Album Details

• Artist: Botch
• Album: American Nervoso
• Label: Hydra Head
• Year of Release: 1999/2007
• Original Release:
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2007-09-01

So few hardcore acts have had the grit and grand vision to rise up through that atypical sound the genre is known for. To arrive somewhere beyond the blast-beats and the tired, cliche forced-aggression at a destination a little more scenic. To inject a certain amount of personality and innovation, or at the very least a clear sense of honesty. The late-great Tacoma, WA outfit Botch were at the front of a revolution in hardcore that welcomed the magnetic draw between inspirations; punk, metal, and...progressive rock. It's all far more complicated than that, but at it's core American Nervoso contains the spirit of a thousand different ideas drawn equally from influences far and wide, but mostly from the impassioned 'do-it-yourself' attitude pervasive in hardcore scenes everywhere.

Much of American Nervoso is focused on creating a sort of spiraling, never-ending mudslide of sick, twisted melodies and razor-sharp technical brutality. You can listen to a song so many times before you're able to discern every nuance, every clever trade-off and how so often the vocals create a direct wall of noise against the music, straining the listener's attention span and demanding closeness with no exceptions. It all very much sucks you in, and every track is a lecture in the proper approach to and usage of the mathcore mentality. Think early DEP and Converge, and then forget it because you're only touching on 1/1,000 of American Nervoso

The re-issue I have here in my possession contains some bonus demos, all of which fit in nicely as party favors while taking nothing from the originals. All in all, it's clear to see why many praise Botch as innovators based on just this one album. While it isn't their best, American Nervoso trumps most hardcore that's been released in the past 10 years. And I would say it was easy, but one listen to this album and you get the feeling there was nothing easy about it at all.

User Reviews and Comments

Review:

on 2007-09-01 Symphony Said:

The last good hardcore album of the century. Seriously, I want a Botch reunion now!
Rating: 8/10