Canada's KARMATIK chose wisely when naming a title for their second full length album, "Unlimited Energy."  The nine tracks contained within the 36-minute run time are a nonstop explosion of bombastic force.  This is without a doubt the most groove filled, riff based, lively and animated Melodic Death Metal album I've heard this year.  From the first track to the last, this album rarely lets up; if music could be used to generate energy, this album could power the entire country of Canada for a year.

The most immediate aspect of "Unlimited Energy" that grabbed my attention was Gino's stellar bass.  A lot of times, bass in MDM is often overshadowed but with this album it is often the center of attention and is always interesting.  I especially like the bits that pop up throughout the album where the guitars go clean and become boosted by the bass—these parts are always a highlight.  It is a shame these more atmospheric parts were not expanded upon more.

The first track, "Universal Life," is an instant barn burner with everything going for it to make a great MDM song.  Carol's vocals are deep, frantic, and slightly depraved sounding.  He also happens to be one of the guitar players, along with Jean-Michel.  These two really know their way around riffs and how to combine them with melodies to give each song a catchy hook.  Riffs come in and out of grooves, working around and thru all different kinds of melodies and harmonies.  It doesn't hurt their sound either that the guitar solos are smooth as hell too and work so well within the songs, especially when they come before or right after one of those melodic clean guitar/bass parts I mentioned earlier.

The third track, "Black Sheep...Be Yourself," has an unique rhythm and structure to it. The drums lead the track off and they command a power presence throughout the track; Martin is powerful drumming and has the chops to charge these songs up.  The guitars stop and start several times, either to give more rooms for vocals or for the crazy yet melodic bass lines.  It gives the song an odd but welcoming feel, adding a prog feel to it without going overboard. The title track, "Unlimited Energy," opens wide from the start with a fat groove that drives the song ever forward.  The guitar solos start in pretty early and work in tandem with the vocals but with everything going on, the sound remains clear and concise-the production throughout the album is rather polished, perhaps a bit too much.  The melodic interlude that appears appears halfway through the track is nothing short of moving and spectacular, as in the guitar that busts through everything for a hard-hitting finish.

The album is solid all the way though with not a bad track to be found.  The last two tracks, "Family Chaos," and "As Cells Of The Universe," are two of the most intense on the album so everything is capped off with a very strong finish.  The lead guitar melodies in "As Cells.." are especially of note, as is the crushing rhythm. Is there more complicated music out there?  Yes.  Could the songs have a tad more depth?  Couldn't hurt.  However, if you like MDM, I seriously doubt you will find an album that is more fun or a constant jubilant blast.