In 1996, Kenny began by recruiting two of his high school classmates (Andrew Brown/Brett McKenzie) to play Carcass and Nirvana covers at several gigs around Perth. At this time, both Karnivool's current bassist and lead guitarist were attending a conservatorium to study jazz guitar and drums respectively. In 1998, Andrew Goddard joined Karnivool on bass, and from there they began writing original material. Soon Andrew "Drew" Goddard was switched to lead guitar, Andrew Brown and Brett McKenzie were replaced by Jon Stockman (bass) and Ray Hawking (percussion). The band have since released several singles and two EPs, Themata and most recently their sophomore record, Sound Awake. Currently Karnivool consists of Ian Kenny on lead vocals (also one quarter of Birds of Tokyo), Andrew "Drew" Goddard on lead guitar, Mark Hosking on rhythm guitar (both a part of Revolucion Street and an accompaniment for The Cat Empire while they are on tour), Jon Stockman on bass (one fifth of Floating Me) and Steve Judd (originally the drummer for Hope Here Gone which has now disbanded, replaced Hawking in 2004 as a "permanent gun for hire"). Goddard and Stockman also contributed guitar and bass parts to Pendulum's record Hold Your Colour released in 2005.
Themata: Their debut album was named after Themata, an old Greek word; the plural of Thema. A Thema is a gut assumption or intuition about the workings of the world or life itself, a philosophy you can’t prove with hard evidence, but something you instinctively know is right and are willing to back. For the recordings of Themata, they used guitars tuned in the tuning of B-F#-B-G-B-E, a hybrid tuning of Dropped-B (low strings) and Standard E (high strings). Guitarist Andrew Goddard said that this was because he forgot the high strings while detuning and that he liked the complexity. Andrew "Drew" Goddard wrote the tracks for Themata as well as playing drums throughout the recording of the album, he commented too that he often plays guitar like he does drums. Karnivool only actually played the songs off Themata together as a band after the album was recorded, according to Drew. The record was not written with any real foresight, which is evident in many of the song titles and lyrics (Roquefort is actually a strong smelling French cheese, Mauseum is a word "from the depths of Jon's mind" (Drew Goddard) and C.O.T.E. means Center of the Earth), and Karnivool's writing process was dysfunctional and slow going.
Sound Awake: After returning from the US, and completing their slot in the 2008 Big Day Out, the band headed back into the studio to write their follow-up to Themata.
In an interview with X-Press Magazine, guitarist Andrew Goddard said that the new album was a huge step up from Themata. He also said that the writing process of the new record had been more of a collaborative group effort by the band than previous works, and that they were going to go into the studio with a new recording strategy: that is, trying to focus less on the minute details, and put together a more natural sounding album. Karnivool released their long-awaited second album on June 5, 2009.
During live performances in the Aeons Tour, they played three new songs, titled "Goliath", "Deadman" and "Pearogram", as well as "New Day", which had been played at previous shows. At their performance at Homebake in 2008, they debuted a fifth new song entitled "Set Fire to the Hive". The new songs appeared to have a more mature vibe, but still bore resemblance to the band's other work. The album was one of the most anticipated Australian releases for 2009. In an interview with Channel V, Ian Kenny stated that after the success of the Aeons Tour, the band's next tour would be based on a similar layout which brings a new impression on the typical rock show.
On the 26 April 2009, two days before schedule, the band's first single from Sound Awake, "Set Fire to the Hive", was released on the band's MySpace page. The video for the single, confirmed by the band earlier, was released on the 9 May 2009. Sound Awake was set to be released internationally in early 2010.
Sound Awake entered and peaked 2nd on the ARIA charts, following this, just over a month after the release the band announced via their MySpace Sound Awake had gone 'Gold'.
Set Fire to the Hive
Karnivool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It seers through my hands, leaving skin on the wire
Awake in this womb with a crown sting in my self
When I listen, the same cry plays on.
We're slaves
In this medicated cage
Make a decision to face this change.
So why do we obey?
Politics, religion, your vision's the same
You played us, as both a cancer and a cure
Which reminds me that it's just a game
You're alibi a sales pitch
Your pretty boy, pretty face dolled up again
A star for us to adore
And you man you've got to be more
Cause this effects all.
It's nice to know you're with us today
I've seen you in the fall along the way.
I spit in the mouth of your god
Who whispers in the minds of our children
You've been sold again.
Set fire to the hive as you flee
It's fiction, a faceless illusion
You've been had again.
You swing this wrecking ball
A violent pendulum
To hypnotize them all.
The writing on the wall,
That we keep missing
A structure built to fall
Still we all obey.
It's nice to know you're with us today
I've seen you in the fog along the way.
I spit in the mouth of your god
Who whispers in the minds of our children
You've been sold again
Set fire to the hive as you flee
It's fiction, a faceless illusion
You've been had again.
