This swan song EP from the great math metalcore legends makes me wonder why they broke up. Most definitely their best material to date, An Anthology Of Dead Ends showcases the band's ability to hold up off-time time signatures with dirty, distorted guitars & bass. The vocals on this recording are probably the biggest difference between their last releases. A harsher delivery and lower tone make for a more menacing sound. Unfortunately, this release is way, way too short. Six tracks total, but the first one ("Spaim") is an experimental instrumental that lasts for but a few seconds. After that though, is, in my opinion, the best song Botch has ever written. "Japam" contains some serious speed, along with an unbeatable riff about 50 seconds into the song. The rest of the tracks (while superb), don't pack the same punch. "Micaragua", the last track, is a soft song, but as interesting and listenable as the whole CD. A special bonus (and preview for the upcoming DVD on Excursion Records) has the bands video for "St. Matthew Returns To The Womb", and pictures from their 9 year career, making up the enhanced portion of the disc. Overall, the best effort from this band.
available from hydrahead.