KARMAKANIC
Transmutation REINGOLD RECORDS
A-list bassist returns with his scintillating symphonic prog solo project.
It’s been almost a decade since always in-demand bassist, composer and prog auteur Jonas Reingold released an album under the Karmakanic name. That record, 2016’s Dot, featured a fairly self-contained six-piece band and while some names –Lalle Larsson on keyboards and guitarist Krister Jonsson –make return appearances here, Transmutation’s full credits look like the attendance list for a prog awards ceremony. Craig Blundell, Luke Machin, legendary drummer Simon Phillips, The Tangent mainman Andy Tillison, Nick D’Virgilio and Steve Hackett all turn up at various points, alongside many others. Possibly the biggest personnel change is in the lead vocals department with longtime Karmakanic singer Göran Edman reduced to a bit of a sideman and the vast majority of the singing coming from Frost* and Lonely Robot’s John Mitchell, which brings a different character to proceedings.