 | Tracklist:
1. Ma Petite Mort
2. Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi - I'm Not God
3. Patty Hearst's Closet Mantra
4. Mt. Penetrator
5. Eight
6. Appalachian Woman
7. Twenty Four Hours
8. Six-Gun Sucker Punch
9. Thirteen
10. (Waltz of The) Playboy Pallbea
11. Twin Sisters and Half a Bottle
12. Six
Release Date: 1997 | |
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On 3 Lists
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| Summary: 13 years on, Karma To Burn is still one of the coolest sounding records ever made. |
3 of 3 thought this review was well written
Dirty, fat 70’s Sabbath riffs coupled with brooding, eerie vocals generate a foreboding atmosphere that is Karma To Burn’s distinct and excellent 1997 self-titled debut. Any forays into their subsequent releases may be met with disappointment as they are almost entirely instrumental, more one dimensional and lacking atmosphere. The 90’s saw a 70’s Sabbath inspired Stoner Rock and metal grooves and blues movement. Kyuss were the best but there were many other great releases during this time from acts such as Corrosion of Conformity, Down, Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu and Floodgate (checkout their one and only release Penalty form 1996).
Karma To Burn’s sound is most reminiscent of C.O.C and Down. Whilst Kyuss take you on an odyssey through the desert and beyond, KTB ventures underground and explores the darker side of humanity. This is a flawless album which moves effortlessly from track to track with each song containing seamless transitions between light and shade. Karma To Burn remains a laid back journey with an underlying seediness and tension as you take in an array of sights from the criminal underworld and serial killers to wild sex parties, and then onto Ancient Indian Burial Grounds. This is what the music has evoked in my mind anyway.
KTB is an experience which delves beneath the surface to make your skin crawl. Few bands can create an overbearing cinematic soundscape like Neurosis, although KTB go a long way albeit in a more cruisy and economical manner. KTB also take you through the gamut of emotions: melancholy, sorrow, hurt, indifference, serenity, humour, arrogance, mysticism, eroticism, danger and debauchery.
Whether a song is vocal or instrumental, reverberates between light and shade, or just builds to a crushing climax, they all convey their emotions effectively. The vocals range between ugly, murky, sexy, cruisy, haunting and menacing. Beautiful, eerie female vocals are also used to great effect. Every track is a winner and most of the song titles alone are great value – ‘Mt. Penetrator’. If I had to pick standouts, then it’s the tribal beats and chants and climactic breakout of ‘Patty Hurst’s Closet Mantra’, the straight-up dirty rock outs ‘Six-Gun Sucker Punch’ and ‘Twin Sisters and Half a Bottle of Bourbon’, and the emotive bluesy crescendos of instrumental ‘Thirteen’.
13 years on, Karma To Burn is still one of the coolest sounding records ever made. It doesn’t have the pace of 80’s thrash giants nor the heaviness and explosiveness of a lot of metal, but it isn’t overtly derivative and scientifically formulated like some breaching the periphery of copyright. This baby exudes ambience and breathes organically.
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Nice review. I think I'll check out this album sometime soon.
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Thanks mate. It's one of those albums that continues to resonate each time I listen to it.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Their new album is decent. I might check this one out. Good review!
Digging: Hawk Eyes - Ideas Digging: Hawk Eyes - Ideas | | |
Was there seriously no review of this before!? Poor stuff Sputnik.
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Awesome that someone reviewed some Karma to Burn, love these guys! You seriously didn't like the instrumental albums? Almost Heathen has some serious riffs and grooves on it.
Digging: Pallbearer - Sorrow And Extinction
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I love a good instrumental, however, quality vocals add so much to the dynamics of an entire album. I
own ...Heathen and ...Purgatory and it's my love of Karma To Burn's debut and the emotion attached to
the disappointment I had over how much it contrasted to their follow-ups that underrates them. I've
always found instrumental bands like Pelican to come up short. I'm not saying the music isn't quality,
I'm just someone who likes a good vocal input to sustain the interest and variety for an entire album.
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this sounds really cool
nice review, poo
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
| | | Album Rating: 4
Yeah I liked this on first listen, definitely meets the manly requirement.
Digging: Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction | | | Album Rating: 4
Mario Lali from Fatso Jetson is in this band, which transforms into this band rules really hard.
| | | Album Rating: 4
album cover rules hard
| | | Album Rating: 4
Six Gun Sucker Punch is easily the best song on here.
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Songs, titles and cover very manly.
Yeah, 'six-gun sucker punch' rocks hard.
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