Some albums are just “a bunch of songs.” The new album by Luminara, “Carnivale” is not just “a bunch of songs”. Carnivale is a single night, a single route, and a single descent, told act by act under Big Top striped canvas of the mythical travelling ‘Carnivale”, from the first entrance to the last curtain.
Luminara’s second album is like a live show that you can’t quite leave behind. The gates open, the lights change, and each act pulls you deeper until you realise that the show was never just for show.
One Night, One Narrative, Ten ‘Acts’,
The story of Carnivale is told in a straight line. Not “songs about a theme,” but a continuous arc: the invitation, the rituals, the heat, the deals, the reveals, and the moment the music finally stops.
You will hear it right away in the first act:
“Enter the mirror of mystery / Let us spin you a thread / Follow the music; come join us…”
This is where you start. After that, the path is… led.
What Carnivale is
Carnivale is Luminara’s second album, and it’s a deliberate step into fully realised concept storytelling. It’s not “songs that match a vibe.” It’s one continuous arc where spectacle, faith, obedience, and desire intersect, guided by four figures that represent the band itself: the commanding Ringmaster, the hypnotic Snake Charmer, the unyielding Strongwoman, and the Clown, smiling on cue and compliant by design.
Sonically, Carnivale leans into a strong 80s influence while still hitting with modern weight: dark romantic synth textures, soaring guitars, power-driven drums, theatrical hooks, expansive choirs, and symphonic gothic metal dynamics.
Meet the figures behind the canvas
There are four presences in Carnivale, each representing a force in the story and mirroring the band’s own archetypes:
- The Ringmaster (command and invite)
- The Snake Charmer (giving up and being hypnotised)
- The Strongwoman (power and what happens)
- The Clown (following the rules, being exact, and having a smile that doesn’t quite reach the eyes)
They’re not mascots. They’re mechanisms. The kind you only notice once the door clicks behind you.
Glimpses from inside the grounds
Every act has its own identity and atmosphere, like tents you drift into and don’t fully remember leaving.
There’s the forge-lit rite of Moonforge:
“Hands on the anvil, I breathe; Count every strike till the sparks agree…”There’s the engineered joy (and quiet horror) of Clown Factory:
“Templates lock; alignment holds in place… Clown Factory — switch her on!”There’s the glittering pull of Snake Charmer:
“Soft turns to iron under her hand… Stone stirs alive in the heat of her palm.”And when the night is done, it doesn’t end gently. It ends like a venue clearing out after you’ve seen too much:
“Last call, lost souls, step out… / Farewell from the Carnivale!”
The bonus candle in the dark
Outside the core narrative, Carnivale also carries a special bonus track, WishGranter. It’s the one moment that doesn’t sharpen its smile at you. A small, warm light kept deliberately apart from the main arc.
Imminent release
Carnivale is almost ready to open its gates. When it drops, don’t expect a casual listen. Expect a story that moves in a straight line, whether you do or not.
You have been given tickets for tonight’s performance. The canvas is raised. All Welcome
Release details
Release date: 20th February 2026
Streaming: Available on all major streaming platforms from midnight, 20th February, 2026
Album content: 10 tracks + 2 bonus tracks.
Physical editions you can order
If you want Carnivale as something you can actually hold (a bold concept in 2026), there are two physical formats:
Vinyl
- 10 tracks + 1 bonus track
- Includes a 12-page comic booklet featuring lyrics and a short comic narrative for each track.
CD
- 10 tracks + 2 bonus tracks
- Includes the same 12-page comic booklet with lyrics and a short comic narrative for each track.
Coming soon (date TBC)
Carnivale doesn’t stop at the album release. In the works, and launching on a TBC date near the release window:
- Standalone comic: circa 30 pages, 8.5″ x 11″, featuring the lyrics plus bonus high-quality photos.
- Novella: circa 100 pages, 6″ x 8″, paperback, hardback, and Kindle:
“Carnivale – The Story Book Edition”
The complete story of that fateful night, told in full. - Select band merch to celebrate the release of Carnivale.
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