Album number two in 2021 from Rochester, NY psych/stoner trio King Buffalo was recorded & filmed in Howe Caverns, not somewhere you'd expect to record an album, but the vibe they were going for was perfectly captured on the four song platter called Acheron. With all four tracks surpassing 9-minutes in length, the guys have plenty of room to stretch out and create some serious drama, which they certainly do. The opening title track delivers some booming, crushing riffs, eerie synths, and pounding drums, almost like a stoner rock version of something Pink Floyd would have played at Pompeii. "Zephy" features dreamy vocals, insistent drumming, and layer upon layer of guitars, a spacey slice of psychedelia before the heavy riffs and scorching lead guitar kick in. For "Shadows", lots of delay on the guitar give way to '70s styled prog synths and then plenty of bulldozing riffs before the effects laden tapestries return. The final cut on the album is "Cerberus", another atmospheric and chilling slice of space rock, Pink Floyd meets Hawkwind meets Black Sabbath, the trippy elements battling the thunderous stoner riffs quite nicely.
This is great stuff, heavy, weird, and trippy all a the same time. If you haven't yet checked out King Buffalo, this and 2021's other release The Burden of Restlessness are both great places to start, and then you can work your way back through the rest of the catalog.
Track Listing
1.
Acheron 10:21
2.
Zephyr 09:25
3.
Shadows 10:34
4.
Cerberus 09:46
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
