Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
Formed in 2009, the Canadian band Karkaos released their debut album “Empire” in 2014. That album was an intense, energetic debut and one that definitely piqued my attention. Following the release of that album, lead singer Veronica O. Rodriguez departed the band and has been replaced by Viky Boyer. Line-up changes can be risky, of course changing singers can be the riskiest proposition of all. Fortunately, Viky Boyer has proven to be a fantastic choice as a new lead vocalist and she is definitely allowed to shine on their long-awaited sophomore release, “Children of the Void”. Karkaos mixes elements of the Death, Thrash and Power Metal genres to create an aggressive, sometimes chaotically satisfying album. The band features two lead singers, Viky Boyer offers a clean metal style, whilst guitarist Vincent Harnoits contributes a more guttural, extreme style. Sure, it’s been done before, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Another thing I really liked about the record is how the keyboards (played masterfully by Sebastien Belanger-Lapierre) gives somewhat of a prog feel. The keyboards are done perfectly. They don’t overwhelm anything, yet you always notice them and they enhance the songs, in my opinion. Some highlights include: “Skymaster”, “Kolossos” (the best song in my opinion, check out the video on YouTube) and “Children of the Void”. This album certainly hits you hard and doesn’t let up throughout its duration. I would never refer to Karkaos as extreme metal, just like I would not refer to Arch Enemy or The Agonist as such. Like those two bands, Karkaos offers elements of extreme, whilst still balancing everything out with great doses of melodicism and world class musicianship. When all is said and done, Karkaos has delivered a truly memorable record. Fans of their first album will not be disappointed in “Children of the Void” and if you haven’t heard Karkaos yet, then what are you waiting for? I love this band and loved this record. Energetic, relentless, and hungry, Karkaos are a force to be reckoned with.
Rating – 88/100
Tracklist
- Babel
- Skymaster
- Kolossos
- Let the Curtain Fall
- Pale
- Children of the Void
- Reverie
- Tyrants
- Where Mushrooms Grow
- Lightbearer
- The Beast
- Bound By Stars
Line Up
- Viky Boyer- Lead Vocals & Grunts
- Samael Pelletier – Lead Guitar & Grunts on “Kolossos” and “Tyrants and Lightbearer”
- Sebastien Belanger-Lapierre – Keyboards
- Vincent Harnois – Guitar/Vocals
- Justine Ethier – Drums