RETRO ROCK RUMINATIONS: YEAR LONG DISASTER, KARMA TO BURN, THE SWORD
Friday, November 7th, 2008 at 1:29pm by Vince Neilstein
A whole bunch of you emailed us yesterday following my review of Northern Ireland’s meat n’ potatoes rockers The Answer; seems you all really like this kind of stuff. So hows about we take a trip in the not-so-waybackmachine to explore some jams from the likes of Year Long Disaster, Karma to Burn and The Sword?
One such email came from MetalSucks Maniac Scott Casey who told us that when it comes to this kind of fare he prefers Year Long Disaster. I checked out YLD on Scott’s recommendation, but I have to say I still prefer The Answer; more balls.
Turns out that the singer/guitarist of Year Long Disaster is actually the son of The Kinks’ Ray Davies, and the bass player was in the instrumental rock band Karma to Burn. Now THIS is the fucking shit! Karma to Burn released 3 albums on Roadrunner and Spitfire from 1997 through 2001 and disbanded shortly thereafter, but they left a helluva legacy. Hell, Roadrunner’s own website describes them as “Weird, heavy post-stoner groove from one of the most underrated bands ever signed to Roadrunner Records.” Touche. For your stony, trippy, Kyuss-influenced desert-rock heavy goodness, listen to the two ripping songs on their MySpace or the two on Roadrunner’s Karma to Burn artist page.
Lastly, Dennis S. emailed us to tell us about The Sword. While we find it highly amusing that Dennis doesn’t think we know about The Sword, maybe it’s high time (pun intended) for an update: The Sword have just posted the track “How Heavy This Axe” from their early-2008 release Gods of the Earth (read Kip’s review) for free download. I’ve never been huge on this band, but there’s definitely some sweet, stony, vintage Sabbathian and Maidenesque riffage going on here, and, despite the unfortunately low production values, even I can appreciate that. Check it below.
The Sword – “How Heavy This Axe”
Now go smoke a doob if you didn’t already and crank it up.
-VN
I just picked up the new record by The Sword and it is a fucking heavy dosage of riffs. Despite the mix of the vocals being so low in the music it reminds me of some Sabbath Vol 4 type shit. awesome band.
Karma to Burn were friggin great. ‘Wild, Wonderful Purgatory’ is chock full of some solid riffs.
Not loving the new Sword record too much. It’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near as good as the last one.
karma to burn fans: check out http://www.myspace.com/treasurecatwv if you haven’t already. it’s the guitar player from k2bs new band.
Maiden, Mother & Crone by the Sword fuckin’ rocks. The whole album reminds me of CoC and Down and I mean that in a good way.
I live in Morgantown, WV and loved Karma to Burn and love Treasure Cat (Will Mecum’s new band). Treasure Cat got to open up for Clutch here back in May. Great show.
Fuckin’ love The Sword. Gods Of The Earth may be my favorite album of the year. I wish the cymbals weren’t quite so clangy, and it could use some more low-end in the mix, but it’s got some catchy fucking riffs, and I love the thrashier direction they went with.
And Year Long Disaster is good stuff. They’re not metal, but for the retro-hard rock thing they have going, they’re quite good.