Alright, earMUSIC. We have to talk. It’s important to know that Myrath is one of my favorite bands on the planet. I’ve been listening to them for well over a decade now, so every time the Tunisian five-piece announces a new album, my rapt, anxious anticipation skyrockets. Frustratingly, since the announcement for sixth LP Karma dropped, album leaks and fake release dates ran amok and led hopeful fans like me to dead Spotify links and rampant misinformation. The repeated PR foibles alone were enough to make me worry that the album wouldn’t be any good. Then, to top it all off, you hand us stream promo? Very naughty! But, that’s okay. All is forgiven because god damn was Karma worth it in the end.
Established in 2007 out of the ashes of Xtazy, Myrath somewhat quietly landed upon the prog-power scene with the gritty but triumphant Hope. Since then, the band traversed lush symphonic metal soundscapes on Desert Call and Tales of the Sands, both epic swaths of MENA prog-power goodness great for fans of Orphaned Land and Symphony X. Legacy marked the next shift towards fist-pumping, stadium-shaking anthems that retained the core of Myrath’s DNA to create a uniquely catchy formula that likewise informed the gorgeous, but gentler Shehili. Karma upholds that formula, but turns the dial up to eleven. Soaring verses and choruses, spine-tingling double harmonic scales, rich keys, versatile drumming, flamboyant bass work, and some of the most impactful guitar work since Tales of the Sands coalesce into one of the most thoroughly addicting and memorable album experiences the band’s unleashed yet.
The party starts immediately, with opener “To the Stars” wasting no time embedding its sharp hooks and indelible chorus into my brain. Vocalist Zaher Zorgati, in one fell swoop, solidifies his status as my absolute favorite singer in all of metal with his soaring, lightly smoked pipes, and thereby ensures my complete and undisturbed immersion (“To the Stars,” “Into the Light,” “Candles Cry,” “Words Are Failing,” every other song, really). Secure in his ability to somehow give Zaher a run for his money as the star of the show, bassist Anis Jouini picks and plucks those embiggened strings with aplomb, evoking a quasi-funky bounce to slapping tunes like “Let It Go,” “Words Are Failing,” “The Wheel of Time,” and “The Empire.” Adagio keyboard virtuoso Kévin Codfert works his usual magic on Karma, dancing swiftly and gracefully with Malek Ben Arbia’s syncopated riffing, ascendant leads, and shreddy solos to create stunning kaleidoscopes of richly layered, resplendent sound (“Into the Light, “The Wheel of Time,” “Temple Walls,” “Carry On”). Tying all of the rest of the band’s great ideas together through the power of percussion, drummer Morgan Berthet pounds through the thunderous march of stompers like “Temple Walls” and “The Empire” while also re-introducing some much missed double-bass gallops on massive closer “Carry On.”
As tightly as the band’s performances clearly are, it would be all for naught were it not for the insane songwriting quality and conceptual unity spanning the entirely of Karma’s unusually tight forty-seven minutes. The variety on hand astounds, especially considering how effortlessly the album’s myriad passages and details stick to my gray matter. Just listen to those clickity-clacking castanets in “To the Stars,” or the irresistible verse-and-chorus work blooming seamlessly from excellent transitions in “Words Are Failing,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Deeper down, the album’s message of inner strength, triumph over hardship, and personal enlightenment forms a unifying core that thematically bonds each one of Myrath’s multidudinous musical ideas. Myrath’s vibrant, adventurous character, in conjunction with their meticulous arrangements, makes Karma a special record in a way only a Myrath record can be. That said, it’s ever-so-slightly held back by the back-to-back sequencing of “Child of Prophecy” and “The Empire.” Excellent songs both, but each features a very similar initial chord progression and twangy guitar tone, coming a little too close to self-plagiarism for my tastes. The two tracks being next-door neighbors only magnifies the issue. A minor offense for a record bursting with this much creativity, but a misdemeanor nonetheless.
More than anything, Karma is special because it makes me feel invincible. Every subsequent spin awakens an empowering feeling of strength, vitality, and warmth that floods my core ever stronger. It’s a musical masterpiece and an absolute joy to listen to, with very little to critique. If that isn’t the making of an excellent record, then I simply don’t know what is.
Rating: Excellent!
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: earMUSIC
Websites: myrath.com | facebook.com/myrathband
Releases Worldwide: March 8th, 2024
