Karma to Burn | |
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![]() Karma to Burn performing at KOKO in 2015; left to right: Eric Clutter, Will Mecum and Evan Devine | |
Background information | |
Origin | Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1993–2002, 2009–2021 |
Labels |
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Spinoffs |
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Past members |
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Website | http://www.k2burn.net/ |
Karma to Burn (commonly abbreviated as K2B) was an American rock band from Morgantown, West Virginia. The band was noted for its heavy, mostly instrumental sound.
Their name comes from a sleevenote on Bob Dylan's 1976 album Desire which reads "I have a brother or two and a whole lot of karma to burn..."
After years of viral self-promotion (such as phoning record companies pretending to be other bands who had heard an interesting band called Karma to Burn), Karma to Burn was signed to Roadrunner Records in 1996. [2] They were planning to release an entirely instrumental album, but Roadrunner insisted that the contract was only valid under the condition that they hired a vocalist. After a brief trial of then Kyuss frontman John Garcia, they hired a friend of theirs, Jason Jarosz. Their first album Karma to Burn was released in 1997, and despite critical acclaim, sold poorly. The band decided to sack Jarosz and as such were fired from Roadrunner. The band continued, releasing 1999's Wild, Wonderful Purgatory and 2001's Almost Heathen as entirely instrumental albums. [3] [4]
The band unofficially disbanded sometime in mid-2002, when bassist Rich Mullins joined the band Speedealer. As of 2008, Mullins was playing in the Los Angeles based band Year Long Disaster, Oswald was the drummer in Nebula, and Will Mecum was playing guitar for Treasure Cat. [5]
On February 23, 2009, Karma to Burn reformed with the lineup being the same as when they disbanded. They toured extensively, hitting both the US and Europe. [6] Their European tour included a second stage slot at the Download Festival, which has now become infamous for the wasp swarm above the crowd throughout. [7] A year after reuniting, Karma to Burn were in the stages of finishing a fourth album, which was produced by Scott Reeder formerly of the stoner rock band Kyuss. The album, Appalachian Incantation , was released in April 2010, and included two vocal tracks: 'Waiting on the Western World', featuring Year Long Disaster vocalist and guitarist Daniel Davies, and 'Two Times,' featuring former Kyuss vocalist John Garcia. The rest of the album consisted of instrumental selections. [8] The band toured Europe after its release, including a nine date UK run supported by bassist Mullins's other band, Year Long Disaster. [9]
In a May 2010 interview with Uber Rock, Daniel Davies commented on a planned merger between the bands Year Long Disaster and Karma to Burn:
"The bands are starting to kind of merge together. We wrote that song together and we liked it so we're thinking that maybe we should write some more songs together. I think that is where it's leading to now." [10]
In June 2010, Year Long Disaster toured Europe with all three members of Karma to Burn as part of the band. [11] The favour was returned on Karma to Burn's European summer tour, with Davies stepping in as an occasional guitarist (and, when needed, vocalist) for the band. Karma to Burn then announced it plans to record a swift follow-up to Appalachian Incantation with an album featuring several songs with vocals by Davies, to be released in 2011, further blurring the boundaries between it and Year Long Disaster. The speculation as to whether Davies had joined the band was confirmed by his inclusion in the band picture on K2B's website [12] and, more solidly, by Rich Mullins himself in an interview with Rock Radio. [13]
K2B headlined the Jägermeister stage at the UK leg of Sonisphere Festival 2010., [14] and supported The Sword on their 2010 winter US tour [15] and in Europe the following November.
The follow-up to Appalachian Incantation, V , was recorded in February 2011, at Dave Grohl's Studio 606, and includes Davies' vocals on three songs, although he has since started a project outside Karma to Burn and left the group, returning the band to a trio. V was released in June 2011, followed by more extensive touring of the US and Europe. The band were also set to record a song for John Garcia's solo project, Garcia Vs. Garcia. [16] On September 7, it was said via Twitter that Karma to Burn had finished recording three tracks with John Garcia, though for which projects was left unclear. [17]
Evan Devine of Morgantown metal band Ancient Shores filled in on drums for Karma to Burn during their 2012 European tour and became a full-time member after.
Their album Arch Stanton was released in 2014 on FABA/Deepdive Records. [18] It featured the duo of Mecum and Devine, with Mecum taking up guitar and bass duties after the departure of Mullins.
The Karma to Burn EP, Mountain Czar , was released in 2016. [19] The release introduced Eric Clutter as full-time bassist.
A split compilation album, Karma to Burn / Sons of Alpha Centauri was released in 2017.
