Band:	Karmakanic
Album:	Wheel Of Life
Style:	Progressive rock
Release date:	2004
A review by:	Dream Taster

01. Masterplan Pt. 1
02. Alex In Paradise
03. Speed Of Light
04. Do u Tango?
05. Where The Earth Meets The Sky
06. Hindby
07. Wheel Of Life
08. Masterplan Pt. 2

30 seconds was all it took me to categorize this album as a The Flower Kings type of record. With Jonas Reingold producing and playing in the band, not such a big surprise. Quickly, Karmakanic is Goran Edman [vocals], Krister Jonzon [guitars], Zoltan Csorsz [drums] and Jonas Reingold [bass] and are regarded as a rising contestant for best Prog rock band/project of the year.

If you're at all into the Flower power, happy happy joy joy type of music, "Wheel Of Life" is your album. If not, don't even bother. But let's be honest, this album has lots of qualities. It's one of the bests of the genre with beautiful vocal lines, atmospheric melodies and spiritual rhythms. Now, Metal, it is not. Rock yes, good rock indeed. If you don't dig calm music, forget it. "Wheel Of Life" is as calm as it gets. From the epic 'Masterplan' [over 14 minutes] to songs such as 'Speed Of Light', the feeling is the same. Somewhat cheesy keys and acoustic guitar lines flourish throughout the album, and appearances from Richard Anderson and Tomas Bodin are logical to whomever knows a little bit about Progressive rock. 'Do u Tango?' is a delight of guitar frenesy but 'Wheel Of Life' is my favorite track.

If experimental progressive rock is your cup of tea, this album is for you. You'll be mesmerized by its content. Other than that, let's face it, it might sound like background music from the game The Sims to everybody else. Nonetheless, I have to recognize that this "Wheel Of Life" and its happy atmosphere deserves a good rating despite its peculiar style. After all of that, I suddenly feel the need to listen to some Slayer.