We Hunt Buffalo's eponymous debut is heavy, lush, and experimental

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      We Hunt Buffalo (Independent)

      On its eponymous debut album, We Hunt Buffalo returns with retooled versions of songs that first appeared on its self-titled EP.

      The fuzz-heavy “Strange Sensation”, for instance, finds singer-guitarist Ryan Forsythe perfecting his howling over new and bluesier hooks. Elsewhere, “Northern Desert” employs vocal and guitar reverb not heard in the song’s earlier and grittier version, with drummer Brandon Carter making cascading walls of sound with crashing cymbals as bassist Brendan Simpson’s heavy lines hold it all together.

      New to the album is “The Middle Son”. Clocking in at just over six minutes, it starts with a tribal, hypnotizing drumbeat and repetitive, grimy riffs that swell into a bursting, hook-laden finale.

      A cover of King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man” features riffs and refrains that stay true to original ’70s progressive rock, but We Hunt Buffalo’s distinctive sound is reinforced by hefty, overdriven bass and synthesized guitar. Near the end of the LP, We Hunt Buffalo gets a little more experimental, as “Digital Reich” introduces a vocal growl in a song with progressive twists and turns, each element of the tune different from one moment to the next.

      Capping the 45-minute record is the slow instrumental “Harry Barry”, which offers up echo-laden guitars and careful, controlled percussion with plenty of high-hat. A low-toned saxophone played by Forsythe is introduced mid-song, making for a five-minute triumph. All in all, We Hunt Buffalo’s return features the heavy, lush sound the band is known for, with additional experimental flair.

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