“Chip on my shoulder next to the weight of the world.“
Chicago unit Kharma entered the hardcore landscape back in 2016 with their self-released LP title Survival, which has since been followed on by records Moment of Violence (2018) and Most Dangerous Game (2020) that released through Flatspot Records. Their latest record, A World Of Our Own, looks to further build on their established sound, while diving into the personal and political, ranging from daily emotions to confronting oppression.
What Kharma are setting out to achieve is laid out in its opening moments. “By Any Means” greets us, confrontational and furious; lyrically declaring “When we say that our lives matter, you turn it into a debate?” with incensed vocals from Jordan Moten alongside thick and fast riff work, before closing out on a sample from James Baldwin. This isn’t to say A World of Our Own is one-dimensional in its approach, with chunky breakdowns delivered on “Change” and “Clip Your Wings“, adding to the unrelenting nature of the record.
Diving lyrically into A World Of Our Own adds to the weight of the record, whether it’s the potent “Seeking revenge on society and revenge on myself, both have let me down more times than I can count” on “Living In Vain“, or the biting “I’ve never been one to turn the other cheek, cuz where’s the fun in that?” that leads into the breakdown on “Envious“. All these lines are delivered with a honed-in force by Moten. Even if their raspy vocal style might not be everyone, the style sets Kharma apart from their contemporaries.
A World Of Our Own is packed with heavy-hitter moments instrumentally that should deliver riffs for days and more than satisfy those who seek that. A pertinent blend of lyrics, touching on the aforementioned personal and the political, while also just being pissed at times, elevates the record to true memorability. While what’s presented might not be for everyone, there will be those who be spinning this plenty.
7/10
A World Of Our Own is out April 12th via Flatspot Records and can be pre-ordered here.