Within the first three or four minutes of the opening track “Stride”, I am almost sure that the grinding boogie punished one of the speakers to the point where it blew out a woofer. No kidding. That is probably exactly what Buffalo’s Chylde was going for across this thoroughly impressive debut of boomy, doomy riff rock. Call it what you want: “real” metal or “stoner rock” or “doom.” Whatever the proper nomenclature might be, it’s a lock that the psychedelically-tinged, smart, and virtuosic 8-song full length of unabashed heaviness is right in the path of lineage from Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, St. Vitus, Soundgarden, Kyuss, and Black Mountain. Now It Can Be Told trades mightily on the strength of the muscular twin guitars of Jon Bobo and Bryce March and the steady and unrelenting pound from rhythm section bassist Thor Johnnson and drummer Michael Ozimek. Chylde has that rare thing that most bands long for but rarely attain: they lock. There’s a precision that runs across Now It Can Be Told exemplifying a band that simply comes together and makes it pour out—or in this case, build to an explosion.

Recorded to analog tape at Matt Smith’s Hi/Lo Studios in Eden, NY the album at once sounds like it was delicately labored over –every note precise, each take scrutinized - but also bears that feel like it all just flowed out of these four guys. “Lost In A Galaxy” is bleak and heavy blues loaded with lick after lick. “The Ripper” is a tour de force mini-epic where Bobo and March’s guitars twist in a sinewy coda. This is another Buffalo recording (arguably the most in a long time) ready for a vinyl edition.

Bring on the 180g double gatefold version already, Chylde!

—donny kutzbach

http://artvoice.com/issues/v8n26/lotd/chylde