KARMAKANIC - Wheel of Life

[General Zod]

Label Web Site: http://www.reingoldmusic.com
Release Date: September 14, 2004

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tracklist:
1.Masterplan Pt.1
2.Alex In Paradise
3.At The Speed Of Light
4.Do U Tango?
5.Where Earth Meets The Sky
6.Hindby
7.Wheel Of Life
8.Masterplan Pt.2

[/font]It could be said that KARMAKANIC is a melting pot overflowing with influences from a wide range of musical genres. Strangely, Metal is not one of them. So why, then, is an eZine whose bread and butter is reviewing CDs like Dechristianize and Total Fucking Necro, reviewing a CD with no Metal roots? Perhaps the good folks at Reingold Music, who sent us the promo, think we’re enlightened enough to overlook the fact that there’s absolutely no mention of death or bloodshed to be found anywhere on this CD.

Back in 2002, I picked up KARMAKANIC’s debut CD, Entering the Spectra, as a blind purchase. I listened to it once, thought it was interesting in a PINK FLOYD meets YES sort of way, and it’s collected dust in my CD collection ever since. According to the promo kit, KARMAKANIC’s sophomore release, Wheel of Life, is less accessible. So, is there any hope of this CD winning favor with me? Surprisingly, moreso than I would have thought.

KARMAKANIC has left behind much of the PINK FLOYD vibe I heard on Entering the Spectra, and now sounds more like THE FLOWER KINGS, with a touch of older DREAM THEATER thrown in for good measure. To say these guys are proficient with their instruments, would be the understatement of the year. They abuse time signatures like a cheap rental car. However, their use of odd time signatures, along with their long instrumental passages, often leave the songs not feeling like songs at all, at least not in any recognizable framework. Many times, these long instrumental passages have the feel of studio jam sessions caught on tape, and can be mesmerizing. Unfortunately, some of these jams are simply self indulgent, increasing the track length rather than the listener’s enjoyment. The song “Do U Tango” would be a good example of the latter.

As I hinted at earlier, I don’t think I’m the ideal person to write an insightful review on a Progressive Rock CD. Aside from a few notable exceptions, I don’t particularly care for the genre. That said, Wheel of Life is a musical tour de force, with top-flight players, who spread their wings as far as they can possibly reach. If that’s your cup of tea, drink up.

Rating: 6/10
Reviewer: General Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

FYI - The End Records are distributing this so they sent us the promo.

Yeah, it's weird outfit I guess, but for some reason, you have crossover between pure-prog and prog-metal fans. Just look at Inside Out's roster, or our very own Black Winter Day. I would have sent him this promo normally.

Lastly, point worth noting on this album: Goran Edman is the vocalist. Yes, the same Goran who sang for Yngwie J Malmsteen on "Eclipse" and "Fire and Ice". Personally, "Eclipse" is my fave Malmsteen CD (outside of debut, of course), and that's partially because of Edman's vocals!! They are killer!

 

[JayKeeley]

So why, then, is an eZine whose bread and butter is reviewing CDs like Dechristianize and Total Fucking Necro,

This part makes me cringe, heh.

It would be interesting to see how all our reviews are broken up by genre, but yes, from what I understand, when people think of RC, they think black + death metal webzine.

Anyone care to browse through our A-Z index and get a high level % breakdown of: black, death, power, prog? :Spin:

 

[General Zod]

Lastly, point worth noting on this album: Goran Edman is the vocalist.

I almost mentioned this, but didn't do so for three reasons:

1 - didn't think Edman's presence was going to sway a whole lot of people one way or the other.

2 - to my ear, he sounds nothing like he did when he sang for Yngwie.

3 - who hasn't held the position of vocalist in Yngwie's band? Hell, I almost had the gig at one point. Plus, think about all the extra diskspace we'd use up if in every review we had to add the words, "was once Yngwie's vocalist".

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

3 - who hasn't held the position of vocalist in Yngwie's band? Hell, I almost had the gig at one point. Plus, think about all the extra diskspace we'd use up if in every review we had to add the words, "was once Yngwie's vocalist".

Which reminds me, how is that Jorn Lande promo?

 

[Black Winter Day]

This sounds like it would be pretty cool.

 

[General Zod]

Which reminds me, how is that Jorn Lande promo?

This was the last of the reviews from the first batch of stuff that I was sent. Going to begin to tackle the next batch when I return from my weekend in Vegas.

Zod