Review: Dark Karma Soul – ‘Theory Of Karma’

DARK KARMA SOUL
‘Theory Of Karma’
STATIC DISTORTION RECORDS

Listening to Dark Karma Soul you wouldn’t think they were from just west of the M25. With their mix of danceable electronics and nu metal guitars you’d be forgiven for thinking they were from the other side of the pond. That is until the melodic vocal delivery of Chris Westcott kicks in, and try as he might, he still sounds like he’s from down south as opposed to the deep south.

Still this is a pretty bold formula they’re pushing on their début on Static Distortion. For a lot of people the tail-end of the 90′s was very hit and miss for industrial metal, with the US brand failing to garner the longevity of the German bands that inspired them. But as with all genres there were exceptions, and DKS have effectively channelled those good memories through an anglicised filter into a very effective style.
The album’s choicest cuts ‘I Am Judgement’, ‘Martyr’ , ‘Tommy Gun Winnie’, ‘Hate Time’ and ‘Terminated’ evoke comparisons to the likes of Mudvayne, Static-X and American Head ChargeYet the band noticeably lack the polish of the production of their US fore-bearers. The vocals sit uneasily in the mix and would benefit from a little tweaking with to give them a more organic presence. Also the synths tend to be swamped by the sheer ferocity of the guitars which is a shame as there are some fantastically catchy parts that could really push the songs forward if tweaked.

Yet for all it’s quirks, ‘Theory Of Karma’ is a genuinely enjoyable album that displays not only some great musicianship and song writing, but also a hell of a lot of potential. If the band iron out the creases in their delivery they could make a name for themselves.

[3/5]