botfly: A Review by Adam Yoe

by Adam Yoe

Botfly recently appeared on episode 4 of Yer Scene’s “The Pit.” Never one to give the friends and family discount, Adam Yoe is back to weigh in on their self titled album.

Recently dropped on Pink Lemonade Records, the eight tracks are an absolutely dizzying collection of noise rock. As fitting as the tag is, I find it far too reductionist for an album that culls from such a wide swath of musical misfits.

Starting with the first track, “Disjointed” (what I can only describe as a macabre ice cream truck jingle from a dystopian future), their queasy template is firmly planted from the first moments. Fittingly, the blown out, rubbery bass tone slithers in from out of the reptile house, conjuring Jesus Lizard at their most menacing. As if daring the listener to predict the next dexterous turn, they switch into a pummelling sludge riff, laden with doom.

Botfly seems to revel in changes of pace, nuance, and bucking expectations. Noise rock of the highest order, a la AmRep’s deep roster, informs their ability to ride a riff into near hypnosis, the repetition ritualistic. There are flashes of the mighty Killdozer in their tendency to vacillate between pummeling and ambience. A more modern touchstone could be Ken Mode or Pissed Jeans, bands that have both continually redefined what they are. I hear, at once, a glorious metallurgy of 90’s Sub Pop grunge and the ferocity of chaotic hardcore.

“Back Tracked” finds itself cribbing notes from the loftiest of post metal, as the moody instrumental intro feeds on the spiritual corpse of Neurosis. As soon as we find comfort, it opens into an absolutely bludgeoning tsunami of a riff that rides into shore in a wash of noise and devastation, whereas “Man’s Best Friend” flexes an altogether original muscle, using but a backdrop of tape hiss to round out the track, highlighting their tendency to serve the song with minimalist gusto.

For me, “Yellow Bike Road” is the gold star. An absolute high watermark amongst 7 of them, the track joyous head-fuck of a song. Trading off-kilter time signatures for noisy freak outs, it’s an unrelenting piece of art that points a deep and nuanced knowledge of how to craft truly original music. I can’t help but hear glimmers of absolute titans: both NoMeansNo and Cop Shoot Cop spring to mind. Eschewing tonality while remaining melodious is so difficult but Botfly seems to excel where others tire, to run when others stumble. Serpentine bass lines, scraping guitar runs, and pummeling tasteful drums lay down a blackened canvas for the utterly deranged carnival barker at the helm.

Lest you think Botfly can’t go quiet, take a chance on the final track. “Gutless” not so secretly shares its name with an utterly classic tune from Hole at their 90’s peak. Though it mines different sonic terrain, there’s an anguished, desperate plea that recalls the slacker degradation of the era. “Gutless” is a barbed dose of regret, the moment of anguished contemplation after the storm of the album.

Ultimately, it offers neither comfort nor resolution; instead it sends us adrift into the quiet... ears still ringing. The sweat equity has clearly paid off, resulting in a brutalizing think piece of an album. I’m retroactively honored to share a space with Botfly.

https://botfly.bandcamp.com/album/botfly