In the autumn of the year 2000, Jonas Reingold, well-known bass player of Flowerkings and Kaipa, wrote a couple of progressive rock songs. It took almost two years before these songs were recorded. Reingold called in the help of several Swedish musicians among whom Roine Stolt (Flowerkings and Transatlantic) on guitar and Goran Edman (co-writer of Yngwie Malmsteen’s Fire And Ice) for the vocals.

The album starts out as one might expect. Within the first few notes, Reingold makes clear that he sticks to his bouncing and dancing bass-playing style, so characteristic in the music of The Flowerkings. This way of playing gives the music a loose and easy touch, from which you might get the idea that Reingold is improvising all the way. Although the first and second track (with Stolt on vocals) could have been Flowerking songs - a clever move so that the album sounds familiar at first listening - the music changes direction after that.

Highlights on this release are the title track and “Is This The End?” which is divided in three sections. Part one “The End”, a beautiful piano intro with warm vocals by Goran Edman, part two “The Light”, a strong orchestral composition concluding in part three “The Question”, a strong piece of music with a very original vocal melody and harmony. I repeat: a great song! Are there then no remarks about Entering The Spectra? There is one: track nine, an instrumental solo called “Cello Suite No: 1 In G Major” which is totally unnecessary.

The info sheet that accompanied the promo CD states that Karmakanic will not disappoint anyone who loves true progressive rock. Although this is a firm statement, after listening to this album this might even be considered an understatement. This is without a doubt one of the best progressive releases of 2002! Progressive as progressive is meant to be, buy this album!