On May 15, Michigan-based emo outfit Potionseller will be releasing their forthcoming album titled BUZZARD. The album is annoyingly catchy with memorable riffs and hooks alike. The record is available now via Brain Synthesizer, the record label of Billy Maninno (Macseal, Oso Oso, etc). Two singles, Irish Exit (Released April 14) and Sniper Riffle (Released in 2025) and the full record is the final peice of the puzzle.

From the bottom, anything else looks like salvation. Is it time that heals all wounds, or is burning bridges the way to cauterize them? The middle ground between wreckage and recovery might feel like a pendulum’s swing: it’s a shaky arc, and one not always pointed in the right direction.

Pop-punk’s target practice is recklessly one-way, spraying whoever deserves the smoke. BUZZARD, the debut full-length from Potionseller, chooses not to be so quick with the draw. After years of spitfire alt-rock, the Grand Rapids quintet slows down and stretches out.

What should feel like a shame spiral shared by boozers and losers turns out to be more gracious—wry, sage advice via hooky anecdotes. “It’s named after something my dad always said: don’t be a buzzard,” vocalist Austen Reno explains, “but the record is about being a buzzard.”

Buzzard behavior is for all seasons: spring’s whistles of new beginnings (opener “Time Travel”), summer’s Road Trip 2025 playlist (“Sharkbait”), autumn’s browning ugliness (“Eureka!”), and yes, those classic Michigan winters (closer “Fear,” featuring Austen’s sibling Jayson).

Before you battle with this bird, traveler, take note. Banjo hasn’t been in the genre for decades, at least not around the church basement, so they do that now. For a band that’s tinkered with everything from ska-punk horns to fizzy synths since forming, such a choice might not come as a surprise, and neither should the record’s edge. Narrators relish biting the curb alongside lashing guitars on “Sniper Rifle,” leave any positive progress behind to fester inside the churning post-hardcore of “The Dummy,” and binge drink into oblivion on “Crashout.” Listeners looking for reprieve from this reflection can find it in “Irish Exit,” a track that flips the classic fantasy of running away into a dizzying display of homesickness and aimlessness. Distraction and thirty-something despondency brims with arena-rock swagger, becoming the LP’s biggest, brightest spot before collapsing into its coda, piano peering out under the glare.

Buzzards past, present, and future: presenting your new straight shooter.

More about Potionseller:

Potionseller was formed in late 2021 during the pandemic by vocalist Austen Reno. Reno spent the better half of his late teens and 20’s heavily touring the U.S. with his previous band, If Only, If Only (fka Backpacks). After If Only, If Only parted ways, Reno wrote 5 songs for a new project and brought them to old friend and label mate, Ryan Malicsi of Hot Mulligan to record at his home studio and Eureka Records in Wyandotte, MI.

After sitting on the songs for almost a year, Reno decided to assemble a full band. The first addition was his childhood best friend, Jake Bartell, on bass. Reno and Bartell have been a part of musical projects together since the 7th grade. In addition, Bartell is an accomplished classical/jazz musician, with Potionseller being his first time entering the DIY scene. Next to join was drummer John Wilson, a veteran of the Michigan music scene. Andy Morris, who had spent his college years and early twenties building his own band Common Nonsense, was added next. The final member to join was Reno’s former label mate, Nate Leritz, on lead guitar, who had spent years touring with various projects in the Michigan scene.

The newly formed band began practicing weekly and played their first show at Mulligan’s Pub in Grand Rapids, MI on March 10th, 2023. They quickly followed up with an opening slot for Worry Club & Saturdays at Your Place at the Pike Room in Pontiac, and a performance at Stoop Fest in Lansing. That summer, they played several shows at the Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids, including opening for the legendary teenage dirtbags, Wheatus, thanks to Kickstand Productions.

After two years of honing their unique blend of emo-flavored pop-punk through vibrant single releases and passionate performances, Potionseller released their impressive five-song EP, “When They Get Old.” This EP is a testament to their versatility, seamlessly blending the nostalgia of 2000s pop-punk with the intricate nuances of modern emo. Their forthcoming debut LP is set to arrive in May 2026.

RIYL: Arm's Length, Macseal, Oso Oso, Tiny Voices, Hot Mulligan, Saturday's At Your Place