BUZZARD - Mean Bone (Review)

Written  by: The Administrator

When we slumbering scribes dip our hands cautiously into the churning murk of the promo pit, the chances of encountering something completely new (or even marginally inventive) are quite slim. Indeed, the vast majority of what we listen to represents a certain well-founded adherence to convention. That's not a bad thing--there's a reason OSDM revivalism has enjoyed a series of banner years. And besides, there's an obvious limit to the number of viable combinations of sounds and aesthetics. Genre stew can get a tad unlistenable without a healthy dose of intention and some impeccable execution.

Anyways. Encountering a specimen lurking in the promo pit that can be qualified as "wholly unique" is exciting, to say the least. It was fresh on the ears. And this is why Buzzard's debut album Doom Folk was such a welcome presence in my listening rotation.

Doom Folk was--and still is--truly a gem. Representing a rough 'n' raw amalgamation of Americana, folk, and doom, the component parts were familiar, but the end result felt gloriously innovative. While clearly informed by a variety of influences, Buzzard gave voice to the dour common ground lurking between the social commentary and narrative acumen of Bob Dylan, the powerful heft of Sabbath, the weirdness of Lovecraft, and the homey eeriness of a small-town ghost story. Doom Folk felt like the grizzled men who played swampy folk at the campfire after the barn dances of my youth had found inspiration in the gloomy gravitas of the pioneers of metal. And beyond mere originality, Buzzard was riddled with the kind of clarity of songcraft that repeatedly raised the question: how in the absolute fuck had these songs not already been written?

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In the same way Stephen King refers to writing as a process of unearthing existing stories, I often feel like many of Christopher Thomas Elliott's compositions have existed for time immemorial. More than just old, they seem foundational. There's a timelessness to my favorite tracks on this debut--if you told me that I've been listening to "Lord of Darkness" and "Cockroaches and Weed" since the day I was born, I'd believe you.

The Buzzard story doesn't end with Doom Folk, thankfully. On Mean Bone, Buzzard's stellar sophomore effort, that timeless quality remains, but it feels darker and somehow more primordial. The well of angst runs deep.

Mean Bone feels more like "folk doom" than the "doom folk" genre tag that has attached itself to the Buzzard moniker. It's a subtle flip, and yet this evolution is immediately recognizable--the opening riff on the ominously entitled "Darkness Wins" is fuzzy, gnarly, and heavy as all hell. It is a significantly more doomy album, both sonically and thematically. Given an undying love for doom metal and it's assorted affiliates, I can't complain. The debut of course had teeth at times, but comparatively, Mean Bone feels like a snarling grizzly, complete with fullbodied instrumentation and increased emphasis on electric guitar. And yet the growling heft isn't a constant--for every roaring track like the aforementioned opener, or the accusatory "Changling," or the nihilistic "Twisted Love," there's a song like "Ghost of Orphan James" or "Conclusions," which leans into acoustics and delivers the weight of gloom lyrically rather than via the mighty riff. Most of the tracklist, however, balances the extremes with a shockingly seamless air. In less deft hands, the acoustic guitar might feel gimmicky or shoehorned alongside the fuzz, but here, everything is delightfully natural. 

And, while much more can be said about the electric guitar's more prominent role, the vocals frequently serve as Buzzard's focal point. And lemme tell you: I'm a massive fan of the vocals. They are earnest and often yearning. Even at the most angry and spite-filled, Christopher Thomas Elliott's voice is laced with a softness and a vulnerability that makes the dreary subject matter feel even more human. While these tales of woe and misery seldom shed a pessimistic air, Mean Bone is often gorgeous in its poetic articulation of cruelty and heartbreak, and the vocal delivery is essential to the lyrical impact.
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​Mean Bone utilizes narrative intrigue to great effect, combining outspoken societal commentary with the mythical  weight and plain-spoken clarity of folk tales. Every track feels distinct in terms of topic, but there is a reoccurring and consistent theme of misery, cruelty, and morality in the midst of systems designed to oppress. Forget mere antagonists; this album has villains in spades. 

While each song frankly does speak for itself, Mean Bone frequently addresses both human-inflicted ecological crisis and a rejection of blind worship--"that old time religion ain't worth a damn to me," says the protagonist of "Dunwich Farm," nailing an informal thesis with heavy-hearted efficacy. The prior track, "Gadarene Swine," similarly tackles religious cruelty and hypocrisy. Or, more pointedly, "religion's epic moral fail." And then you encounter a song with a title like "Plight of the Planet," which is pretty damn clear even before you hit lines such as "garbage floats in the sea/great blue whales scream/there's a plague of dead honey bees/doctors cut up monkeys." Some tracks lean overtly into the realm of non-fiction morality tale--see the excellent "Flies, Mosquitoes, Rats, and Sparrows," which combines history lesson with ecological revenge tale in an informative account of Mao's Four Pests Campaign. Across the tracklist, Mean Bone is forthright in a way that feels almost comforting despite the dark subject matter. Nothing here is coy nor obfuscated. 

I could go on forever, so let me close be stating that I unequivocally love this album. Despite the woe and dread, it is endlessly listenable. It is emotive and morose. It scratches an itch that almost nothing else can. It is one of my favorite albums of 2025. More than that, however, I have so much appreciation for what Mean Bone represents for the growth of Buzzard. Christopher Thomas Elliott is clearly a thinker with a lot more to say, and certainly has the skill and artistry to continue innovating.      

Buzzard - Mean Bone was released April 11th, 2025. Find it on Bandcamp here and Ampwall here.​

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Buzzard can be found at Instagram and Bluesky