Crave continues our Band of The Month series today with another enchanting rock vortex from Los Angeles trio Hot Karate.
Last week we brought you a first taste of Hot Karate’s adrenalized hypercolor with an exclusive performance of “Bolillos,” a streak of Perry Farrell’s transcendent alien melodies laced with the psychedelic mysticism of The Mars Volta. If you chipped a few teeth from your jaw hitting the floor after last week’s clip, grab yourself a mouth guard, because we’re doubling down with a song the band credits as a turning point in their sound, as well as a track that grabs you by the heart on a launchpad to outer space.
As vocalist/bassist Cyrus Ghahremani hints below in the intro to the song “Hot Karate,” it’s an intricate beast of solo-shredding intensity from both guitarist Rob Krauss and Cyrus’ four-string as drummer Adam Subhas keeps frantic time. And yes, it does indeed seem like the world is about to end as the track concludes.
Hot Karate’s latest album Finger Food is their third release in just three years, a continuing evolution following 2011’s self-titled LP and 2010’s Moonlight Horchata (find all three here). Driven by passion that grabs you by the soul, Hot Karate wrap their hook strength in a technical prowess that doesn’t drown us in Yes/Rush-isms while making our heads spin with kaleidoscopic variation. It’s progressive without the math-rock nerdgasms and testosterone baths of prog’s past, and melodically captivating in ways that carve a new groove in the mind of attentive listeners.
The next installment, “Diluwar,” is a family dedication, as Rob explains at the song’s onset. And what begins as a reflecting, fragile journey opens up into an overwhelming epic of rock greatness as Cyrus laments that the sound of beatings is a symphony only cowards bind beauty to…”
Pick up Hot Karate’s music right here, and keep up with the band on Facebook, Twitter and their official site. They’re playing the Silverlake Lounge in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 21st – pick up your tickets now!
Check back next Thursday for the next Hot Karate session performance, exclusively on CraveOnline!
Previous Band of The Month Performances:
Alain Johannes / Grieves / Steel Panther / Vintage Trouble / Semi Precious Weapons
Hot Karate / RX Bandits / Nico Vega / The Mowgli’s / Dessa / Everlast
The Wild Feathers / The Silent Comedy / LP
Very special thanks to Swing House studios!
