After having self-released a couple of EP’s and albums JARBOE finally has found labels again to release her work regularly and world wide.
On Mahakali she continues with what she started on her Magick trilogy, especially on Magick For Prudence. As regards content this record represents what its title implies: The goddess Mahakali, in all her aspects and personalization, no matter if as Death, Shiva, Time or Reality. The Great Kali has many faces and to bring that into music means to cover a wide range of musical aspects. A perfect terrain for such a performance artist as JARBOE is.
Mahakali is dark, partly evil. Guitars are very low-tuned and distorted, sometime drone-like and monotone, sometimes brutal and riff-dominated. Tribal-like drums give you a feeling of heat, sultriness, ecstasy and religious rapture, like at a Buddhist ceremony. Mahakali is multilayered in its use of instruments and elements, but not too complex. Shamanic drumming can be found, rattles, acoustic passages, depressive string arrangements and parts with the epical width of a soundtrack.
Some tracks are just interludes, some are instrumentals, other ones are original or re-mixed versions from the Magick trilogy, and there are brand new tracks too. Bornless might be too overstrung to some ears, as well as some disharmonious parts. But that is what JARBOE is about, that is what Kali is about.
Surprising moments appear with the both guest singers Attila Csihar und Phil Anselmo. Attila I probably haven’t heard singing that evil and wicked and having so much fun while doing so as in The Soul Continues. Phil again surprises with very sensitive singing in the acoustic version of Overthrown. I wouldn’t have expected this.
Anyway, Mahakali is unbelievably intensive, under the skin going, somehow mind expanding, without drugs… or music as a drug… Over the entire running time of the album JARBOE emanates a frightening, awe-inspiring presence, an immense power and strength. This woman scares! And is a perfect incarnation of the Great Kali.
Sound and production is way better as on the Magick EP’s, though I sometimes get the feeling that the guitars are still (intentional?) overdriven.
Mahakali is available as limited digipack. For those who want more: get the Pandora box with all