Karma to Burn Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Few recording artists aspire to the stylistic purity of Karma to Burn, and nowhere is this fact better demonstrated than on the band's 2001 Spitfire release Almost Heathen. Even the title reinforces the near-decadence, and the strange but necessary elusiveness of artistic completeness. To say that Almost Heathen "rocks" would actually be a disservice to disc. It is more than a great record. It is form as function, the combination of craft and content, meditative, aloof, and sublime, if only for its singularity. Each of the ten non-sequentially numbered tracks do more than rock; they turn and roll, twist and slide, rattle and hum like large metal life forms, first rolling over desolate landscapes on four wheels, then standing upright, growing hair and pounding the rocky soil with the sun-bleached bones of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Sleep, and Kyuss. Picking highlights is impossible, as each "song" acts more like a minutely textured tile in an all-black mosaic, relying heavily on the listener's reflection, leaving the assignment of meaning to individual imagination. Stoner/doom fans and everyone else who appreciates heavy music will all get a thrill from Almost Heathen, a significant hard rock accomplishment. ~ Jason Anderson, All Music Guide
'Wild Wonderful Purgatory'
Release Date 5/31/1999
Tracks 12
Label Roadrunner
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While the term stoner rock is widely used, it can be a limiting one. For one thing, to many people it means that the music can only be appreciated by those who have partaken in the smoking of an illegal substance. That is simply not true of the genre in general, or this album in particular. Indeed, with the group's leaning on a combination of Black Sabbath-esque textures and a spacy jam-type meandering, the label does fit. However, they transcend it as well. Karma to Burn's Wild Wonderful Purgatory can perhaps be seen more accurately as a modern take on the power trio approach of such groups as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, and Rush. With the spacy, almost psychedelic and experimental nature present, perhaps the first two fit better. However, the hard-edged metallic fury calls to mind more closely Rush's debut. These guys have such a great skill at creating dynamic melodies that you never really seem to notice that they have opted to forego the vocals altogether on this second release. This one is a great time, whether you are stoned or not. ~ Gary Hill, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Karma to Burn released one of the most original hard rock albums of 1997 with its fantastic self-titled debut. The West Virginia combo is usually associated with the "stoner rock" scene because of its reliance on '70s-style hard rock riffs, but unlike most bands in that genre, Karma to Burn merely dabbles in fuzzy distortion and psychedelia. When guitarist William's somber tone and minor chords are combined with songtitles like "Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi -- I'm Not God" and "Waltz of the Playboy Pallbearers," the result is both cryptic and hilarious. Singer J. Jarosz was only brought aboard as a compromise, and it shows, as his contribution is both unspectacular and largely unnecessary. In fact, the most interesting vocal contribution comes from the female voice on "Patty Hearst's Closet Mantra." The double parting shot of "Twin Sisters and Half a Bottle of Bourbon" and "Six" helps make this album a must-have for enthusiasts of original and challenging hard rock. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
