMi Award for Most Popular Local Original Song (for "Fade") and the group itself won Best Original Metal Act, an award it would win every year until 2009 when it was won by The Devil Rides Out. They also won the state final of the National Campus Band Competition and opened for Fear Factory in Perth. Karnivool was also selected to support Rollins Band but that show was cancelled due to the Ansett Airlines collapse. In 2003, Mark Hosking joined the band. The debut album was released in February 2005 to universal acclaim. The album featured Goddard on drums as well as guitar (except on "L1FEL1KE", recorded while Hawking was still a member), with Steve Judd joining the band after it was completed. The title track was voted in at #97 in the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 and an alternative version of "Roquefort" featuring members of The Cat Empire contributing brass made #45 the following year; their cover of the Gotye track "The Only Way" hit #62 in 2007. In 2007 the album was released in the US and Europe and Karnivool toured through the United States. At the same time, Kenny had formed his second band Birds of Tokyo whose debut album Day One was released in 2007.

2008 was spent working on the follow-up and appearing on the national festival circuit as well as their own tours, during which they debuted several new songs. Sound Awake was released on June 9, 2009 and immediately peaked at #2 on the ARIA Chart and two of its songs also made the 2009 Hottest 100. Tours of Australia, New Zealand, the US and UK followed. Overseas touring continued well into 2010 with the band appearing at Sonisphere in the UK and after another national tour Karnivool took a break to allow Kenny to focus some time on Birds of Tokyo. Jon Stockman began working with F L O A T I N G M E during this period. Karnivool undertook a mid-year Australian tour in 2011 and played shows in Europe and India, where they headlined the Mood Indigo Festival in Mumbai. After this the band members returned to other projects before re-grouping for another Australian tour mid-2012. Karnivool played the Download festival in June 2013; their Asymmetry album was released in July 2013, supported by a tour with Northlane. Asymmetry peaked at #1 on the ARIA Album Chart on debut, the second #1 album for Ian Kenny in 2013 after Birds of Tokyo's March Fires hit the top in March. In December it was named ARIA's Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album.

During 2015 Karnivool played shows in India and then toured the UK and Europe with Monuments. Afterwards they celebrated ten years of Themata with an Australian tour. An extended hiatus after this was broken in early 2019 when Karnivool appeared at Unify Gathering and then embarked on a national tour that included Bassinthegrass and other local festivals. April 2020 was set aside for the band to perform Sound Awake live for its tenth anniversary but COVID meant that in the end the band live-streamed one performance from Perth that was released on Bluray in late 2021.

Discography

Albums:

2005 Themata Independent
2009 Sound Awake Cymatic
2013 Asymmetry Cymatic

Singles:

2003 L1FEL1KE Faultline
2005 Shutterspeed Independent
2005 Themata Independent
2009 Set Fire to the Hive Cymatic
2009 All I Know Cymatic
2013 We Are Cymatic
2021 All it Takes Cymatic

EPs:

1999 Karnivool Independent
2001 Persona Sic Squared