One of the great longtime holdouts has returned. The Tacoma, Washington band Botch figured out a style of complex, frantic, math-damaged hardcore in the late ’90s, when peers like Converge and the Dillinger Escape Plan were fucking with that formula in similar ways. But while Converge and Dillinger went on to become hugely successful touring acts, Botch broke apart at their absolute peak. The band started to fracture when they were recording their 1999 opus We Are The Romans, and they finally played their last show in 2002. Over the years, Botch have presumably had many opportunities to reunite. They took none of them. But now, Botch have returned, and they’ve just dropped their first new track in 20 years.

Botch’s new song is called “One Twenty Two,” and it rips. The track is a little less complex than the stuff that Botch were doing at their peak, but it’s just as commanding and ferocious. The band is going to include the track on a just-announced reissue of We Are The Romans. Botch haven’t announced any reunion shows, but their Dimitri Luedemann-directed video for “One Twenty Two” is just the band playing in a room together, and they look like they’re ready.

In a press release, guitarist David Knudson explains how Botch finally decided to get back together”

During Covid, I was writing my debut solo LP, and mentally, I was sick of everything in quarantine. Lots of frustration had set in at home, and I figured the best way to deal with it was to write something heavy. I had no intention of writing anything for Botch, but when I was thinking of a singer to collaborate with, I thought, “Hey, I know the best hardcore singer ever to do it,” so I hit up Dave V. He was super excited, and so it just kind of snowballed from there. There was never any intent or conversation about getting back together or writing. It just happened so naturally and was a great release for all of us to make it happen without any of the traditional pressure an “active” band faces.

So maybe Botch aren’t an “active” band now, but this song shows that they could be one. Check out the “One Twenty Two” video below.

The We Are The Romans double-LP reissue is out 11/4 on Sargent House. This past summer, members of bands like Converge and the Dillinger Escape Plan covered Botch for the Two Minutes To Late Night video series, while a couple of Botch members participated in the series’ Converge cover.