Band:	Buffalo
Album:	Volcanic Rock
Style:	Hard rock, Heavy metal
Release date:	August 1973
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Sunrise (Come My Way)
02. Freedom
03. 'til My Death
04. The Prophet
05. Intro: Pound Of Flesh
06. Shylock

Krakatoa.

If you ask someone who isn't native to the world down under to name some Australian rock bands, you will no doubt be met with an instant answer of "AC/DC of course, erm, Rose Tattoo, and err, that 'are you gonna be my girl bunch'". It is nigh-on unfair that Jet are remembered over the mighty Buffalo, a band who could have easily slotted into the Southern rock scene had they been an American band, for they certainly had the musical talents to rise to the top of that genre.

Buffalo are a band who are all but nonexistent in the modern world, something you hear about in the past rather than in the present. Needless to say, this Buffalo had a lot more life in them than that might suggest, evident by the powerful slab of bluesy Southern rock that was 1973's Volcanic Rock. So hold onto your loved ones as we travel into the world down under, where dingos will get ya babies and where Paul, not Hulk, is the best-known Hogan. Fans of '70s rock will feel a wave of nostalgia as the warm and fuzzy sound of Volcanic Rock kicks into gear; from the blues-laden "'Til Death" to the lumbering "The Prophet", it is classic rock filled with classic material. Buffalo's heavy blues hits the sweet spot between power, precision, and soul, with the likes of "Intro: Pound Of Flesh" sounding like you are live in the room with the band, spontaneous yet ordered at the same time.

Key to Volcanic Rock's appeal is the guitar work of John Baxter, someone who fits the moniker of guitar hero like a hand in glove, from his strong rhythm and riff work on tracks like "Freedom" to his all-out fret assaults (calling them "solos" sells them short) on "Sunshine (Come My Way)". Added to this are the vocals of Dave Tice, a man who could easily have been in a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band, for his vocals sound like a grittier John Fogerty. This is by no means calling him a copycat, for his rougher style makes it his own, with "The Prophet" being a good example of how Tice's approach both sets him apart and adds to the song.

Volcanic Rock is one of those rare '70s rock albums that manages to mix garage rock with power and balance, with each element of the band being powerful, yet equally audible. There are many a time when a track like "Shylock" could sound like an overdriven fuzzy sonic dirge or, on the other hand, limp and powerless (owing to the sonic shortcomings of the time). Needless to say, this enhances the entertainment factor of the album several-fold.

If there is one shortcoming to the band's approach, it is that when they sit back on the rhythm, they often do so for far too long. I understand getting into the pocket can be enjoyable, but when a track like "Freedom" is 9 minutes long, they could shorten these passages without losing too much.

Buffalo may not be household names, but they certainly should be thanks to records like Volcanic Rock.