Believe

Believe is a transitional work on which Harem Scarem, while keeping its former melodic strengths, shifts the guitar timbre and rhythm in a heavier, drier direction. Issued in some regions under the title Karma Cleansing, it strongly reflects the air of the late-1990s scene. Pete Lesperance’s guitar has a fine, rich expression, and Harry Hess’s singing carefully draws the songs’ shading while supporting big choruses. It is a record that pushes the heavier, more introspective direction shown on the previous Voice of Reason further. Its major distinction is a construction valuing the tension held within the songs and a natural flow, over flashy, glittering melody. A stance seeking to unite a modern guitar sound and the band’s native songcraft is clearly seen. For fans expecting flamboyant melodic hard rock, some parts may seem surprising, yet its challenging stance holds sure conviction. Breathing in the air of the era’s change in the late 1990s, it is an indispensable record for understanding the band’s transition — an ambitious work seeking a new balance between hardness and songcraft.