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Buffalo - Volcanic Rock (1973) {2013, Reissue}

Buffalo - Volcanic Rock (1973) {2013, Reissue}

BAND/ARTIST: Buffalo

  • Title: Volcanic Rock
  • Year Of Release: 1973 / 2013
  • Label: Southworld Recordings #SW0089CD
  • Genre: Hard Rock, Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock
  • Quality: FLAC (Tracks+Cue+m3u,Log) / MP3 CBR320
  • Total Time: 00:37:40
  • Total Size: 372 / 178 Mb (Full Scans)
  • WebSite:
Buffalo - Volcanic Rock (1973) {2013, Reissue}


Volcanic Rock is the second studio album by Australian proto-heavy metal band Buffalo, recorded and originally released in 1973 on the Vertigo label. The album was stylistically a much harder, heavier and rawer release than its predecessor (Dead Forever...) – marking a move away from the band's previous progressive rock influences, although retaining a psychedelic element to their sound. Volcanic Rock had been recorded effectively as a live-in-the-studio effort, with only vocal and additional guitar overdubs added later during the recording sessions. The album courted controversy with its cover artwork upon its release. Illustrated by J. Phillip Thomas, the artwork was designed as a vertically opening gatefold cover, with the top half of the cover (i.e. the front cover) depicting an androgynous human standing atop a volcanic mountain holding up a phallus-shaped rock, whilst the lower half of the cover (i.e. rear cover) depicted the base of the mountain as the lower half of a female torso (viewed from the rear), menstruating molten lava. Inevitably, it led to accusations of misogyny towards the band and many record stores either refusing to stock or display the album on the shelves as a result. Despite this, the album is regarded by both many fans and critics as the band's most musically accomplished effort and has subsequently become a much sought-after album by music collectors.

In a genre hardly recognized for its finesse, Buffalo's second album, 1973's aptly titled Volcanic Rock, was about as raw as heavy metal got in the early 1970s (and its cover art's barely concealed eroticism sparked a controversy all its own, but that's another story). Of course, as those well versed in matters of hard rock and metal well know, all of its crudity was absolutely intentional. This seeming contradiction is both epitomized and explained by the Sydney, Australia combo's signature single, "Sunrise (Come My Way)," which boasted unquestionable melodic sensibility and expertly dangled hooks beneath the coarse leather surface of guitarist's John Baxter's earth-rumbling fuzz distortion, and singer Dave Tice's simultaneously warm, soulful, and, when needed, borderline ragged voice. Next track, "Freedom," pays peremptory lip service to the "think big" mentality of then ultra-popular progressive rock (and the band's prog-loving label, Vertigo), but never succumbs to the genre's arrogant self-indulgence. Rather, much as they do on the mostly improvised studio jams "Till My Death" and "The Prophet," the rhythm section of bassist Pete Wells (later of Rose Tattoo) and drummer Jimmy Economu plants its hooves into honest, proletarian blues-rock mud and stays put. Actually, the mid-album vibe almost gets too basic and laid-back come the unremarkable "Pound of Flesh," but any serious concerns are quickly crushed under the stampeding, LP-closing eruption of "Shylock," which introduces Shakespeare to Black Sabbath by way of Budgie and Steppenwolf) and brings Volcanic Rock's most distinctive and powerful qualities full circle for an explosive finale. And, as had originally been instructed on their debut album before being reiterated here, Buffalo's peculiar brand of Volcanic Rock achieved best results when played even louder.

~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music


Track List:

01. Sunrise (Come My Way) [5:02]
02. Freedom [9:03]
03. Till My Death [5:40]
04. The Prophet [7:27]
05. Intro - Pound Of Flesh [4:34]
06. Shylock [5:55]

Personnel:
Dave Tice - Lead Vocals
Peter Wells - Bass
John Baxter - Guitar
Jimmy Economou - Drums



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  • User offline
  • GalacticKat
  •  wrote in 10:32
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So great to have this album. Thank you!
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  • whiskers
  •  wrote in 19:53
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Many Thanks