Artist: Karma to Burn
Title: Appalachian Incantation
Type: Album
Label: Napalm Records
These West Virginia Stoner merchants have been somewhat missing from the scene for a few years. A reformation if you will and appearance at Download festival last year made them appear more in the public light. Famed for an instrumental approach, if you discount their first album where a certain record label forced them to have vocals, you have this quality back in abundance; the numbers are the key in the track list. The named tracks do feature vocals, such as ‘Waiting on the Western World’ (featuring Daniel Davies / Year Long Disaster who will also tour shortly with his band with Karma to Burn) and it does make me wonder why they don’t do this more often, they are really good. Taking the American stoned tradition to the max, they lack the early fuzz of Fu Manchu or the quality song writing of Nebula (ex band of current drummer Rob Oswald) or Kyuss, but there is somewhat a matter of simple groove about them, like a fellow instrumental band Natas (now called Los Natas). ‘43’ has a southern charm about it, something a little less ordinary to their other tunes, but you have to give a big heads up to ‘Two Times’ featuring the legendary John Garcia on vocals. Unlike when he featured on Orange Goblins ‘Coup De Grace’ album, giving that additional life, it does not really do it for Karma to Burn, its slower, powerful, but unfortunately loses its momentum in the mix with a quiet vocal. ‘24’ is a slower starting blues number, different, not really my thing though. The artwork, from what I can make from the various small jpegs on the Internet features a Kali-type figure with the Goat of Mendes’ head, strange, but a magical visual.
The tracks do flow quite effortlessly, but in the grand scheme of things, you have a lot of tunes sounding very similar with similar tempos. Not to be put off by this, if you’re in the mood for some perfect summer grooves and effortless song writing, then Karma to Burn’s new album lays waste to all apprehensions and you should get it. If you do however prefer a vocal rendition, then you should make your choice elsewhere.
http://www.myspace.com/karmatoburn
http://www.napalmrecords.com/
