Karnivool, TesseracT, Car Bomb @ Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide 21/7/2026
“I sent my Soul through the Invisible, Some letter of that After-life to spell: And by and by my Soul returned to me, And answered, ‘I Myself am Heav’n and Hell.'” — Omar Khayyam, The Rubáiyát
To capture the uniqueness of Australian progressive pioneers, KARNIVOOL, one requires a singular, solitary word: paradox. A term which demonstrates its own contradiction, it predicates self-explanation to define the form.
In this particular context, the recurrence is multiplicitous and threads together the chapters of musical history. Permeating every measure of Karnivool’s contribution, too voluminous to contemporaneously catalogue, the creation of the band’s highly anticipated fourth LP encapsulates the vital phenomenon perfectly.
In Verses is a record thirteen years in the making. A genuine labour of love, frontman Ian Kenny has synopsised during interviews the paradoxical nature of the process, highlighting the ‘purgatory’ of patience, the necessity of relinquishing personal power to achieve the almighty conquest. Victorious, In Verses is an expansive ten-track artwork of intricacies, and provides the eponym for Karnivool’s current nationwide headline tour.
Sensing an impending explosion, stagelight refracts through amber beer cups raised to welcome [CAR_BOMB]. Smoke swirling, fog momentarily Blindsides clear vision of the mathcore four, the band’s prismatic ivory backlight eventually illuminating the figures of the blackened musicians. Guitarist Greg Kubacki slicing through the Dust of the Planet, vocalist Michael Dafferner offers his thanks. The New Yorkers’ “first tour ever in Australia” is a long-time coming for the Scattered Sprites and true fans, AEC Theatre’s expanse is at once filled with Gratitude and caught up in the Paroxysm.
Arid but hauntingly beautiful wastelands projected on the backscreen flicker to full life, foretelling the tenor of the Natural Disaster to come. The one-and-only TESSERACT last performing in Adelaide in 2024, a headline tour celebrating their own album release, a quincunx is formed on stage by the instrumentalists shadowed by their trademark light towers, drummer Jay Postones centrally positioned on a dais. Enigmatic vocalist Daniel Tompkins’ voice oscillating between vibrato and scream, the Of Moon – Nocturne presence of Choir Noir’s Kat Marsh & Rio Hellyer intensifies the drama of his roars, orated with the vigour of a King uniting an army for battle: “Let me hear you!”
In three part harmony, the Juno heroines descend from their pulpits to take centrestage with the general. Each member of the cotillion dancing in and out of position, a soft Smile and sojournment builds and precipitates Tesseract’s climactic attack. Their first performance upon a stage of this size in Adelaide, Tompkins’ falsetto aria, layered by the duetted support of Marsh & Hellyer, draws the crowd into the trajectory of The Arrow’s full strike. The lead singer’s chainmail now magnified under the eclipsing downlights, individually scaled sleeves resplendently shimmering, stormclouds roll on the screens behind the leaders; Legions stand and, in solidarity with Tesseract, fight the final War of Being.
Having curated this tour with magnanimity, in appropriately paradoxical style Karnivool introduce themselves with subtle affection; Ian Kenny begetting an answer to the rhetorical question, “How are we doing, my friends?” A delicately understated introduction, there exists no need to exert forcible touches, drummer Steve Judd’s three knocks on the bass drum are effective enough, he conjures In Verses holy Ghost. The lead singer secreting himself between changeling strobelight, for a band built upon this Simple Boy’s dream some three decades ago to “welcome (us) to the fucking show” upon such power tonight is extraordinary. Pure talent and exquisite music their vehicle, a backdrop of pink giving way to Aozora accentuates the splendour.
Referencing the David & Goliath effort without need for exposition, Kenny pauses to communicate with the audience, exulting with all the passion required, “Hallej-fucking-lujah, we’ve got the new record out!” The audience embracing the moment and occasion many (including the band themselves) thought might never come, iconically barefoot guitarist, Drew Goddard, sings his guitar to echo the tune of co-axeman Mark Hosking’s successive Conversation. Accolades offered for “staying the course”, the crowd Drone in reciprocation, mirroring the emotion of those on stage. The cumulative noise just another paradox to add to the bow of Karnivool’s armory – a prog band through and through, but one which, contrary to the experience of others in this genre, always elicits the most vociferous engagement.
Crashing thunder giving way to gentle rain, We Are all momentarily caught up in the delicate Opalite introduction into yet another of the new album’s tracks by touring harpist, Michelle Smith. The band turning to admire the virtuoso, they are as candid in Animation for the classics; the headline act unleash ‘one of the greatest prog-metal songs’ ever written – Themata – with the Roquefort depth and flavour of musicians some twenty years younger. The crowd wilding ‘in ecstasy’ for the platinum certified debut album’s lead tracks, the words of music critic Drew Fortune, who coined the preceding quote, ring truer than ever: it is impossible to believe these coda tracks were written in 2005, that they’re not a product of a New Day.
Leading into the encore, Kenny takes time to make a final emotation: “this is such a fucking pleasure”. An incredible display of musicianship, with surely no greater demonstration yet to come, Karnivool prove their greatness once more; Hosking’s cousin, Grant Scoggie, graces the stage and, with bagpipes blazing, tonight’s narrative comes to its righteous conclusion; ours and their joyous Salva.
Live Review By Belinda Quick