Connecticut heavy rockers Buzzard Canyon released their debut album, Hellfire and Whiskey, this past Friday via Salt of the Earth Records. To mark the occasion — which they’ll also celebrate the hard-driving five-piece have unveiled a video for the raucous opening track from the record, aptly titled “Highway Run.” The core here is the energy the band present in the track, and that’s of course what comes through in the clip, as well as a narrative of suitable hellraising and underlying dangerousness — you’ll see what I mean as you watch. But the takeaway, yes, is good times, volume, riffs, groove, and go. All go.

Buzzard Canyon have been kicking around the Northeast Corridor for the last couple years, and accordingly, it’s easy to imagine the Rat Fink-esque speed-demon on the Bill Cole cover of Hellfire and Whiskey representing the band rolling down I-95 to the next show (cacti and other desert imagery aside, anyhow), but either way, the album tears through classic heavy rock style with a crisp production and vigilant commitment to dynamic and execution. There’s a bit of effects interplay at work as well in the vocals — you’ll hear it on “Highway Run” — and that adds some atmosphere to the proceedings that can be traced to guitarist Aaron Lewis‘ past dirty dealings in malevolent doomers When the Deadbolt Breaks.

Anyone who’s read this site for any stretch of time knows I’ve covered that band for years. I consider Lewis a friend, we’ve worked together on music before and he continues to be someone whose creativity I deeply respect, so if you want to take me posting his stuff with a grain of salt, that’s entirely up to you. For me, it makes sense from a community standpoint as well as for trying to help spread some heavy rock and roll, which, you know, is kind of what this is all about anyway. Lewis gave some comment about making the video which you’ll find under the clip below, as well as some good-company-keeping live dates Buzzard Canyon have coming up to celebrate the release of Hellfire and Whiskey.

Bottom line? Same as ever: I hope you enjoy:

Buzzard Canyon, “Highway Run” official video

Aaron Lewis on “Highway Run”:

Buzzard Canyon was born out of need to play some fun, fast-paced rock and roll. Not to recreate the wheel, but do it in our own way and have fun at it. “Highway Run” was the first song I wrote for the band years ago and really encompasses the vibe we were going for. The video for “Highway Run,” which was filmed, edited and produced by Billy Freeman of Surge Unlimited and Will Beale of 1410 Media, (written and directed by yours truly…), tells the story of a heist gone wrong, and a double-cross as the two main players speed their way to a bloody end.

The album cover art; drawn by the amazing Bill Kole, coincides with all of this. The demon speeds away from a burning building, while soaking up gas fumes and whiskey. God only knows what he did, but we’re sure it ain’t good.

Buzzard Canyon live:
10/14 Cherry St Station in Wallingford CT, w/ Pinto Grahm, Bedroom Rehab and Wasted Theory
10/15 The Church in Bloomfield VT w/ Cortez, Ol’ Time Moonshine and Scissorfight
11/19 The Thirsty Turtle Nashua NH w/ Nick the Barbarian, Sasquatch and Scissorfight

Buzzard Canyon is:
Matt Raftery
Randy Dumas
Aaron Lewis
Amber Leigh
Mike Parkyn

Buzzard Canyon on Thee Facebooks

Salt of the Earth Records website

Tags: Buzzard Canyon, Buzzard Canyon Hellfire and Whiskey, Connecticut, Hellfire and Whiskey, Salt of the Earth Records

This entry was posted on Monday, October 10th, 2016 at 12:17 pm and is filed under Bootleg Theater. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.