The plainspoken vocals aligned with the semi-doom crush via melancholy sparkle is mid-90s AmRep, so I see Helmet and Slint more than metal qua metal as rootage.
Botch almost single-handedly carved a new path for metalcore. Instead of testosterone-fueled rage, they had genuine passion and a great sense of humor.
A spin-off of Cave In. Sick in the same way as the early, super-distorted Hellacopters records and Life of Crime/You Can’t Pray a Lie-era Laughing Hyenas.
In nine years (two full-lengths, an EP, and several singles), this quartet took hardcore to the next level. 061502 presents the last show in the band’s career.
Think of it as grindcore without structure, Mr. Bungle on a violent meth high, John Zorn in the middle of a Central Park jog mind-building his next opus.
The non-LP/early years of sorely-missed tech metalcore greats Botch in one handy package, presenting the influential band’s roots and semi-primitive beginnings.