10 Best Instrumental Rock Albums Since 2000

Instrumental rock doesn’t always have to be based around floating textures and abstract atmospherics. One band who transcend the musical style’s dreamy reputation are hard rock instrumentalists Karma To Burn.

After attaining a following in the late '90s for their heavy musical stance and explosive live shows, the group continued their trademark no-nonsense approach into the 2000s with a particular highlight being the twisted groove spectacle Almost Heathen in 2001.

Right off the bat Almost Heathen is a breath of fresh air amidst a sea of technically proficient but patience-testing releases to sprout from the instrumental rock scene. Album opener ‘19’ sets the pace for the record, a Goliath dual-guitar refrain combined with some crushing drum set-pieces perfectly stamping the group’s hard hitting sound with authority.

Forget atmospherics with this lot because one of the record's greatest attributes is in its stripped back production, helping the group to zero in on their natural instrument ability to a greater extent. Notable highlights include the decrepit riff punisher ‘38’, the groove-heavy banger ‘37’ and the menacing, razor-sharp piercer ‘36’.

A refreshing change of pace for the sometimes ponderous musical style, Karma To Burn provide some well needed balls to the wall rock & roll in the form of Almost Heathen.