Karma To Burn

The world of instrumental groove metal lost a piece of its soul when West Virginian outfit Karma To Burn called it quits after their monumental 2001 opus, Almost Heathen. Hearing that the trio were reforming to hammer out some new, sinewy, beastly grooves seemed almost as upsetting as hearing they had disbanded. Would they recapture past glories? Would they advance the legacy that was KTB? With the first note of fourth full-length Appalachian Incantation, the answer is a resounding, relieving affirmation of both. Thick and brutal, while never sacrificing the band's natural ability to peg, deliver and bastardize a deadly groove, Appalachian Incantation's nine bouts of upbeat grit are wordlessly anthemic pieces of hot-rodded boogie perfect for inciting adrenaline-fuelled inspiration for challenging speed limits. While some tracks are occasionally overwrought, and two tunes with Year Long Disaster vocalist Daniel Davies are strong (but somewhat unnerving after a half-hour of guttural, lyric-eschewing tunes), this is still the kind of pelvic-thrusting, head-banging, no-frills metal for people who understand big machines that make lots of noise and go really fast.