Fast-rising South London rockers The Karma Effect have today confirmed a new 13-date UK headline tour for autumn 2026 in support of their eagerly-awaited forthcoming third album ‘Cruel Intentions,’ which is set for release on 15th May 2026 (via Earache Records).
With just a handful of tickets now remaining for the band’s previously-announced album launch show at Tunbridge Wells Forum on 15th May, The Karma Effect are pleased to now announce a full UK headline tour for this autumn, ably supported by special guests Juliet’s Not Dead. Tickets are on-sale here for the band’s autumn 2026 ‘Cruel Intentions Album Tour’ – full list of dates is;
The Karma Effect have also today announced further details of their highly-anticipated third album ‘Cruel Intentions.’ The new record is available to pre-order now across a number of CD, vinyl & digital formats, all featuring eleven rollicking new anthems (with a twelfth track, ‘Chasing Sunsets,’ added to the exclusive USB bonus edition format) – tracklisting is;
01 Ride or Die
02 Dangerous Love
03 Lady Bohemian
04 Raised on Rock ‘n’ Roll
05 Bad Manners
06 Closest Thing to Crazy
07 Waiting on a Miracle
08 Better Luck Next Time
09 Long Gone
10 Cruel Intentions
11 One More for the Road
When The Karma Effect was quietly born in the pandemic, vocalist Henry Gottelier and guitarist Robbie Blake could hear in their heads how they wanted the project to sound. From their organic, rootsy, eponymously-titled 2022 debut, followed by 2024’s show-stopping surprise Top 20 album ‘Promised Land’, they now truly arrive with their third record, striding confidently into their role as one of British guitar music’s most exciting outfits.
Although some line-up changes occurred in the background (which saw Nathan Keevil join them on bass, Alan Taylor on drums, and Tom Pitt on keys), a turn of events that could have left them on shaky ground has instead been spun into a silver lining. Brimming with energy and fresh perspectives, the newly assembled line-up convened at The Hive Rooms, in the locale of Gatwick Airport, to nail down what would become ‘Cruel Intentions’ in July 2025. This is the album they dreamed of making: the most complete, crystal-clear realisation of their ambitions yet. It’s leaner, louder, heavier, blazing with determination, and joyously larger-than-life.
The new album is a collection which captures the visceral atmosphere of the band’s lauded live performances and is without a doubt the most complete, crystal clear realisation of the band’s ambitions yet: leaner, louder, heavier and joyously larger-than-life. Exploring notions of love, lust and danger, with dark passion and flashes of cheekiness, The Karma Effect’s new songs maintain a fine balance of swagger and wit, further advancing the band’s ‘modern vintage’ ethic – polishing up the retro sounds they were raised on into something gleaming and modern.
Take the swaggering recent single ‘Dangerous Love’ – “It’s about doing things you shouldn’t do, but you can’t stop yourself: passion overtaking your senses and your mind getting away from you,” explains Henry. Barnstorming opener ‘Ride Or Die’ is a weighty statement of intent, an early display of Gottelier’s classic ‘70s Stones meets 80’s Fairbairn-era Aerosmith songwriting chops, whilst the album’s title track ‘Cruel Intentions’, meanwhile, is about a stalker. It’s not entirely steeped in darkness, however – sometimes, there are flashes of cheekiness. ‘Better Luck Next Time’, for example, is a tongue-in-cheek meditation on feeling the sharp end of sod’s law, following someone’s day as it spirals into the stuff of farce.
‘Cruel Intentions’ is a collection which captures the visceral atmosphere of the band’s lauded live performances and is without a doubt the most complete, crystal clear realisation of the band’s ambitions yet: leaner, louder, heavier and joyously larger-than-life. Exploring love, lust and danger, with dark passion and flashes of cheekiness, these new songs balance swagger and wit, further developing the band’s ‘modern vintage’ ethos, polish up the retro sounds they were raised on into something gleaming and 21st century.
“This album is the culmination of everything we have,” says Henry. “While collaborating again with producer Michael Charman, we brought in Mercury and GRAMMY nominated Romesh Dodangoda specifically for the mix, because we were obsessed with making every single note count. The result is a sound so big, it’s a stadium experience for your ears.”
The Karma Effect are: Henry Gottelier (vocals, guitar), Robbie Blake (guitar), Nathan Keevil (bass), Alan Taylor (drums) & Tom Pitt (keyboard).
The Karma Effect’s new album ‘Cruel Intentions’ is out 15th May 2026 – it is available to pre-order now on signed editions, limited alt artwork editions, limited coloured vinyl & more whilst stocks last via the Earache store here.
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