Guitarist Will Mecum died on April 29, 2021, after sustaining traumatic head injuries due to an accidental fall. As of the time of his death, he was the last remaining founding member in the lineup of the band. [20]
Following the news, former bassist Rich Mullins announced plans to release one last Karma to Burn album, consisting of unreleased material recorded by the band's original lineup. [21] The compilation album, titled Thee Rabbit Hole, was released the same year. [22]
The band has continued to remain active on social media since Mecum's passing. [23] Much of the band's discography has been repressed by Heavy Psych Sounds Records, with each reissue being dedicated to the memory of Mecum. [1]
Final lineup
Former
John Garcia is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as the vocalist and founding member of stoner rock bands Kyuss, Slo Burn, Unida and Hermano. Garcia also performed in Vista Chino, formerly Kyuss Lives!, with former Kyuss members Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri. Garcia has since decided to pursue his solo career, having formed his band, John Garcia and the Band of Gold, in 2019.
Immolation is an American death metal band from Yonkers, New York. They are considered one of the leaders of the New York death metal scene along with Incantation, Mortician and Suffocation.
Scott Thomas Reeder is an American musician best known as the former bass player of stoner rock bands Across the River, Kyuss and The Obsessed, as well as the current bass player for Fireball Ministry.
Spiritual Beggars is a Swedish stoner metal band from Halmstad, formed by Michael Amott, who is known for his work with Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage. The band is heavily influenced by 1970s hard rock and incorporates elements of psychedelia into its music.
Nebula is an American stoner rock band formed by guitarist Eddie Glass and drummer Ruben Romano upon departing Fu Manchu in 1997.
Robert Oswald is an American drummer. Oswald is best known as the former drummer for Karma to Burn. He has previously been a member of various bands including Year Long Disaster, Mondo Generator, Nebula, Buttsteak, Lee Harvey Keitel Band, Caffeine Driven Stress Magnets and Jade. He currently resides in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles with the rest of his band mates.
Year Long Disaster was an American rock band from Los Angeles. Formed in 2004, the band was composed of vocalist and guitarist Daniel Davies, bassist Rich Mullins and drummer Brad Hargreaves. Hargreaves was later replaced by Rob Oswald, and guitarist Will Mecum also joined in a later incarnation of the group.
Karma to Burn is the debut studio album by Karma to Burn. It was released on February 25, 1997, on Roadrunner Records. There are several different versions and pressings—vinyl and cassette included— some of which appeared on Sony. The album was reissued on March 11, 2022, by Heavy Psych Sounds Records, highlighting its 25th anniversary.
Wild, Wonderful Purgatory is the second studio album by stoner rock band Karma to Burn. The album was released on May 31, 1999, in Europe by Roadrunner UK, and July 7, 1999, in the U.S. by MIA Records. It was reissued on March 18, 2022, by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Almost Heathen is the third studio album by the stoner rock band Karma to Burn. It was released on September 4, 2001, by Spitfire Records. It was the last album released before their seven-year disbandment in 2002. The album was reissued in 2008 by Metal Mind Productions and again in 2022 by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Appalachian Incantation is the fourth studio album by the stoner rock band Karma to Burn. The album was the band's first studio release after a seven-year hiatus that lasted from 2002–2009. It was released on April 30, 2010, on Napalm Records, and later reissued in 2022 by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Richard Mullins is an American musician best known as the former bassist of the rock bands Karma to Burn, Year Long Disaster, and Speedealer. He also produced and is the co-creator of the animated docuseries, Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus.
William Charles Mecum was an American musician and lead guitarist for the rock band Karma to Burn (K2B). During K2B's seven-year hiatus from 2002–2009, he played guitar for instrumental bands Treasure Cat and Dragon Ass. He also played drums in the band Admiral prior to forming Karma to Burn. He lived in West Virginia. Mecum died on April 29, 2021, as a result of a traumatic head injury, from an accidental fall. As of the time of his death, he was the last remaining founding member in the lineup of the band.
V is the fifth studio album by the instrumental stoner rock band Karma to Burn. It was released on May 27, 2011, by Napalm Records. The album was later reissued in 2022 by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Arch Stanton is the sixth studio album by the instrumental stoner rock band Karma to Burn. The album was released on August 18, 2014, by FABA and Deepdive Records, and was reissued in 2023 by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Daniel Davies is a British-American composer, musician and songwriter. He is best known for his contributions to horror director John Carpenter's Lost Themes and Lost Themes II albums, and for his work with rock bands Year Long Disaster, Karma to Burn, and CKY. Davies is the son of guitarist Dave Davies of The Kinks, and the godson of John Carpenter.
Sons of Alpha Centauri is an English instrumental rock band based in Swale, Kent. Founded in 2001 by Nick Hannon and Marlon King, the band has developed and borrowed from a range of styles from the 1970s through to the 1990s including stoner rock, desert rock, post-metal and the New wave of British heavy metal, as well as British artists as Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd.
Last Day of Summer is a collaborative studio album by British instrumental rock band Sons of Alpha Centauri and American instrumental rock band Treasure Cat. It was released on 7 October 2009 under the imprint of Underdogma Records.
Karma to Burn / Sons of Alpha Centauri: The Definitive 7″ Trilogy! is a compilation album featuring a series of split singles released by American rock band Karma to Burn and English rock band Sons of Alpha Centauri (SOAC).
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