Artist: The Karma Heart  
   Title: Throw Your Light
   Label: Independent Release
 

Formally known as Remedy, The Karma Heart are opening a new chapter in their career following critical success of their EP Jenn Cherene, Graham Haswell, Lee Tuck and Phil The Beat return with their debut release ‘Throw Your Light’, which takes the sound they produced with the EP and gives it a little more bite.  Cherene takes up the mantle of front woman and delivers one of the most powerful female vocals in a new band I’ve heard for a long time, and this is even more powerful in the live arena where the band really pull no punches.

So on the album itself.  This is modern rock at it's finest featuring some great musicianship from the boys and a great vocal from Cherene that is the icing on the cake.  This is felt from the off with 'The Fated', as well as Cherene’s dynamic vocal presence the overall musicianship of the band has been cranked up a notch or two, in particular the guitar work of Haswell.  There is definitely an air of maturity about the band as a whole.

The hard edged modern rock is continued with the thumping ‘Honest Child’, before Haswell really shows his true potential with the soar-away guitar work on the rocking ‘Gravitate’.  All the while the foundation of bands sound is grounded in the rhythm section as Tuck and Phil the Beat remain solid and hammer out the backbeat for Haswell and Cherene to built upon.

By track four ‘Another Religion’ the band can do no wrong and bring a little uplifting feel  to proceedings on this next song, a real feel good track.  Then the band really show how they have progressed on the song writing front with the haunting ‘The Cities A Desert’, before rocking it back up with one of my favourite tracks off the album ‘Desire’.  A real towering vocal from Cherene is the highlight of this track for sure, as she really hits the mark and beyond on this one.

The album continues to impress with the simmering ‘The Remedy’ and the all out hard rocking of ‘Kamikazi Comraderie’, before the tempo is brought down a touch with the massive ‘King Karma’. There is just a short reprise before it's back to the full on rock with another thumping slice of angst filled rock in ‘Comin’ Undone'.

The album close in fine style with ‘There’s Not A Star In The Sky’, another stirring vocal from Cherene as she once again delivers a punch that feels akin to being hit with a feather wrapped around a gold bar.  This wraps up a great debut album from one of the hottest bands to come out of the North East for a long long time.

 Tracklisting:

1. The Fated
2. Honest Child
3. Gravitate
4. Another Religion
5. The Cities A Desert
6. Desire
7. The Remedy
8. Kamikazi Comraderie
9. King Karma
10. Comin' Undone
11. There's Not A Star In The Sky
 

                  

 

All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated.