Volcanic Rock (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Volcanic Rock
Type = Studio Album
Longtype =
Artist = Buffalo


Cover size =
Caption =
Released = August, 1973
Recorded = United Sound, Sydney, 1973
Genre = heavy metal
hard rock
psychedelia
Length =
Label = Vertigo Records
Aztec Music
Producer = Spencer Lee
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dbfoxq80ldae]
* I-94 Bar (6/5) [http://www.i94bar.com/reviews/buffalo.html]
Chronology =
Last album = "Dead Forever..."
(1972)
This album = "Volcanic Rock"
(1973)
Next album = "Buffalo (EP)
(1974)"
Misc =

"Volcanic Rock" is the second album for Australian proto-heavy metal band Buffalo, recorded and originally released in 1973 on the Vertigo label. The album was stylistically a much harder, heavier and rawer release than it's predecessor ("Dead Forever...") - marking a move away from the band's previous progressive rock influences, although retaining a psych element to their sound. Volcanic Rock had been recorded effectively as a live-in-the-studio effort, with only vocal and additional guitar overdubs added later during the recording sessions.

The album courted controversy with its cover artwork upon its release. Illustrated by J. Phillip Thomas, the artwork was designed as a vertically-opening gatefold cover, with the top-half of the cover (i.e the front cover) depicting an androgynous human standing atop a volcanic mountain holding up a phallus-shaped rock, whilst the lower-half of the cover (i.e. rear cover) depicted the base of the mountain as the lower-half of a female torso (viewed from the rear), menstruating molten lava. Inevitably, it lead to accusations of misogyny towards the band and many record stores either refusing to stock or display the album on the shelves as a result.

Despite this, the album is regarded by both many fans and critics as the band's most musically accomplished effort and has subsequently become a much sought-after album by music collectors. The album was remastered and reissued in September 2005 by Australian record label Aztec Music on CD with additional tracks.

Track listing

All tracks written by Dave Tice and John Baxter, unless noted.
# Sunrise (Come My Way)
# Freedom
# Till My Death
# The Prophet
# (i) Intro: Pound of Flesh (Baxter/Peter Wells)^
# (ii) Shylock^
# Sunrise (Come My Way) (single version)*
# Shylock - (live recording - Sydney Spring Festival 1973, Hyde Park, Sydney)*

"* Bonus tracks on the 2005 Aztec Music reissue"
"^ On original LP release, was a single two-part track - divided into two separate tracks on Aztec Music CD reissue

Line Up

Dave Tice - lead vocals

Peter Wells - bass

John Baxter - guitar

Jimmy Economou - drums