Debut releases can be tough. Many bands take a bit of time to land on a concrete sound, hence their debut offerings often lack direction and conviction. Auckland-based outfit Blood Buffalo, however, are not one of these bands.
With the release of their debut EP Man In Smoking Jacket, the band have immediately established their mission statement of belting out relentless and crunching slabs of blues-driven rock n’ roll. If you’re not already paying attention to this band, we strongly recommend you change that.
On their explosive debut EP Man In Smoking Jacket, Auckland-based band Blood Buffalo deliver a bone-rattling slice of blues-driven rock n’ roll.
Throughout the new EP, Blood Buffalo—made up of vocalist/guitarist Caleb Kingston, lead guitarist Damien Warden, bassist Nate Kingston, and drummer Alex ‘Chops’ McWatters—stomp through a searing concoction of explosive sounds to deliver something uniquely their own.
Across the EP’s five-track run-time, the band build something that feels simultaneously hard-hitting and carefully considered. Each song bursts at the seams with heavy rhythms, furious guitar lines, and flailing vocal hooks, but every elements serves a purpose to the overall tune. The result is a collection of songs that are equal parts spectacular and substantial.
EP opener Spanish Gold immediately establishes the far-reaching scope of the EP. The percussion here is air-tight, and weaves seamlessly with the layers of bone-rattling guitars. From here, the EP’s title track Man In Smoking Jacket is a high-octane slice of vintage rock, while Goliah is a thunderous display of the band’s dynamic instrumentation.
By the time the EP’s epic (and suitably titled) closing track Leviathan reaches its final moments, you’ll be completely entranced by Blood Buffalo’s incredible brand of blues-rock.
As mentioned, these are still early days for this New Zealand band, but judging by the quality of what we’ve heard so far, I think we can safely expect plenty more great tunes.
In the meantime, do yourself a favour and listen to the new EP above.
