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On disc: Karma To Burn



Appalachian Incantation - Claudia Ehrhardt - 7 stars
V - Lars Bjørn - 7 stars


www.k2burn.com







V

V
(Napalm Records - 2011)


A real refreshing album from the Americans to call themselves Karma To Burn. They have new songs ready, and 3 of them are sung by a stony vocal performance like it's not their strongest side. The 3-man band do the rest of the material pure instrumental with an enthusiasm not to be ignored. A thrilling blend of country, hard rock, heavy guitars serves as their most octane force when they're rocking away. Perhaps it's hard to get good feedback when 5 of the 8 songs are done instrumental, but it works alright for Karma To Burn. With a skilled guitar handling they stride through one song after another, but to recognize each song from the other could give some problems, because Karma To Burn names their songs with a number: 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51. Yes, you read correctly, this is the way they do it. Two songs, Jimmy Dean and The Cynic are blessed with stony vocals and the finishing act is a cover version of the old Black Sabbath hit Never Say Die which I find to honor Black Sabbath in a decent way. But the other songs are also fine, especially 50 and 51. We are not in a Chinese cafeteria, but I also like no. 48 very much with its pumping rock'n'roll sound.


7 stars

Lars Bjørn
 

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Appalachian Incantation

Appalachian Incantation
(Napalm Records - 2010)


In 2002 Karma To Burn unofficially disbanded, but returned in 2009 just to hit the road. Now the West Virginians are back with Appalachian Incantation. And it's another instrumental album, well at Waiting On The Western World they have Daniel Davies (Year Long Disaster) adding some vocals. And on Two Times ex-Kyuss' John Garcia is taking over.
In the past the threesome number their instrumental journeys. And as they stick to this habit, they stick to their sound. With Fourty-Four they kick off and it's a good opener. The following Fourty-Two is staying on the chosen path, but sounds different. After two songs I already start missing vocals, but I'm not connoisseur of instrumental music, so forgive me. With Waiting On The Western World finally a track with vocals - and it sounds so much more interesting to my ears. To me they aren't on the level Kyuss had, but they can easily keep up with Queens Of The Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures. The track Fourty-Five is a bit repetitive... At Two Times John Garcia is featured and it shows - at least in my opinion - very well, what vocals can add to a song. I would definitely like to hear more stuff like that...
Well, if you loved their previous instrumental albums, then Appalachian Incantation will please you. Personally I miss vocals, but that's a problem I have with 99% of the instrumental releases. Even if I do my best, I guess I won't get close to a review done by someone loving instrumental music. So, I can just recommend to check them out and make up your mind...


7 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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