I’ll admit, it’s been a struggle keeping the blog alive this year but thankfully albums like ‘II’ by Portland trio Bothers throws some gasoline on the smoldering coals.
Bothers features members of Young Livers, No//se, North Lincoln, Glass and Ashes, Prison Suicide among others, and ‘II’ follows the band’s 2019 debut. Bringing to mind fellow Portland crust lords Tragedy, it doesn’t take long before Bothers have a raging inferno going.
From the opening track ‘Black/Orange‘ an abrasive blast of metallic riffage and hoarse throat-lacerating vocals to the moody epic closer ‘Darker Eyes‘, with its post-punk drive and Baroness heaviness, ‘II’ will have you releasing bottled-up energy in whatever way turns your crank.
There is so much to love about this album, tracks like ‘Washed Out‘, ‘Bad Solutions‘ and ‘Hollowed Out‘ are take-no-prisoners anthems of bludgeoning noise-rock while ‘Ain’t Nobody Like You‘, ‘Long Shadows‘ and ‘Black Teeth Sadness‘ expertly suture hooks through all the noise and darkness with the energy of The Bronx or Fucked Up. And, just when you think you have Bothers pinned down they blow the doors down with the Motörhead ferocity of ‘Light/Sound/Gone‘.
This album comes highly recommended for anyone looking for a bit of musical viagra to get the fire going.
Out now on Dirt Cult Records
