Artist: Botulistum
Country: The Netherlands
Label: New Era Records
Formats: LP / Cassette tape / CD
Year: 2023
It has taken a while, but this band, founded in 1998, has finally arrived at its debut album in 2023. Like some kind of nocturnal animal that you rarely get to hear, let alone see, Botulistum not only always strikes unexpectedly, but most of all mercilessly. Hidden deep in its lair, this creature rarely comes out of its sometimes endless seeming hibernation, but in those brief periods of activity it always served us something beautiful through its ugliness. And it is in that tradition that this eponymous album fits perfectly: somewhat unexpected but uncannily beautiful in its ultimate barbarity.
Anyone familiar with anything from Botulistum’s previous recordings will agree that the band has always made every effort to capture the dirtiness and roughness of late-’80s Black Metal, but is also never averse to incorporating experimental and often noisy elements. It is no different on ‘Botulistum’, right from the start we are immersed in a schizophrenic-sounding kaleidoscope of utter squalor and depravity. After a short intro in which gurgling guttural sounds dominate, the 23-minute album erupts with a heavy punk-driven sound that we have come to know from the band’s earlier recordings. On this album, however, the band did choose to replace the programmed drums for ones played by a flesh-and-blood person. Subsequently making the whole thing sound much more organic compared to the more mechanical character of, for instance, the split 7″ with Domini Inferi and the ‘Drank Nach Osten’ 7″ EP. This is further enhanced by moody buzzing electronics and the almost drone-like passages that give ‘Botulistum’ its very distinctly doomier nature opposed to the average Botulistum material. Due to the musical range in Botulistum’s discography, it is difficult to draw direct connections and meaningful comparisons, but still, without detracting from the earlier material, on this album and with this (partially) new line-up the band definitely offers their most varied and superior material to date.
Although on this debut album the band sounds very recognisably Botulistum, it still remains quite difficult to put the band’s musical identity into words. But no matter how you look (and listen) to it, yes, Botulistum still manages to surprise again. The twisted madness, the horror-soaked dirty opulence and the all-pervading noise and chaos, it’s all there and it’s again as beautiful as it is ugly.
