Formed in 2007, Botolph Dissidents is the project of vocalist, guitarist and band leader Andrew McGuire. Based out of Tokyo, Japan, this three-piece international metal band is comprised of working musicians, that run jam sessions and support local indie bands in the Tokyo area. The soaring vocals, technical metal guitar passages mixed with American East Coast aggression, UK progressive flavored bass lines powered by the Australian outback infused drum engine, blends elements of classic, power, thrash, and groove metal into a classic meets modern listening experience that appeals to listeners of all generations and genres. As for the band name, ‘Botolph’ pays homage to Andrew’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. With ‘Boston’ bing a contraction of ‘Saint Botolph’s Town’ and Saint Botolph being the patron saint of travelers, it’s very fitting as all three members are from different countries and background having converged and formed in Tokyo. The ‘Dissidents’ part of the name comes from the fact that the band continues the metal tradition of using music as a form of journalism to address and stand up to the issues of injustice in society.
Now that the pandemic has settled down, the band has finally recorded and released their debut album, ’The Back of the Beyond.’ With the album completed, the band looks forward to touring and introducing themselves to the world, meeting fellow metal bands and gaining fans across the globe. The album, The Back of the Beyond gives us soaring operatic melodic passages intertwined with passionate aggressive vocals, choruses that hook you in, old school and modern riffs where guitar is king, blazing technical neo-classical solos, time changes, chugging riffs, funky passages, each song is a unique metal journey.
Botolph Dissidents have a large catalog of songs they will be recording in the future once their debut CD goes into circulation and they build their fan base, bring fans of all generations, cultures and backgrounds together with music being the common bond.