Karma To Burn – V
Genre: Stoner Rock
Label: Napalm Records
You know how in the movies when it rains, it’s never a light drizzle for more than a few seconds before it becomes a torrential downpour? Well, that’s what Karma To Burn albums are like to me. There is never more than a few seconds between some filler droning and the wall of sound that this West Virginian juggernaut launches at you! Thankfully, their fifth full length album, V, is no different.
As I write this review, I’ve listened to V ten times in the past three days; seven times on its own and three times after listening to Karma To Burn’s 2010 release, Appalachian Incantation (the best back-to-back album team up by the same band that I’ve ever stumbled upon). With that being said, I’ve had a lot of time to mull around the pros and cons of this album… and all I could seriously come up with are pros (show of hands, how many of you saw that one coming?)!
Daniel Davies is the only son of a bitch that could possibly front this band from now on. No one could possibly take his place since his signature style of six string dexterity and controlled vocal wobble are the core of this reformation. Although, I will say that I do enjoy the fact that they try to keep the instrumental deal going with there only being three tracks with vocals on them out of eight. I’m not trying to count out the contributions of the other two wackos in this band at all either. Especially since I’ve never heard the bass played quite as well in this genre of metal/rock before. Low and hard, for sure. But never quite as clear (that’s more of a compliment to the production), loose or as inventive. Rich Mullins, you rule! And now we come to Rob Oswald’s drums… what can I say? They’re every bit as intricate and catchy as anyone listening to a Karma To Burn album could possibly wish for!
And if all that wasn’t enough, the THC Trio wraps up V with a cover of Black Sabbath’s Never Say Die. The original was an underrated song that is now (hopefully) brought to light for a new generation to discover. Thanks Karma To Burn!
Overall: V is in every way imaginable, a Karma To Burn album. That right there should be enough for you!
10/10
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