There's no second chances here
There's no second chances here
There's no second chances here.
"Set Fire to the Hive" by Karnivool is a powerful critique of the way that society is governed and manipulated by those in power. The song begins with an image of the singer being consumed by an inexplicable fire, a metaphor perhaps for the rage and frustration that many people feel when they see the injustices around them. The line "It seers through my hands, leaving skin on the wire" also suggests the physical toll that this anger can take.
The song goes on to describe the feeling of being trapped in a "medicated cage" where the rules are arbitrary and not explained. The chorus urges the listener to make a decision to face this change, to question authority and not obey blindly. The middle section of the song takes direct aim at the politicians, religious leaders, and other figures who exploit their power and influence for personal gain. The line "Your pretty boy, pretty face dolled up again / A star for us to adore" is a particularly cutting critique of the way that charisma and image are often more important than substance in our culture.
The song ends with a call to action. The repeated refrain of "There's no second chances here" suggests that we must act now to change society, to set fire to the hive and escape the fiction and illusion that we've been sold.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know what's wrong but I'm on fire,
I am feeling an intense, inexplicable emotion that is overwhelming my senses.
It seers through my hands, leaving skin on the wire
This emotion is causing physical pain, so much so that I am injuring myself.
Awake in this womb with a crown sting in my self
I feel trapped in a situation that is causing me emotional pain, making it difficult to think clearly and rationally.
When I listen, the same cry plays on.
No matter what I do or try to distract myself, the pain and overwhelming emotion remains.
We're slaves
We are not truly free, but rather controlled by outside forces.
In this medicated cage
Society has created an environment in which we are subdued and pacified to the point of feeling trapped and hopeless.
Make a decision to face this change.
The only way to break free from this cycle is to take action and make a decision to change.
The rules they don't explain
The systems and structures that govern our lives are often arbitrary and unjust, and those in power do not provide a clear explanation for why things are the way they are.
So why do we obey?
Despite not fully understanding the reasoning behind the status quo, we still follow along and obey without question.
Politics, religion, your vision's the same
The institutions that are meant to guide and bring us together are all corrupted by the same oppressive systems of power and control.
You played us, as both a cancer and a cure
Those in power manipulate and control us, both by creating problems and offering solutions that ultimately do not benefit us.
Which reminds me that it's just a game
The systems and structures that govern our lives are just constructs, designed and implemented for those in power to maintain their control.
Your alibi a sales pitch
Those in power provide justifications and excuses for their actions that are really just attempts to sell us on their oppressive ideas.
Your pretty boy, pretty face dolled up again
The leaders and figureheads presented to us by those in power are nothing more than puppets meant to distract us from the reality of the situation.
A star for us to adore
Those in power create celebrities and leaders for us to idolize and worship, further distracting and controlling us.
And you man you've got to be more
We must not fall for these tactics, and instead demand more from our leaders and institutions.
Cause this effects all.
The consequences of our collective inaction and complacency affect all of us, so we must take responsibility and action to create positive change.
It's nice to know you're with us today
We take comfort in knowing that others share our struggle and desire for change.
I've seen you in the fall along the way.
We have encountered others who share our struggle and desire for change in the past, and will likely do so again in the future.
I spit in the mouth of your god
I reject the oppressive systems and institutions that those in power use to justify their actions.
Who whispers in the minds of our children
These oppressive systems infiltrate every aspect of our lives, even our education, media and culture, dictating what we should believe and consume.
You've been sold again.
We must recognize that we are constantly being sold an illusion of freedom and choice by those in power.
Set fire to the hive as you flee
To break free from these oppressive systems, we must take bold action and burn them to the ground.
It's fiction, a faceless illusion
The systems and structures that govern us are not real or substantial, but rather illusions designed to control and pacify us.
You've been had again.
We must not be fooled by these illusions and lies, but rather see them for what they are and take action against them.
There's no second chances here
This is a critical moment in our history, and there is no room for hesitation or indecisiveness if we hope to create positive change.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW GODDARD, IAN KENNY, JONATHAN STOCKMAN, MARK HOSKING, STEPHEN JUDD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Clayton Ireland
There is no way that Karnivool would be as heavy without Jon Stockman and his ginormous bass tones
haizroc drums
So good Aye !!
Kyle Hegedus
It’s his birthday today!!!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Kevin Morris
I'm glad I can now experience this video in vivid 480p gloriousness.
Cheers, lads.
Кир К
Penguins in Antarctica have a bad effect on the Internet in Australia. Therefore, only 480p
Tekkerue
😂😂
k1cky0urs3lf
@mcgarnacle21 it's stereo...but this sound quality really does suck!
mcgarnacle21
And in mono it seems?
Chameleon Dream Band
Jon's bass tone is so massive it has its own gravity.
sdf dsf
PHYSICS IS JUST A HUGE NONSENSE