Since forming in the early days of the pandemic, unable to play live at first, London quintet The Karma Effect have made regular appearances on festival bills, and this first album for new label Earache deserves to further raise their profile, even if it makes no claims towards reinventing the hard-rock wheel.
Where they do show creative flair is in not relying on shuffle riffs and rabble-rousing choruses like those found on opening statement of intent Livin’ It Up or the Poison-esque Wild Honey.
Instead they skilfully reach a little further to draw on influences from adjacent musical milieux, as on the likeably gospel-inflected rock’n’soul testimonial Be My Salvation, power ballad Falling For You Again and southern rock romp See You Again.
Promised Land? That might be pushing it a little, but it’s a fun place to spend an hour of your time.
