Band : Karnivool
Album Title : Sound Awake
Label : Columbia
Distributor : Sony Music Belgium
Release Date : 08/03/2010
Review : CD

At the first notes Tool’s 10,000 Days immediately sprung to mind but moments of The Mars Volta’s Octahedron,  Muse’s Black Holes And Revelations and A Perfect Circle’s 13th Step also weave in and out of the album.

While very few can equal Maynard Keenan’s superior vocals, this singer is unusually good for the genre. Ian Kenny’s vox are rich and probably as comfortable with a ballad as something more upbeat. Karnivool’s brand of alternative prog rock is rich in texture, vibrant in its multitude of tones, and infused with atmospherically ambient elements. Musically, Sound Awake flows easily with numerous changes and moods to get and keep the listener's interest. Although crunchy guitars smash through at times, it just might be too mellow for those of us who prefer the harder, angrier sound of Tool.

All in all, Sound Awake is a satisfying record.

87/100

Cosmicmasseur.