The Summary Judgment Reviews:
Title: Karma In Black
Artist: The Defaced
Label:Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 3/25/03

Rating: 3 Skulls
  • Read the Reviews of Domination Commence
  • Official Website for This Artist
  • Discuss on the Metal Judgment Web Board
  • Submit/Read Reader Reviews of this Album

    • Reviewed by Solomon (4/15/03):
    Comin' at ya, the second release from The Defaced, a band culled mostly from the ranks of Soilwork and Darkane who put a different face on that whole Swedish metal thingy. Karma In Black continues in a vein similar to the last release, Domination Commence, going for a tough, gritty, Machine Head-ish style that still has enough of a melodic slant to remind you where these guys come from. If you thought the last Soilwork album was "gay," or whatever adjective we're using around here for "this sounds too much like normal people will like it," then Black may be your bag. Overall, this release was a bit hard to digest. Everyone tends to compare these guys to Machine Head, which is understandable, but they end up sounding like a second-rate Machine Head. When I'm talkin' "Machine Head," mind you, I'm talkin' 'bout Burn My Eyes, not Supercharger, bro. The Defaced didn't do anything necessarily wrong here, but if they're going to sound like this, I'd rather give "Old" or "Davidian" a spin to get my nu-Bay Area-metal fix. Much of my hesitation on this album stems from Henrik Sjowall's vocals. I can handle a lot of black/death style vocals after being exposed to it for so long, and I even like some of them, but Sjowall's Hetfield/Flynn mannerisms just get on my nerves after a while. The style is appropriate for the music here, I just don't personally care for it.

    There are some shining moments here and there. "10 VS 9" has a chorus, yes, "to die for," and is probably the most accessible tune on Karma. Sjowall's vox are good here, and his performance on "The Fading Suns" is particularly aggressive. The closing title track is another winner, with a very Metallicized chorus that is hard to shake off. A disappointment in some ways, but Karma In Black should satisfy those looking for a little variety in their Viking diet courtesy of a few familiar faces.
    3 out of 5

    [- Metal Judgment Home -]    [- Email Metal Judgment -]
    ©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.