BOTCHED TOE – A False Glimmer Of Hope LP (Kibou/Toxic Wotsit/Amok/No Time/Pike)

distressingly bleak uk punk

---

BOTCHED TOE are made up of one part DOMESTICS/PI$$ER, two parts HAEST/MATHILDA’S SCOUNDRELS and one part KITTIE SHITTER/FERAL STATE, though the experimental leanings of PI$$ER and the folk-punk of MS are nowhere to be found. Instead, they attempt to cheer us up with a punishingly negative soundtrack to the current misery of pandemic and life under Tory rule. Simple, memorable riffs, rumbling bass, pounding drums, vocals a primitive roar and the echo effect from PI$$ER along for a few laps. Lyrics are kept to a minimum, repeated bellows of rage to fit the overall ‘less is more’ concept.

High points include Third World’s formidable breakdown & spoken section, the catchy riff/single string solo of Government Schtick that fair schticks in your head and Botched Toe’s lightening-quick ‘fuck you’ guitar mangle. Overall highlight? Cream‘s slow, sinister rock has one of the best guitar chugs heard in a while, before opening this shit up for catharsis’ sake. The album ends on a high with a cover of BONEY M‘s One Way Ticket. Not really. It does, however, share the title and for your money you get a rumbling bass and drums intro, shouty chorus and another crucial spoken bit. One way ticket to your graaaave indeed. Ten tracks in 18 minutes so it doesn’t hang about, but then this isn’t cheery stuff. The straightforward riffs, loose drumming and vocal delivery give it a semi-improvisational vibe. Live, you could easily imagine the band bursting into a jam and just going with it, James’ primal roar freestyling over the top.

A false glimmer of hope? You got that right, BOTCHED TOE. With a sound like SORE THROAT playing on POLICE BASTARD‘s gear at a 90’s all-dayer, this is the desperate sound of utter despair, a punishing clamor of frustration for a dumbed down, miserable existence in modern Britain. Bruising.

Multi-label release with Kibou and Toxic Wotsit (UK), Amok (Germany), No Time (USA) and Pike (Sweden). Pre-order now for 11th February 2022 release on standard black or limited pink vinyl. Check it out here