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'.
The Caudal Lure
Karnivool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are the answers loaded like this one?
You better pull yourself along
Time is precious and you must act
This isn't inevitable
I still stand
I won't get back in my cell
I will not let a Saviour define my freedom
No-one is gonna save us from this
We should have known better not to taste this wine we swallow
For all and more, we set our recourse for tomorrow
Now we could mend, we will awake this snake and follow
Shatter the hourglass and what do you see
Memories like grains of sand are blowing away
Is this who you are? A product of fear
The shell of a man who lost his innocence
Hold your nerve
Keep your focus
There's something peculiar about the way you pay to save your soul
You forfeit your dream
Just let it go
We should have known better not to drink this wine we swallow
For all and more, we set our recourse for tomorrow
Now here we stand, we will embrace it or be defiant
For the moment, taken by these chemicals you can't control
Ask the question
Ask the question
Ask the question
We should have known better not to drink this wine we swallow
For all and more, we set our recourse for tomorrow
Now we could mend, we will embrace it or be defiant
Silent moment, induced by these chemicals you can't control
(Where's your God?
Where's your God at? Alone)
(Where's your God?
Where's your God at? Alone)
(Where's your God?
Where's your God at? Alone)
(Where's your God?
(Where's your God at? Alone)
The lyrics of Karnivool's song The Caudal Lure vividly capture the theme of taking responsibility for one's actions and not relying on external forces for salvation. The opening lines, "Are the answers loaded like this one? You better pull yourself along," suggest that the answers to life's questions are not predetermined and that one must take action to achieve their goals. The song stresses that time is precious and that one must act to achieve their freedom. The lyrics assert individualism and reject the idea of blindly following a savior or any external force for one's liberation.
The song's lyrics describe the consequences of indulging in excesses, "We should have known better not to drink this wine we swallow," and note how such indulgences lead to a loss of control, "taken by these chemicals you can't control." The song also touches on the theme of self-reflectivity, asking "Is this who you are? A product of fear, The shell of a man who lost his innocence." The song ends with a repeated question of "Where's your God at? Alone," adding to the theme of individualism and self-reliance.
Line by Line Meaning
Ask a question
The song is urging the listener to question their beliefs and actions.
Are the answers loaded like this one?
The singer questions the reliability of previous answers and information that they have received.
You better pull yourself along
The singer is urging the listener to take action and make progress, reminding them that time is limited.
Time is precious and you must act
The artist emphasizes that time is valuable and that it is important to take action and make decisions quickly.
This isn't inevitable
The artist implies that the current situation is not predetermined and can be changed through action.
I still stand
The singer is defiant and refuses to be defeated, despite the challenges they face.
I won't get back in my cell
The singer refuses to be limited or confined by their circumstances, and will not go back to a state of feeling trapped or imprisoned.
I will not let a Saviour define my freedom
The artist takes control of their own life and will not rely on a higher power or other external influence to determine their freedom and destiny.
I'm going out now
The artist is taking action and making a change in their life.
No-one is gonna save us from this
The artist acknowledges that they are responsible for their own situation and that no one else can fix it for them.
We should have known better not to taste this wine we swallow
The singer regrets making a bad decision and taking actions that ultimately led to negative consequences.
For all and more, we set our recourse for tomorrow
Despite past mistakes, the artist is focusing on the future and planning for a better outcome.
Now we could mend, we will awake this snake and follow
The singer is determined to fix the problem and will not shy away from confronting the issue.
Shatter the hourglass and what do you see
The singer is asking the listener to consider what will happen when time runs out, or when their own personal 'hourglass' ends.
Memories like grains of sand are blowing away
The singer is reflecting on the transience of memories, and that they can be lost or forgotten over time.
Is this who you are? A product of fear
The artist is questioning the listener's identity, and whether their actions and decisions are motivated by fear rather than personal conviction.
The shell of a man who lost his innocence
The artist is describing themselves as having lost their innocence and becoming a diminished version of themselves.
Hold your nerve
The singer is encouraging the listener to stay calm and composed, despite their fears and doubts.
Keep your focus
The singer is advising the listener to stay focused on their goals and not lose sight of their priorities.
There's something peculiar about the way you pay to save your soul
The artist is criticizing the listener's methods of achieving inner peace or personal fulfillment, implying that they are superficial or insincere.
You forfeit your dream
The artist is warning the listener that by making certain choices or sacrifices, they may lose opportunities or abandon their ambitions.
Just let it go
The artist is advising the listener to release their attachment or obsession with something that is causing them distress or pain.
Silent moment, induced by these chemicals you can't control
The singer is describing a moment of self-reflection or introspection, which is being influenced by outside chemical agents that the listener may not be able to fully command.
(Where's your God?
The artist is questioning the listener's beliefs or faith.
Where's your God at? Alone)
The singer is suggesting that the listener's beliefs are not bringing them comfort or companionship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW GODDARD, IAN KENNY, JONATHAN STOCKMAN, MARK HOSKING, STEPHEN JUDD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind