KING BUFFALO – Rochester, NY.
Heavy Psychedelic Rock.
Formed in September of 2013.
BIOGRAPHY
King Buffalo is the trio of vocalist/guitarist Sean McVay, bassist Dan Reynolds, and drummer Scott Donaldson. Since forming in 2013, the self-proclaimed "heavy psych" band has made its name via 4 EPs, 4 Full-lengths, and tours with the likes of Clutch, All Them Witches, Uncle Acid & the deadbeats, The Sword and Elder.
Rochester, New York-based trio King Buffalo will issue their fifth full-length, Regenerator, on Sept. 2, 2022, as a self-release in North America and through Stickman Records in Europe. Preorders will be available on June 10th via http://kingbuffalo.bigcartel.com.
Written and recorded by the band with mixing and engineering by guitarist/vocalist Sean McVay and mastering by Bernie Matthews, the seven-song outing is the third in King Buffalo’s stated ‘pandemic trilogy,’ following Two of 2021’s Best Albums in The Burden of Restlessness and Acheron.
Both of those albums – like 2018’s Longing to Be the Mountain, 2016’s debut, Orion, and the various EPs and other offerings they’ve made over the last eight years – made bold declarations about who King Buffalo are as a band, and Regenerator is no different. As McVay, bassist/synthesist Dan Reynolds and drummer Scott Donaldson continue to explore the outer reaches of modern psychedelic songcraft, melding progressive rhythms, drifting atmospheres and accompanying surges of electricity, the new collection only further establishes them as one of the brightest lights shining in underground rock today.
As the third of three, Regenerator seems inherently to tie together the two LPs most immediately before it, and as King Buffalo unfold the leadoff title-track across nine and half minutes, it becomes clear just how truly they have marked out their own sonic presence. The later melodic highlight “Mammoth” – with McVay’s most confident vocal yet – shimmers with hope that somehow doesn’t come across as desperate, and as “Hours” engages classic space rock and the closing “Firmament” summarizes the first, second and third series installments, the final chapter of this trilogy becomes the essential cornerstone of King Buffalo’s work to-date.
The band returned to live activity late last year, touring alongside Clutch and more recently a full North American spring tour with Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. By the time Regenerator arrives, they will have completed a UK and European headlining tour with festival appearances in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium and Denmark.
PREVIOUS RELEASES
REGENERATOR (September 2nd, 2022) - “The seven-song outing is the third in King Buffalo’s ‘pandemic trilogy,’ following Two of 2021’s Best Albums in The Burden of Restlessness and Acheron. Regenerator ties together the two LPs, and as the leadoff title-track unfolds across nine and half minutes, it becomes clear just how truly they have marked out their own sonic presence. This new collection only further establishes them as one of the brightest lights shining in underground rock today.” - The Obelisk
More on Regenerator
ACHERON (December 3rd, 2021) - “"The undertaking of recording and filming in a cave was way more intense than we anticipated. With each of the planned 2021 records, we knew they had to be different. By removing ourselves from the comfort of our studio and tracking and filming LIVE hundreds of feet underground, we've done something unique in many ways. We can't wait for everyone to be able to see and hear it." - Scott Donaldson
More on Acheron.
THE BURDEN OF RESTLESSNESS (June 4th, 2021) - “The trio of Sean McVay, Dan Reynolds and Scott Donaldson have once again created a masterpiece. The Burden Of Restlessness is fantastic as a standalone album, but with being part one of a trilogy, I feel it’s also a precursor, laying down the groundwork for more of this mind blowing experience that’s hopefully to come.” – The Sleeping Shaman
More on The Burden of Restlessness.
LIVE AT FREAK VALLEY (December, 11TH, 2020) - “My favorite records have always been Live Albums. There's something about the vibe that allows musicians to feed off the energy from the crowd and take things to another level. To have one of my favorite performances as a band remixed and mastered and pressed to vinyl is bucket list type stuff. I can't wait for people to hear it and feel some Live Music again.” - Scott Donaldson (King Buffalo).
More on Live at Freak Valley.
DEAD STAR (March, 20TH, 2020) - “Their new “short release,” Dead Star, is substantial. As in, it’s 36 minutes long. The six songs are thrillingly progressive, taking on aspects of synth and new textures and atmospheres that enrich the band’s core melodies and grooves so as to broaden their scope and make them all the more engrossing. Dead Star works to push the boundaries of expectation of what King Buffalo can accomplish as a band, and thereby accomplishes them as well. ” - The Obelisk
More on Dead Star.
LONGING TO BE THE MOUNTAIN (OCTOBER 12TH, 2018) - "For starters: Longing To Be The Mountain is one of the best album titles and already offers an insight to what is to come. In tune with nature the new record takes you through the wide expanse and above the big wide divide. This is sleeping the dream kind of stuff! This is introspective and stellar at the same exact moment. It reminds of that line from a long lost poem: ‘all my life, my heart has sought for a thing I cannot name’. And with this album we can state: it has been found… " - Stoner Hive
More on Longing To Be The Mountain.
REPEATER (January 5th, 2018) - "The steady pace, the melancholic vocals, and the absolutely mountainous climax with its ever-building riffs do exactly what they need to do: they leave the listener begging for more.
King Buffalo have mastered their craft, Repeater shows us this much." - Bearded Gentlemen
More on Repeater.
ORION (August 5th, 2016) - "King Buffalo shows the world its first long-player creation – a powerful concoction of heavy psych, blues, and stoner rock in stunning cohesion. Orion's flow is surprising giving the relative youth of the band, but King Buffalo seems to be a rare breed capable of fusing loose-knit and spacious pieces into a tightly-focused package." - Sludgelord
More on Orion.
ELECTRIC LADYLAND RELEASE (July 3rd, 2015) - King Buffalo was asked to record “House Burning Down” as part of a Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland Compilation by Magnetic Eye Records. Other bands included were Earthless, All Them Witches, Heavy Eyes, Mothership, Wo Fat, Elder, Mos Generator and many more.
More on Electric Ladyland.
STB RECORDS SPLIT (February 21st, 2015) - King Buffalo released their 12″ split with Sweden’s Le Betre on STB Records. The highly anticipated album sold out in 3 days. The 2nd pressing pressing which followed months later; sold out in four days.
More on STB Records Split.
DEMO (November 14th, 2013) - "For a demo recorded over the course of two days, in their practice space, King Buffalo have some finely recorded tunes that put even some professionally recorded material to shame." - The Evil Engineer
More on Demo.
BAND MEMBERS:
(from left to right)
Sean McVay - Guitar, Vocals, & Synth
Dan Reynolds - Bass & Synth
Scott Donaldson - Drums & Percussion
Photo by Mike Turzanksi