' Throw Your Light'
2011
Review By Diane Parkes
The Karma Heart are:
Jenn Cherene - Vocals
Graham Haswell - Guitar
Lee Tuck - Bass
Phil Bell - Drums
This is the debut album for this 4 piece, female fronted, rock band from the North East of England, and having lived in Newcastle myself I KNOW first hand how passionate and hungry the North-Easteners are about original and live music. The karma Heart is probably summed up quite succinctly by the line:
“Think of a female-fronted Foo Fighters; a more edgier British Paramore,
and you are about there”
The album itself is intended to reflect a positive message of overcoming the trials of life and to finding self-worth and from the opening track ‘The Fated’ (which incidentally was released as ‘track of the day’ by Classic Rock magazine) I started to get a feel for these guys and what they are about. Jenn has a strong voice, and the harmonies are tight and clear. Yes, a surprising comment from me as it is no secret I am not a huge fan of female ‘front persons’ in the rock/metal genres of music!
By track 2 I could clearly hear ‘Phil The Beat’ coming through on drums, with good strong melodic guitar riffs from Graham and a strong backbeat from Lee on bass. I loved the opening bars of ‘Gravitate’, probably my favourite track on the album; through to ‘Another Religion’, with the drum beat breaking through the harmonies and guitars nicely. Ooooo is that my foot tapping in time to the beat? Always a good sign!
On to a slow down of tempo for track 5, then back up tempo for the excellent track ‘Desire’. Track 7, ‘The Remedy’ appears to concentrate on the sickness of todays world, but at the same time manages to stay up tempo with lines as poignant as
“We aren’t so innocent. You can’t tell just by my face. You can’t know
all my trials and tribulations…”
Track 9, ‘King Karma’ has a cracking intro, leading into hauntingly clear vocals and a tale of the trials of life, human failings and imperfections. On to the final track ‘There’s Not a Star In The Sky’ and only now can I really hear the Paramore influence coming through.
With the exception of a couple of tracks that do indeed slow down somewhat, the whole album is quite fast-paced and the energy The Karma Heart put into their live performances clearly comes through in the music on the album. All in all I think Dave Grohl would indeed approve!
Track Listing:
The Fated
Honest Child
Gravitate
Another Religion
The City’s A Desert
Desire
The Remedy
Kamikazi Comraderie
King Karma
Comin’ Undone
There’s Not A Star In The Sky