Initiate yourself to the post stoner rock cult !

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Initiate yourself to the Post-Stoner Rock cult !

Some people just can’t stay idle. This is the case of Rochester’s power trio King Buffalo. Deprived of gigs, the American psych stoner band took advantage of the lockdown time to release two great pieces of heavy music last year: the Dead Star EP and their 2019’s Live at Freak Valley.

Our three American wizards keep on going ahead on their both productive and creative path. They have already announced three upcoming albums, all planned for this year. The Burden of Restlessness constitutes the triptych’s first part. An original and intimate opus that paves the way for a definitely modern spaced out and progressive stoner rock.

How is the sound?

“Burning” opens King Buffalo‘s third LP. Minimal and delayed notes float on a discreet chugged guitar riff. Tension increases on a steady bass line but never blows out. The energy comes from definitely modern sonorities and dynamic distortion: welcome to post-stoner rock territory.

“Hebetation” is a faintly brighter track. Sean McVay’s robotic and almost futurist voice – another King Buffalo’s strength – arrives quickly. Beautiful synth waves give more space to the sound. They also highlight the progressive approach the American power trio develops and prove this album falls in the right legacy of Dead Star EP.

“Locusts” offers another clean delayed guitar intro. Just like in “Burning”, the track displayed the contained tension typical of this album. Powerful chords with dynamic distortion evacuate the pressure from time to time. The repetitive square-like bass line gives an impression of krautrock-inspired composition. The fourth track “Silverfish” begins with a weird dissonant – almost dystopian – melody. Music rocks on an original groove. The first part is more contemplative and progressively drops on harsher stuttering riffs with ripping distortion.

Next one, entitled “Grifter”, is an efficient track. The same aggressive riff alternates between clean and dirty electrified passages. “Grifter” makes it easy to understand the post stoner perspective that King Buffalo develops all along the course of this album.

The final section begins with “The Knocks”. This one sums up the album’s entire sound universe: progressive composition, futurist and gloomy guitar melody, catchy singing, spaced-out synth waves, ripping distorsion. The album closes with “Loam”. This track – the longest (7.41 minutes) – conveys more hope than the others. A post stoner build-up ends in a brighter chorus. This moment may constitute the most epic and catchy passage of the whole trip.

Finally, The Burden of Restlessness is much more than the first part of the three albums adventure it initiates. Its creative sound signature makes it a great album in itself. It makes us want to hear the next two albums the American trio is preparing. 2021 may be Buffalo’s year…

Why is this album worth listening to?

Because King Buffalo’s post-stoner rock perspective is quite unique.
Because Sean McVay’s singing is a delight.
Because this album is the first opus of a musical triptych that raises great hopes. You just can’t miss the first episode.