Debate: Volcanic Rock by Buffalo is Metal

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   Inspired by the discussion of Satori, I felt like listening to some more early 70's heavy rock/metal albums, and I think Volcanic Rock by Buffalo is another album that belongs in heavy metal. To my ears, much of it sounds like it directly influenced bands like Soundgarden and could very well be called the first stoner metal album. The vocals are gravely, the sound is raw, and the riffs are heavy and can be both ominous and fast. Yet again, I think RYM has this one wrong, though this one doesn't even sound like heavy psych. Satori is at least both.

What do you guys think?

Edited by Unitron - 14 Sep 2017 at 1:02am

Poll Question: Is Volcanic Rock metal?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Yes	2	[50.00%]
No	2	[50.00%]
Maybe	0	[0.00%]
You can not vote in this poll

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Unitron Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: 30 Apr 2014 Location: Cypress Hill Status: Offline Points: 8051	Post Options Post Reply Quote Unitron Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Debate: Volcanic Rock by Buffalo is Metal Posted: 14 Sep 2017 at 12:58am
	Inspired by the discussion of Satori, I felt like listening to some more early 70's heavy rock/metal albums, and I think Volcanic Rock by Buffalo is another album that belongs in heavy metal. To my ears, much of it sounds like it directly influenced bands like Soundgarden and could very well be called the first stoner metal album. The vocals are gravely, the sound is raw, and the riffs are heavy and can be both ominous and fast. Yet again, I think RYM has this one wrong, though this one doesn't even sound like heavy psych. Satori is at least both. What do you guys think? Edited by Unitron - 14 Sep 2017 at 1:02am
	If I say fuck two more times that's forty-six fucks in this fucked up rhyme

TheHeavyMetalCat Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Black and Death Metal Teams Joined: 20 Nov 2015 Status: Offline Points: 1781	Post Options Post Reply Quote TheHeavyMetalCat Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2017 at 1:30am
	Don't know them but even EM accepts this band as metal and unlike Flower Travellin' Band don't feel the need to state 'this is a selected exception' on their page. https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Buffalo/3540367303

Psydye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2013 Location: PA, USA Status: Offline Points: 12551	Post Options Post Reply Quote Psydye Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2017 at 10:11am
	I'd say so, yes. I haven't listened to the full album but just a couple minutes in and I could tell it's metal.

adg211288 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Black Metal, Prog/AG Teams Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22310	Post Options Post Reply Quote adg211288 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2017 at 1:24pm
	An important album to metal I don't doubt, but I have to say no. I'd have voted partially had the option been here like with the Satori poll, but I get a much stronger hard rock vibe off of this one, especially after the first track is out of the way. Of course Satori also has its parts which obviously aren't metal, but the overall guitar tone when they riff, playing style and even the vocals seem well across the hard rock/metal border...although I've listened to it a few times now (it's a great album that's going to have to find its way into my collection sometime) and I'm sort of two minds about what should be done with it. I do think it's metal enough, technically, but I think overall heavy psych is still the dominant genre because the metal parts are split between heavy and doom metal. That's a real grey area on MMA when using the notion that if it's at least 50% metal it has to be put in a metal sub.
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Unitron Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: 30 Apr 2014 Location: Cypress Hill Status: Offline Points: 8051	Post Options Post Reply Quote Unitron Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Sep 2017 at 5:15pm
	^You think so? I think the guitar tones on both albums are pretty metal sounding. Satori has a similar tone to Black Sabbath's debut, while Volcanic Rock is more of a Master of Reality sound. I would say 'Till My Death is a hard rock song, but most of the rest has similar proto-stoner metal riffing. I think the main difference with this album is that it sounds a lot like late 80's/90's stoner metal and grunge, as opposed to straight up heavy metal or doom metal. Btw, I meant for Maybe to be partially, as that's what I wrongly remembered the Satori poll being. Edited by Unitron - 14 Sep 2017 at 5:16pm
	If I say fuck two more times that's forty-six fucks in this fucked up rhyme

adg211288 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Black Metal, Prog/AG Teams Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22310	Post Options Post Reply Quote adg211288 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 5:58am
	Yeah that's the impression it gave me after one listen. I could have missed something though. I did have to stop and start it a few times before I had time to listen to it all, so my attention wasn't exactly fully focused. Take my view with a pinch of salt though because I also question whether Sir Lord Baltimore's debut is really more metal than hard rock.
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LittleBig Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member Banned Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote LittleBig Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 2018 at 2:11am
	In the 70s, the two terms "hard rock" and "heavy metal" were interchangeable at some point, even the term "Heavy rock" was used. If someone calls this band as heavy metal, I would not say they're wrong; should anyone call this hard rock, heavy psyche, heavy rock or proto metal, I wouldn't disagree either.