Puffin is a four-piece modern rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, comprised of Richard Sinal (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Schnell D’Souza (lead guitar), Josh Hayden (bass guitar), and Isaac Bezanson (drums).
Puffin was born in December 2023 from an earworm riff and a pair of jam sessions between D’Souza and Bezanson. With Hayden and Sinal adding to the fold soon after, the quartet spent the better part of 2024 honing their craft through relentless practicing and collaborative songwriting. The quartet’s musical style incorporates the melodic hooks of post-hardcore (Billy Talent), punk rock’s raw energy (PUP), and the intricate rhythms of math rock (The Fall of Troy) while creating a fresh and unique sound.
Puffin’s ability to blur the line of genre is on full display from the first seconds of their exploratory self-titled debut EP. The anthemic post-hardcore opener, Gas Station Lemonade, pairs an onslaught of distorted guitars with a tongue-in-cheek approach to tell the story of a couple who embark on a disgruntled road trip, with the lyrics painting images of relatable vignettes. The EP powers forward as it unveils the rest of the tracklist, each more sonically diverse than the last, by combining soaring melodies and complex timing with lyrical themes of introspection and vulnerability. Lastly, the EP comes to an intense close with Trust, the dynamic hard rock favourite written to match the swells of a relationship on the brink of dissolve; quiet and reflective verses, all-out choruses, and an emotionally-charged bridge that builds to the climax and breakdown of the song. All in all, the project offers 5 tracks of energetic rock that balance raw intensity with emotional honesty – creating music that feels bold, real, and instantly engaging.
Tracked and mixed by Palmer Jamieson (Cancer Bats, Frail Hands, Beauts) at Cat Island Studio in Halifax, Puffin’s debut EP proves that even the hardest-hitting breakdowns and chaotic walls of sound carry an emotional weight, turning every listen into a simultaneous no-holds-barred battlefield and a chorus-belting shoutalong.
Name:
Puffin
Genre:
Post-hardcore, math-rock, punk rock
Founded:
Oct 2024
# of Albums:
1 (EP)
Latest Album:
“Puffin” – EP
Latest Single:
“Trust”
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Green Day
Favourite musician now:
Hot Mulligan
Guilty pleasure song:
I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
Live show ritual:
Tell the crowd to tip their bartenders during our last song
Favourite local musician:
Absolute Losers (PEI)
EP or LP?
EP
Early bird or night owl?
Majority of the band are night owls
Road or studio?
Studio
Where can we follow you?
Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp | Spotify
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
Battery Park (Dartmouth, NS)
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
Agricola St. in Halifax – largely because it has lots of great cafes, shops, and the infamous Gus’s Pub
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
Halifax Commons – beautiful fountain, baseball diamonds, and skating oval in the winter
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
The Marquee Ballroom
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Long & McQuade
