KING BUFFALO is a Psychedelic Metal band that has taken a remarkably interesting approach to the Covid lockdown. They decided to use their time wisely and came up with quite the clever idea. During the lockdowns, they isolated themselves at three different locations and wrote and recorded three different albums. By isolating in different locations, the band hoped to achieve a unique sound and experience for each album. "The Burden of Restlessness" is the first of the three, all of which are set to release in 2021. It was written and recorded at Main Street Armory in Rochester, NY and the band wanted it to be an exploration of inner darkness. Let's close our eyes, put our headphones in, and make friends with our demons as we journey into this album.

Every time I hear a new band, it is always with great wariness. Many potentially good bands have been ruined for me the instant the vocalist opened their mouth. And so, when I hear a voice, I genuinely find pleasant it is quite a treat indeed. And an absolute treat is what Sean McVay's voice is. Combine that with that fact that, unlike most other three-piece bands, they are not suffering the lack of the rhythm guitar. Too many three-pieces sound hollow and empty because they're lacking that second guitar to fill them out. These guys absolutely do not have that problem. They are all strong, talented players and they bring it together for a nice sound.

Honestly, this didn't get as heavy as I was hoping for. But I still like it a lot. It's grungy and smooth and definitely dark. There are some good instrumentals throughout. I enjoyed "Grifter" a lot. I think it really captures the tone of the album with both good instrumentals and excellent vocals. It's a great track.

But probably the track that stood out the most to me was "The Knocks." Man. It's a smooth, mellow track but it's pretty dang dark. And honestly, KING BUFFALO, are you guys okay? I want to hug you guys and bake you a pan of cookies to make you feel better. That one gets right in the soul. I think I have a new song for my Sad Music playlist.

Overall, I really enjoyed this album, and I am looking forward to seeing what else KING BUFFALO has in store for us in 2021!