BOTOX comes from East Saxony, from the area around Bischofswerda, and has been causing a stir since 2005. Despite some lineup changes, the band has already released their second album with “Feuer Frei.”
I noticed the band positively during the anniversary concert of No Exit this year at the Berliner H.O.F. 23. Musically melodic, powerful, and catchy. Even though the band played relatively early, the atmosphere among the Saxons was lively.
The good live impression can be maintained by the band with “Feuer Frei!” Musically, what the band delivers is quite solid. You can tell that they master their instruments and dare to play more than just three chords. It’s a sound that reminds me of Fahnenflucht or No Exit. Catchy, fast, powerful, yet musically demanding and varied. This is all the more commendable considering that the band has had several lineup changes, which always brings new influences. The good recording from Hip-Gun Studios and the solid mastering work make the album a record that deserves attention purely from a sound perspective.
Lyrically, you can tell that the band members have not yet turned 30. The lyrics are at a transitional stage from student punk band to “adult” punk band. They are lyrics that deal with what the band has experienced or what occupies them. This is conveyed in their sometimes quite simple words. Songs like “Nervengift” or “Grüner Rest” address excessive drug use as well as depression and lack of motivation. These are themes that actually deserve a higher standard than what BOTOX can offer. Of course, one should commend the band for daring to tackle such significant themes, even if the expression still leaves room for improvement, but there are bands that handle these topics better, and one inevitably compares them.
However, this does not mean that the band has extreme shortcomings in their lyrics. There are songs that do not reinvent the wheel lyrically but are fun, such as “Danke,” “Meine Ideale,” or the perhaps naive but still humorous “Dicke Nazis.”
BOTOX has released an album with “Feuer Frei!” that particularly showcases good musicality. Overall, the lyrics cannot reach the musical level, which results in downgrades in the B-note.
Nevertheless, the work of the four East Saxons deserves attention.
