After returning from touring in the US, Karnivool returned to Australia in 2008. They entered the studio to write their follow-up to Themata. Goddard stated the new album, Sound Awake would be a huge step up from Themata, while Stockman stated 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 into the studio with a new recording strategy: trying to focus less on minute details, and put together a more natural sounding album.[12] The album was again produced and mixed by Forrester Savell. Sound Awake was released by Sony Music Independent Network/RED. in the United States and Canada on 16 February 2010. Karnivool followed the release with a co-headlining tour with Fair to Midland in the U.S.