Karmanjakah
Ancient Skills


4.0
excellent

Review

by cloakanddagger USER (17 Reviews)
May 22nd, 2023 | 40 replies


Release Date: 05/12/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Bliss

Saying that progressive metal has become redundant and stale in recent years has become a redundant and stale comment in and of itself. For a steady while now we've been subjected to the same cookie-cutter djent bands that don't push the genre forward, nor do they have the songwriting chops needed to write engaging music, instead opting to churn out redunant sub-octave chugging as a way of compensating and impressing an audience that are more interested in YouTube reactions and TikTok videos than they are at writing engaging, memorable music.

Karmanjakah are a 4-piece progressive metal/djent band from Sweden, a country that at this point is no stranger to this style of progressive metal, or progressive metal in general for that fact. However, unlike other Swedish djent bands like Meshuggah or Vildhjarta, Karmanjakah are a much more melodic outfit, instead employing the atmospheric tendencies of bands like Tesseract and The Contortionist in their music. Their 2016 debut EP was a fairly middle of the road affair, not completely awful but nor was it worth revisiting. However, the band then disappeared for 5 years before resurfacing with their debut LP "A Book About Itself", an album that showed a significant maturation in their sound. The album had djent riffs aplenty, but with some seriously good songwriting chops and impressive musicianship, as well as just enough curveballs to keep it interesting and memorable. It was a promising start, and a strong foundation for the band to build upon.

2 years later and now Karmanjakah have given us Ancient Skills, a short but sweet follow-up EP that shows the band continuing to improve upon that foundation in all the right ways. Opening track "Breathing" begins with a soft melody played on a nordic harp, courtesy of frontman Jonas Lundquist, before launching into some great riff work, with guitarist Viggo Örsan flowing between djenty chugs and melodies with ease. One of the highlights of "A Book About Itself" was the guitar work and it's the same story here. Fans of the aforementioned Tesseract and The Contortionist will feel right at home here, with a lot of the guitar work being reminiscent of Acle Kahney in particular.

The remaining 3 songs on the EP are a similar story, with the album ebbing and flowing between atmospheric keyboard/synth-driven sections and the heavier sections, but the transitions between never feel forced or overdone, and the whole EP is a frankly blissful release that is in equal parts relaxing as it is cathartic and urgent. Second song "Flying" is a vocal highlight of the album, with frontman Jonas Lundquist sitting somewhere in between Dan Tompkins and Michael Lessard. Whilst he can scream, his vocals here are entirely cleanly sung, but there's never a point where harshes feel necessary. On top of the great vocals and guitar work, it must also be said that the band's rhythm section serves as a solid backbone; never doing anything overly flashy but keeping the music going at a good pace with enough drum fills and bass licks to stand out where need be. That being said, it would be nice to see how much the rhythm section can do in the future.

All 4 songs on the EP are very much worth listening to, but the closing track "Listening" is undoubtedly the EP highlight, where all the positive aspects of the band's sound are culminated into the 6 minutes and 15 seconds runtime. The song starts slow and quiet, with a nice little piano intro and clean guitars, and then proceeding to serve up the melodic djent that's plentiful on the rest of the album. Perhaps the pinnacle of this song is the unexpected use of a bağlama or saz halfway through the song, an instrument normally used in Turkish folk music. Its appearance on here is unexpected but it fits really well, and gives the EP a slightly folkish tone along with the aforementioned use of a nordic harp. It's a subtle but welcome addition to the band's sound that works in their favour, and hopefully they continue to add little flairs like this in the future.

Despite its short runtime and somewhat underutilised rhythm section, this is a great little EP that offers a blissful listen on its 4 tracks, and is a prime example of a modern progressive metal band willing to experiment enough to keep things interesting without alienating its audience, and Karmanjakah clearly have the songwriting chops and musicianship to break out into a larger audience with subsequent releases.



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user ratings (73)
3.9
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
cloakanddagger
May 22nd 2023


764 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This is the first review I've done in 3 years. It's rough as hell but this great little EP inspired me enough to give it a try again. Not sure if I'll do it regularly again but let's see what happens.



As always, constructive feedback/criticism is very much appreciated.



Oh, and here's a link to the bandcamp if you want to have a listen: https://karmanjakah.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-skills-ep

vult
May 22nd 2023


2628 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Pos’d



Dabbled this last night but giving a more focused listen today

cloakanddagger
May 22nd 2023


764 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks vult! It's an enjoyable continuation of what they were doing on their debut LP, just wish it was a bit longer.

Purpl3Spartan
May 22nd 2023


8992 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Nice review man pos the ep is quite nice



I like the debut more overall but I feel like the Melodies are stronger here

Get Low
May 22nd 2023


14553 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

pos'd, EP rules but not as good as the almighty A Book About Itself



A lot of people seem to be discovering this band now for the first time via this EP

cloakanddagger
May 22nd 2023


764 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks both! Without getting too sentimental it's nice to see positive feedback after being away from the reviewing game for so long, especially after I completely fell out of love with it at the start of 2020.



@Get Low yeah this EP was my introduction to the band, although your review of A Book About Itself convinced me to check it out. It was a really good reference point for different aspects of the band's music too. I think I prefer this slightly more but A Book About Itself has a bit more variety mostly just from the fact it's an album not an EP. I'm really excited for these guys' next full length now though.

Get Low
May 22nd 2023


14553 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I'm glad my review for that album was helpful in your writing of this review. I had considered reviewing this EP if no one had gotten to it, but you've alleviated that burden from me.



I'm curious to know, since you're one of the ones who is new to this band, what was the exact way that you discovered them? I get the feeling that a bunch of people are hearing them on a Spotify playlist or something of the sort.

cloakanddagger
May 23rd 2023


764 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

"I'm curious to know, since you're one of the ones who is new to this band, what was the exact way that you discovered them?"



Just the sput charts, specifically looking at the best metal of 2023. The kinda vaporwave-esque cover piped up my curiosity and the similar bands are all ones I'm a big fan of.

vult
May 23rd 2023


2628 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Dug this quite a bit. I think I prefer this over the LP simply because they don’t sound as much like a Periphery knockoff. Maybe my stupid brain can’t disconnect the two.



This is nice though, the atmosphere seems more organic

SteakByrnes
May 23rd 2023


30382 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Gotta peep this, I liked their 2021 album

Manatea
Staff Reviewer
May 23rd 2023


2072 Comments


Dude nice writeup gonna check this

Nomos2
May 23rd 2023


1992 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This album has been keeping me sane in the wake of the abysmal Take Me Back to Eden.



First and fourth tracks are pure ecstasy. If they keep on this track I will be a very happy man. "Listening" has been in my head for days and won't leave : (

Tundra
May 23rd 2023


9921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

New Sleep Token and this we eating good

PotsyTater
May 23rd 2023


10100 Comments


Prog core needs to be banned from appropriating electronic album art

Groundking
May 23rd 2023


2333 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Does it djont ahrd?

insomniac15
Staff Reviewer
May 23rd 2023


6247 Comments


Great stuff

Vinnymcscoop
May 23rd 2023


1672 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Sick EP, and yes Groundking, it djentdjentdjents

Dennisrammstein
May 23rd 2023


15 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Nice review! It's good to see this band is getting more attention with this EP. Their LP is fantastic. Insane melodies, good vocals and a great rhythm duo to support.



Viggo is an awesome guitarist

Groundking
May 23rd 2023


2333 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

The guitar tone on this is so sweet

vult
May 23rd 2023


2628 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

ran this again while working today and i really like it. its sitting at a 3.7 for me.



the sitar on that one track is nice



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