Karnivool Launch In Verses with Intimate Acoustic Set at Crowbar Sydney
Karnivool have begun the next chapter of their career not with spectacle, but with proximity.
To celebrate the release of their fourth studio album, In Verses — out February 6 — the band are hosting a series of limited-capacity acoustic launch parties across Australia this month. The now sold out run includes intimate performances, audience chats, and signings at Crowbar (Sydney and Brisbane), The Espy in Melbourne, and Perth’s Rosemount Hotel.
The tour opened Monday night at Crowbar Sydney,, setting the tone for what this album cycle represents: not a comeback, but a continuation — and their first full-length record in thirteen years.
The set list was concise and considered:
All I Know, Opal, Remote Self Control, We Are, Conversations, Umbra, New Day.
All I Know, Opal, Remote Self Control, We Are, Conversations, Umbra, New Day.
Opening with “All I Know” grounded the room immediately — expansive and emotionally resonant without leaning on nostalgia. In the stripped-back setting, the song felt distilled rather than diminished. “Opal” followed with quiet intensity, its atmosphere magnified by Crowbar’s close quarters.
Throughout the set, effortlessness became the defining feature. The arrangements flowed with melodic clarity, each transition feeling natural rather than measured. Ian Kenny’s vocals were woven seamlessly into the instrumentation, rising and settling without strain. In the intimate setting, the songs felt unforced — shaped by experience rather than control.
Mid-set, “Remote Self Control” — one of the new tracks from In Verses — translated effortlessly into the acoustic format, its melodic tension carrying the room without excess. In contrast, older cuts like “Umbra” and “We Are” reminded the audience of the band’s depth of catalogue. The shift between eras felt seamless, underscoring that this fourth album doesn’t depart from their identity — it extends it.
Closing with “New Day” avoided bombast. The crowd began singing before Ian Kenny delivered the opening line, their voices rising in anticipation and familiarity. What followed wasn’t a grand climax, but a collective affirmation — reflective, grounded, and quietly forward-looking.
If the acoustic performance showed the album’s restraint, the extended audience Q&A revealed its emotional core.
The band spoke candidly about the thirteen-year gap between albums, describing long stretches where they simply didn’t have the answers. Rather than forcing songs into premature completion, they chose to step back — repeatedly. The delay, they explained, wasn’t about conflict or collapse — it was about not being able to reach the internal standard they demanded of the record.
Andrew Goddard offered particularly personal insight. Health challenges and the realities of life outside the band made the continuation of Karnivool feel, at times, overwhelming. He described the band as all-encompassing — creatively sustaining, but emotionally consuming. That perspective reframes the tone of In Verses: it is not softer, but more lived-in. The weight of time is audible.
That journey is crystallised in “Salva.” Goddard explained that its now-discussed bagpipe-like texture originated from a long-held creative reference — an article detailing Guthrie Govan’s work with Hans Zimmer on the Dune soundtrack, where Govan used guitar to emulate bagpipe textures rather than relying solely on the traditional instrument.
With that concept in mind, Goddard experimented with a processed guitar line that carried the same tonal character. The first rough take sparked laughter in the studio — a breakthrough moment during a challenging creative climb. Real bagpipes were later layered into the final recording, but the genesis remained that guitar experiment: texture first, instrument second.
The band described “Salva” not as a goodbye song, but as a farewell to doubt. It begins in tension and builds toward celebration — mirroring the album’s own path. By its closing moments, it feels less like closure and more like arrival.
January 2025 was cited as a turning point in the album’s creation. Pre-production momentum finally aligned, and producer Forrester — referred to onstage as a “sixth member” — helped unify the direction. A concentrated recording schedule followed, transforming hesitation into commitment.
Now nearly thirty years into their existence, Karnivool appear less interested in proving themselves and more focused on preserving what makes them function. In Verses — their fourth album, and first in thirteen years — does not attempt reinvention. It consolidates experience.
Crowbar Sydney proved a fitting place to begin this launch run: close, direct, and unembellished. The performance wasn’t about scale. It was about trust — in the songs, in the process, and in each other.
Karnivool – In Verses 2026 Acoustic Launch Party Dates
Monday, February 9: Crowbar, Sydney (Sold Out)
Tuesday, February 10: Crowbar, Brisbane (Sold Out)
Wednesday, February 11: The Espy, Melbourne (Sold Out)
Monday, February 16: Rosemount Hotel, Perth (Sold Out)
