Metal Underground.com

With a bass-heavy Tool-lite sound instrumentally, and excellent vocals from singer Ian Kenny, Karnivool's "Themata" is just the thing for those seeking more melody in their metal. Though I sometimes found myself wishing for more departures from the mid-tempo groove, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of sounds found on this Australian band's first full-length disc, released in the United States in 2007.

The band isn't shy about taking elements from outside the metal mainstream, such as the Middle Eastern orchestral sounds that permeates the title track, ducking through Mark Hosking and Drew Goddard's guitar lines. "Synops" includes electronica, with the end distorted enough to sound like Nine Inch Nails. Riff-wise, my favorite is probably the bluesy "Roquefort," which seems to channel Karnivool's fellow Aussies Wolfmother a bit.

Soft sounds get their due on the gorgeous "Sewn And Silent," which, other than an electric solo, is almost entirely acoustic, with strings. "Change (Part 1)," which ends the album, is even quieter, building to an electric crescendo that is only hinted at here. The band's next album, "Sound Awake," completes the cycle with "Change (Part 2)."

At the same time, Karnivool can rock out with the best of them, as faster, more aggressive tracks like "L1fel1ke" and "Scarabs" show, with "Scarabs" featuring drummer Jon Stockman's best performance on the disc. A couple more tracks along this line would probably have benefited the album, though at nearly 50 minutes, it's already plenty long.

Karnivool's "Themata" offers up an appealing combination of agression and melody, with some pleasant surprises along the way. Those with a taste for melodic and progressive sounds will find much to love.